Life Or Something Like It (24 page)

‘Uncle Finn? Can I have one too, please?’ asked Daisy.

Cat walked alongside Charlie as they made their way down towards the seafront. She noticed that he was quiet so she nudged him. ‘All right, Charlie?’

‘Mhmm,’ he murmured.

‘Bet it’s nice to see your dad again.’

‘I guess.’

‘Everything okay?’

He looked at her and she noticed that the cloud had descended again; she was getting used to that cloud. It was an indicator that Charlie was not in the mood for idle chat. ‘Everything’s fine,’ he muttered.

Ellie was pointing out the sights to her father. ‘That’s the lighthouse and that’s the pier, although we haven’t been there yet, and this is the beach.’

‘It’s lovely,’ said Andrew with a smile. ‘And you’re heavy,’ he added, heaving Ellie down from his shoulders and plonking her on the pavement.

‘Rude,’ said Ellie. ‘Come down now, Daisy,’ she commanded gesturing up at her friend who was still perched on Finn’s shoulders.

‘I like it up here,’ said Daisy patting the top of Finn’s head. ‘You can see a lot more.’

‘Come on, Ellie, I’ll run with you,’ offered Charlie with a kind smile.

Ellie frowned. ‘I want to walk with Daddy,’ she said, catching hold of Andrew’s hand. Cat noticed Charlie’s face flush red with wounded pride. Her heart went out to him but she also knew that he would hate it if she made a fuss so she let him be.

They entered the pub and as it was a lovely evening, they found a table outside in the walled garden.

‘Are you drinking beer now?’ said Andrew to Cat, as Finn set down three pints and glasses of lemonade for the children.

‘I’m afraid to tell you that your sister has been replaced,’ reported Finn.

‘Oh yes?’ said Andrew amused. ‘With someone less bossy I hope.’

‘Shut up,’ laughed Cat.

‘She’s now known as “holiday-Cat”,’ declared Finn. ‘She eats unhealthy food, goes for picnics, drinks in pubs and has forgotten how to use Twitter.’

Andrew stared at his sister in amazement. ‘I like the sound of this new woman.’

‘She’s pretty amazing,’ said Finn, his eyes lingering on Cat.

‘I’ll have you know that I was pretty amazing before,’ she joked, looking away.

‘Well here’s to you, sis, and your holiday self,’ said Andrew winking at her. ‘May your picnics be wasp-free and your pint glass always be full.’

‘Amen to that,’ agreed Finn.

‘Can we play a game now?’ asked Ellie.

‘All right then,’ said Finn. He nipped back into the pub and returned with a pack of Happy Families. Cat watched with amusement as Ellie stuck out her tongue in concentration as she ordered her cards. When they were all ready, Finn turned to Daisy. ‘Do you want to start, Dais?’ Daisy was out with her first question and it was Ellie’s turn.

‘Charlie,’ she began.

‘No,’ he said.

‘You don’t know what I’m going to ask.’

‘Go on then, squirt.’

‘Don’t call me that,’ said Ellie crossly.

‘Charlie,’ warned Andrew.

‘Fine,’ said Charlie. ‘Go on.’

‘Charlie,’ repeated Ellie.

‘Ye-es,’ he replied impatiently.

‘Do you have Mr Bacon?’

‘How could you know that?’ he retorted, flicking the card at her.

‘Charlie, calm down,’ said Andrew.

Ellie took the card. ‘I’m just very good at guessing,’ she said in a superior voice. She was on a roll now and oblivious to her brother’s worsening mood. ‘Charlie? Do you have Mrs Bacon?’

Charlie scowled at her. ‘You cheated! You looked! You always bloody do that,’ he cried.

Ellie’s lip began to tremble. She gazed up at her father, her face a picture of innocence. ‘I didn’t, Daddy. I promise. I’m just really good at guessing.’

‘I didn’t, Daddy, I pwomis, I’m just weeally good at guessing,’ mimicked Charlie in a baby voice, causing Ellie’s eyes to mist with the promise of tears.

Andrew put a consoling hand on her knee before turning on his son. ‘You! Outside! Now!’ he barked angrily.

Charlie stared at him for a second, his face set in a thunderous scowl. Suddenly he leapt to his feet sending his drink flying. He threw down his cards and stormed out towards the front door, closely followed by his father.

Cat ignored the stares of fellow drinkers and fetched some paper towels. She gave Finn a wincing look as they mopped up the spilt lemonade. Ellie began to sob. ‘It’s always like this with Daddy and Charlie. They make each other so cross and I hate it when people get cross. And I didn’t cheat, honestly, Cat. I promise.’ Cat put a comforting arm around her shoulder as Daisy clung onto her friend’s arm on the other side.

‘Not quite as much fun as yesterday,’ she said. Finn sighed and nodded. Andrew and Charlie were gone for a long time. Cat kept glancing towards the doorway expecting to see them return. The girls were upset and despite Finn’s best efforts to entertain them with a word game, the mood had changed. Eventually Andrew returned alone.

‘I’m going to take Charlie home,’ said Andrew. ‘You stay here and play.’

‘I want to go home too,’ said Ellie, her voice trembling.

‘And me,’ agreed Daisy.

‘Well how about I take the girls to get the fish and chips and we meet back at the house?’ offered Finn.

Andrew looked relieved. ‘Thanks, Finn.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ said Cat.

They walked through the pub and back onto the narrow street outside. ‘Where’s Charlie?’ asked Ellie, worried.

Andrew was looking left and right. ‘I told him to wait here,’ he said, panic rising in his voice. ‘Charlie! Charlie!’

‘He can’t have gone far,’ said Cat, trying to keep her voice calm.

‘Where is he?’ wailed Ellie, tears springing quickly into her eyes.

‘Listen, why don’t I take the girls through the town and look for him on the way?’ suggested Finn. ‘You two head towards the seafront and call me if you find him, okay?’

Andrew’s face was white with fear as he nodded. He knelt down in front of Ellie. ‘It’s okay, Ellie. You go with Finn and Daisy. Charlie is playing one of his silly games. I’ll find him and bring him home for tea, all right?’

‘All right, Daddy,’ sniffed Ellie.

Andrew and Cat walked smartly towards the seafront. ‘This is all my fault,’ muttered Andrew.

Cat touched him on the arm. ‘Don’t worry about that now. Let’s just find him, okay?’ As they reached the path, which snaked along the top of the beach, they stopped. ‘Right, you go left towards the pier and I’ll go right towards the harbour and call me if you spot him,’ said Cat. She had gone into crisis-management mode. Andrew nodded and they parted company. Cat walked briskly along the path. There were benches along one side filled with holidaymakers but Charlie wasn’t among them. The path wound down the hill towards the sand dunes and it was this route that Cat took, scanning every inch for her nephew.

At the bottom of the slope the promenade was covered with a light dusting of sand blown up from the beach. She paused, looking left and right, deciding to walk as far to the right as possible first before retracing her steps in the other direction. The beach was sweeping and sandy here and there were lots of families playing ball games or picnicking in the warm sun. The beach huts were set back and elevated on this stretch of sand and the hut owners were making the most of their own little piece of heaven, stretching out in deckchairs on the promenade or lazily drinking wine on the veranda. Cat was starting to despair and then she saw him. The sand was flat and soft on this part of the beach but after a while it gave way to a built-up ridge of pebbles leading down to the shore. Charlie was perched on this shingle bank staring out to sea. She reached for her phone and dialled Andrew’s number. He answered immediately.

‘I’ve found him,’ she said.

‘Thank God. Where? I’ll come to you.’

‘You don’t need to. I’ll meet you at home. Go and tell the others the good news.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course.’ She hung up and made her way across the dense sand. She didn’t call his name. As she reached his side, she sat down next to him and looked out to sea. He glanced over, registering her presence, but he didn’t move. Cat could tell that he was trying to register her level of anger. She knew enough about human beings to understand that getting cross rarely helped in these situations. It only made both parties feel wretched. She carried on staring out to sea as she spoke. ‘When your dad was little, he ran away from home.’ Charlie didn’t speak but Cat knew he was listening so she continued. ‘We looked for him everywhere: in the shed, under the bed, in the linen cupboard.’ Cat smiled at the memory. ‘Do you know where we found him?’ Charlie looked at her expectantly. ‘At the bus stop.’ She laughed. ‘He told us that he was going to London to become a pop star. He was eight. My mum told him to let her know next time so that she could pack him some sandwiches.’

‘She wasn’t cross?’ asked Charlie.

Cat looked at him. ‘No, she was very wise and kind.’ Her voice broke a little.

‘Dad’s going to be cross. He’s always cross with me.’ He glanced up at her and she saw a little boy who was a bit frightened and sad. Preparing for him to shrink away she offered her arm and was pleased when he leant into her.

‘He worries about you,’ she offered.

‘Why does he end up cross with me then?’

It was a fair question. ‘Sometimes adults don’t get things right,’ admitted Cat. ‘Their worry turns into fear and they often get angry because of it. It’s crap but it’s how it is.’

‘Dad’s always cross with me. Ellie gets all the attention because she’s the baby and Dad doesn’t have any time for me.’

Cat could see the truth in this. ‘Well maybe we need to talk to Dad about it.’ She felt Charlie’s body relax a little at the suggestion.

‘Will you talk to him?’ asked Charlie.

Cat looked down at him. ‘I will and then you need to, okay? Things never get resolved unless you talk about them. Remember that.’

‘I will.’ Charlie nodded. They stayed for a while longer watching the waves lap the shore and a gaggle of excited five-year-olds shriek with delight as they splashed around in the shallow water. ‘Cat?’

‘Mhmm?’

‘Could we go now, please? My bum’s getting really numb.’ Charlie grinned.

They walked back along the beach in companionable silence, pausing to skim the odd stone into the sea. Charlie declared Cat’s efforts to be ‘rubbish’, but she didn’t care. It felt good to be just the two of them and Cat was starting to believe that they had an understanding. It was important to her; she realised this now. As they neared the cottage, she was aware that Charlie was walking close to her as if seeking protection. ‘It’s okay,’ she said. ‘I’ll go in first.’

The best plans, of course, are often prone to a kick in the gut. As soon as they walked through the door, Andrew appeared in the hallway. ‘Get up to your bedroom and don’t come down until I tell you!’ he said as soon as he caught sight of his son.

Charlie gave Cat a desperate look. ‘Andrew, hang on a minute,’ began Cat.

‘Sorry, Cat,’ said Andrew holding up his hands. ‘But you don’t understand. Charlie knows that his actions have consequences and the consequence of behaving like a spoilt brat and then running off is to go to your room until I say otherwise.’

‘I’m not a spoilt brat!’ cried Charlie, angry tears brimming his eyes. ‘You’re a shit dad and I hate you!’

‘Room! Now!’ shouted Andrew. Cat felt helpless as Charlie stomped up the stairs. She turned to her brother but he was ready for her. ‘Don’t,’ he said. ‘Just don’t.’

‘Don’t what?’ she replied. ‘Tell you the truth?’

He looked at her incredulously. ‘The truth about what? Parenting? Pardon me if I don’t take advice from the woman who can’t stand kids.’

Cat was angry now. ‘You know that’s not true. Just because I’ve chosen not to have kids doesn’t mean that a) I don’t like them and b) I can’t see what’s going on right in front of me.’

‘Oh and what’s that?’

‘This,’ replied Cat gesturing at him. ‘This anger. Have you tried actually talking to your son and finding out what’s bothering him?’

‘Spare me the lecture.’

‘Seriously though. He thinks you don’t give a damn about him, that you don’t spend any time with him and that Ellie gets all the attention.’

‘That’s ridiculous. He’s my son. I love him.’

‘You didn’t go and play football when he asked.’

‘Is that what it’s about? Football?’

‘No, but you immediately gave Ellie all the attention and he felt left out.’

‘Thank you, Professor Freud.’

‘I’m just telling you what I saw, and then in the pub you immediately sided with Ellie and didn’t listen to Charlie.’

‘He was being vile.’

‘He’s sad and angry and you getting mad doesn’t help.’

‘So what do you suggest?’

‘Talk to him. Listen to him.’

‘He still has to learn about actions and consequences,’ said Andrew.

‘I know. You’re right, of course, but you need to listen too.’

Andrew sighed. ‘Okay. You may have a point but it’s hard being a parent, Cat. Even when Mel’s around, we’re always working and then we’re always knackered. Trying to do the right thing all the time is exhausting.’

‘I know,’ said Cat reaching out to touch him on the arm. ‘And don’t think I’m preaching. God knows, I have no idea about parenting but I think you need to give yourself a break, give everyone a break sometimes.’

Andrew nodded wearily. ‘I know. I’ll go and talk to him,’ he said heading upstairs.

Cat turned to see Finn and the girls walking through the door. ‘He’s fine. Everything’s fine,’ she said with a smile. ‘Why don’t you girls lay the table?’ Daisy and Ellie darted through to the kitchen, leaving Cat and Finn in the hall.

He held up the bags. ‘Dinner is served. I thought about getting you a battered sausage but decided you were more of a saveloy girl.’

She laughed. ‘I hope you’re joking.’

Finn smiled down at her. She looked up at him and for a second their eyes met. ‘Cat Nightingale saves the day eh?’ he said. ‘See? I said you were amazing.’

Cat gave an embarrassed laugh. ‘Better get those served up before they go cold,’ she said, turning away and hurrying towards the kitchen.

Chapter Seventeen