TWENTY #2
I was glad she didn’t pursue my family tree any further. ‘Are you trying to flatter me? Because it’s working.’
‘You’re supposed to say the Medical Corps are pretty cool. Especially the captains.’
‘One captain in particular is more than cool.’ Christ, I wanted to be up there with her.
Not long now.
‘I’m looking forward to you being back,’ she said.
‘Yeah. Me too.’ I didn’t want to break the moment, but I had to ask my next question. ‘Everything okay up there?’
‘Yes. All good.’
The answer was a little breezier than I expected in light of Dom’s comment.
‘What did you think of the other lads?’
She looked away. The phone slipped and buried itself in the bed sheet. She picked it up.
‘Sorry, dropped my phone.’ I waited. Waited a bit more. She eventually answered me. ‘They seem okay. Haven’t had much to do with them. I can tell you who my favourite is, though––Buddy. I might have fallen a little bit in love with him today.’
I knew she was deflecting, but I didn’t push it. ‘I can’t believe you said that. You love a dog! How am I supposed to compete with that?’
‘You’re not.’
We chatted some more, and by the end of the call, she seemed relaxed and happy. Maybe Dom was just being hyper vigilant, and I was over-analysing every nuance.
The rest of the week dragged, with only a couple of highlights, one being Noah’s assembly where he was an absolute star, even though Marsha turned up late and got there just in time to hear him read the poem.
After assembly, there was tea and coffee in the school hall, where we had to exchange small talk with a couple of the other parents before Marsha asked if she could have a quick word.
‘I was wondering about child maintenance when Noah is up in Scotland with you,’ she said. ‘I’m still going to need some help with the finances when he comes to visit me.’
‘We discussed this, and I agreed to make sure you weren’t out of pocket during those visits,’ I said, taking a sip of the coffee and smiling at one of the teachers as she walked by.
‘I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but everything is so expensive now.’
I sighed. I could argue with her, but I remembered all the times when my parents had argued about money after the break-up. It put too much pressure on the kids hearing about it, and I knew Marsha wouldn’t worry about complaining in front of Noah.
‘I’ll get my solicitor to draw up a new agreement. Don’t worry, it will be enough to cover costs and more. Half as much again.’
She smiled. ‘Thank you, Oliver. It’s for Noah’s benefit.’
‘Yeah.’ Another point I had no intention of getting into right then.
Fortunately, at that point, Noah’s class came in to see their parents.
The exact tonic I needed, although I could see the way he gauged the atmosphere between myself and Marsha as he approached.
I hated that he had to do that. I knew that feeling far too well.
The other highlight of the week was my FaceTime calls with Alex. She reported back to me that Grainger had been to the hospital and had finally been allowed to remove his boot.
‘He couldn’t get out of there quick enough,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know he could move that fast.’
‘There will be no stopping him now. I’ve warned Dom.’
‘Oh, don’t worry. He’s already ambushed Dom and insisted he be put back on full duties. Going to show the youngsters a thing or two.’
‘How have you settled in with the others?’
‘I haven’t seen much of them, to be honest.’ She sounded casual, and I was having a hard time deciphering what that meant.
‘I’ll be up Saturday lunchtime,’ I said.
‘Are you bringing Noah?’
‘I wasn’t planning to this weekend. I have to be back in London for Tuesday morning, so I was going to leave him with my mum. She wants to take him to a show. Is that okay?’ I suddenly wondered if there was a problem with Noah and Alex didn’t want him there.
‘No problem at all. I just wondered.’ She paused. ‘How long are Dom and the others up here for?’
‘Dom needs to be back in London next week. The others are staying there now. Especially in light of things.’
I saw the hesitancy in her face. There was something she wasn’t telling me.
I was tempted to ask, but so far, sitting back and waiting had always worked with Alex.
She would tell me when she was ready. ‘I’m speaking to Dom later to see if there’s any update on the name you gave me.’
She looked away. ‘Let me know what he comes up with.’
‘Alex… Lexi,’ I began.
She cut me off. ‘I’m fine.’ She plastered on a smile. ‘I’ll look forward to seeing you Saturday.’
I tried to work out what was going on in her head, but I couldn’t. ‘Do you want me to stay on call later tonight?’ I knew just from her expression that she wanted to say yes, but she didn’t actually want to say it. I said it for her. ‘I’ll call at 10.30.’
‘Thank you.’
After I got off the phone with her, I rang Dom immediately. ‘Any news on that name?’
‘Nothing significant.’
‘But something.’
‘He was medically discharged from the Army twelve months ago. Spent a couple of months in Spain at his parents’ home. Popped up again in the UK about six months ago. Then dropped off the radar last December.’
‘Dropped off how?’
‘No activity. No card payments, no phone, no fixed address. Nothing.’ He paused. ‘Like he doesn’t want to be found.’
The skin on the back of my neck prickled. ‘Fuck.’ Do some more digging.’
‘Already on it.’
‘Right. Alex, how’s she been this week?’
Dom hesitated. ‘She’s a bit of a loner.’
‘In what way?’
‘Hasn’t mixed socially with any of the lads. Minimal contact,’ replied Dom. ‘She’s hung out with Grainger more than anyone.’
‘I’ll be up at the weekend.’