Chapter 34
A rms by my side, I stood, gathering myself ready to challenge Gideon and Julia.
In through my nose and out through my mouth, I slowly inhaled and exhaled.
Despite the breathing exercise, my heart pounded.
‘You’ve got this,’ I said. Clenching my hand, I used the side of my fist to hit the carriage open button and stepping forward, I marched in their direction.
Gideon and Julia were back in their original seats and fixing a smile on my face, I kept my eyes on them as I sat down opposite.
Martha tapped me on my arm. ‘I saved you a sandwich.’ She glowered at Gideon as she handed me the last of her tinfoil wrapped parcel and seeing her displeasure, I wondered how she’d react if she knew Gideon had done more than eat with the woman next to him.
‘You need something in your tummy,’ Lexi said. Pacing up and down the aisle, she grimaced as she rubbed her belly, having obviously eaten too many chocolate-flavoured gherkins. ‘Goodness knows how long we’re going to be here.’
‘It’s probably a snowdrift,’ Jake said.
Brian laughed. ‘A leaf on the track, more like.’
While they chatted about the problems with the rail operator, I focused my attention on Julia.
The train’s stark lighting wasn’t doing her any favours.
Her make-up didn’t appear as refined, and I was sure there were a couple of grey strands in her otherwise dark hair.
Correcting myself, I refused to behave like the woman before me.
Attaching the flaws in her character to her appearance might serve my anger, but I was better than that.
Julia shifted in her seat, as if pretending not to notice my stare.
I chuckled. She wasn’t that good an actress.
I wondered how she and Gideon planned to resolve our festive threesome. Julia was clearly a pick me kind of woman, but in forcing Gideon’s hand, underneath all her glamour and bravado she couldn’t one-hundred per cent believe Gideon would choose her. After all, he hadn’t so far.
I tilted my head. ‘So where are you off to, Julia?’
‘I, er…’ She looked from me to Gideon, lost for words. I almost felt sorry for her. The desperation in her eyes was pitiful.
Gideon squirmed. He clearly wanted all the benefits of an affair, but none of the responsibility. That could explain why he’d accepted Julia’s food offering so readily. One word from her wouldn’t just make public his behaviour; it would make him outwardly accountable.
I sneered. He’d probably hoped I’d make a scene.
Give him a reason to dump me in a way that enabled him and Julia to cast me as the bad guy and them the victims. After all, he had form.
In leaving my bag in the car, wasn’t I the one who’d left him hungry?
I scoffed. Innocent was the last thing those two were.
‘Everything okay?’ Gideon asked, clearly sensing something was afoot.
‘Why wouldn’t it be?’ As his eyes darted towards the carriage doors, I knew he was questioning Alex’s whereabouts. Panicking over what we had or hadn’t talked about when we were out of sight, let alone earshot.
Seeing his discomfort a warmth radiated through my body. Oh, how the tables had turned.
Gideon swallowed. ‘You just seem a bit on edge.’ He pulled at his collar.
Ignoring his observation, I indicated his phone with a smile. ‘You might want to text your mum to let her know we’re running late. There’s no point her sitting on a cold station platform, when she could be keeping that gorgeous inglenook burning for us.’
As Julia flashed Gideon a look, the carriage doors opened, and Alex appeared. Rucksack slung over his shoulder, he carried two takeaway cups of coffee. ‘There you go.’ Handing me one of the drinks, he lowered himself into his seat. As if sensing the shift in atmosphere, he glanced around the group.
‘Well, this is nice, isn’t it?’ I said.
Martha shuddered. ‘I don’t know about that. It’s getting a bit chilly in here?’
Brian nodded in our direction. ‘It’s colder on that side of the aisle.’
Still pacing, Lexi rubbed her belly. ‘I shouldn’t have eaten so much.’ She grimaced at the two empty jars on the table where she’d sat. ‘I’ve got indigestion.’
I chuckled, seizing the opportunity to humiliate my boyfriend like he had me. ‘Reminds me of the time you were rushed to hospital, Gideon.’
Gideon glared at me. ‘I don’t think that’s an event worth sharing, do you?’
Turning to the rest of the group, I couldn’t have disagreed more. ‘He was convinced he was having a heart attack and insisted I ring him an ambulance. Of course, with all his moaning and groaning, I was straight on the phone. The paramedics weren’t taking any chances either. They raced him to A&E.’
I could still feel my panic as I floored Beryl’s accelerator trying to follow the flashing blue light.
My fear was overwhelming as I sat in the hospital car park, hands glued to the steering wheel, willing myself to get out of the van and run to Gideon’s side.
By the time I’d talked myself into it and pulled my keys out of the ignition Gideon was lowering himself into the passenger seat desperate to get away from there.
Lexi’s eyes widened. ‘What happened?’
I looked at Gideon. ‘Do you want to tell them or shall I?’
His cheeks reddened, while his cold stare told me he’d deal with me later.
‘Nothing,’ I said, keeping my eyes on him. ‘It was trapped wind.’
Alex sniggered, rattling Gideon more so.
‘Perhaps you could let Lexi have some of your Gaviscon.’ I returned my attention back to everyone else. ‘He always keeps a bottle with him. Despite not having any shame, even he doesn’t want to suffer humiliation like that again.’
Gideon opened his mouth to speak, but I wouldn’t let him.
‘You know what we should do?’ I said. ‘Play charades.’
‘Hell, yes.’ Lexi’s discomfort vanished as she speed-waddled back to her seat. She tapped Jake’s leg in excitement.
‘It’s not like we have anything else to do,’ Martha said, equally enthusiastic.
Gideon sighed.
‘Oh, come on,’ I said. ‘Don’t be such a spoil sport.’ Again, I turned to the group. ‘If there’s one thing I’ve learned about this man, it’s that he loves to play games.’
Gideon lowered his voice. ‘I don’t know what’s got into you, but…’
‘But what, Gideon?’ I asked, raising mine.
‘I’m in,’ Alex said. Ready to go, he smiled at my so-called boyfriend.
‘I’ll go first.’ I rose to my feet by the window and making sure everyone could see me, I mimed holding a video camera.
‘It’s a film,’ Lexi said.
I held up my middle and index fingers.
‘Two words,’ Martha said.
I wiggled one of them.
‘First word,’ everyone except Gideon and Julia called out.
I clutched my chest and pretended to keel over.
‘Indigestion!’ Lexi said.
All but Gideon and Julia burst out laughing.
Getting back to the game, I continued to mime, and everyone’s answers came thick and fast.
‘Dead.’
‘Faint.’
‘Passed.’
With none of them correct, I paused to think. I picked up my coffee cup and taking a swig, put it down while pretending I was choking on it.
‘Poisonous,’ Alex said.
I pointed to the cup.
‘Fatal!’ Jake said.
Nodding, I held up two fingers.
‘Second word,’ Lexi said.
I turned to Alex and swooned.
‘ Fatal Attraction !’ Martha said.
I touched my nose and pointed at her. As Martha congratulated herself, I turned to Gideon and Julia. ‘I’m surprised neither of you got that.’ Wrinkling my nose, I gave them a patronising smile. ‘Not to worry, I’ve got another one.’ Picking up my imaginary video camera, I started again.
‘Film,’ Alex said.
I held up a finger.
‘One word,’ Martha said.
I pointed to Gideon and then to myself.
‘Couple,’ Lexi said. ‘Married. Together.’ She was clearly determined to win the round.
‘Boyfriend. Girlfriend,’ Martha said.
I pretended to cry and pointed to Gideon and Julia.
The two of them looked back at me horrified.
Jake jumped to his feet. ‘ Unfaithful !’
There was an immediate silence, and as all eyes turned to Gideon and Julia, Jake slowly sat down.
‘Well done, Jake,’ I said, keeping my eyes fixed on them too. ‘That’s exactly what it is.’