SOMEONE DIFFERENT (20 page)

‘Oh, it’s OK.’ He lifted my fingers to his lips and kissed them. ‘Like ya saw when ya came round, my dad’s still pissed-up most of the time
, but at least he dun’t go on one as often, an’ it don’t always end up with me gettin’ ...’

Jay went silent.

I stared at him.
His dad going on one.
That’s what his mum had said at the hospital that night; when she’d asked about Jay’s dad, and whether he’d been keeping his hands to himself.

Hands to himself.
My mouth opened slightly. ‘Oh my God ...’ It was so obvious; how could I have not realised sooner ...

Even in the darkness, Jay read the look on my face. ‘Anna, it’s fine; please, don’t worry about it.’

But it wasn’t fine. It was horrific and shocking and sickening.

‘How could he, how could he do it to you?’ My voice was so weak and wobbly it could hardly be heard. ‘That’s what she meant, isn’t it, your mum?’ I gasped. ‘And that’s how you got that bruise and that cut a few weeks ago.’

Jay didn’t say anything. His head didn’t move, his shoulders didn’t move, and his hands didn’t move. But his gaze fell to the floor.

‘Oh ...’ I threw my arms around him and snivelled into his coat like a five year old, but Jay tugged on my wrists and leaned back.

‘Anna, don’t.’

‘But it’s just so awful; I can’t believe it.’

‘It’s alright.’

‘No, it’s not! You shouldn’t have to live like that. What if you got hurt really badly?’

‘Shush. I won’t. Like I said, it hardly happens anymore, an’ I’m bigger now – he knows he’s met his match.’ Jay smiled and ran his hands up my arms. ‘There’s absolutely nothin’ for you to worry about. OK?’

I wiped my cheeks with my fingers. It wasn’t OK, I knew it wasn’t. He had a dad who was some kind of alcoholic monster, and a mum who knew what was happening and did nothing about it. What was wrong with her?

The disbelief and fury meant I came straight out and asked without even thinking. ‘But your mum – how could she leave you? Why doesn’t she let you live with her?’

‘She would, I think; if it were up to her. But it’s the guy she moved in with, he didn’t want any kids taggin’ along; not that weren’t his, anyway.’

Jay said it in such a matter-of-fact way it left me cold. Choosing some guy over your own son? What must she be like – what must her life have been like – to mean she made that decision? I almost said that as well, but Jay’s pale, tired face told me he’d shared enough for one night. And if he could make such a huge effort to be brave about it, so could I.

Forcing a smile, I nodded. Then he kissed me softly
, and a minute later, we fell back together; holding each other and loving each other.

Until that is, my phone rang.

‘It’s Mum,’ I said, recognising the ringtone. ‘I’d better answer it.’

‘Where on earth are you?’ she asked, as Jay placed silent kisses on my cheeks.

‘I’m ... at Grandad’s.’

‘Grandad’s? But I’ve been worried about you – I only expected you to be out for a little wh
ile. You need to set off home; now, Annabel, please.’

‘OK, I will – I’ll be about ten or fifteen minutes.’

‘Ten minutes; no more. And on your way back call at the yard and tell Dad dinner will be at six-thirty, will you? He’s gone to see Becky and left his phone behind.’

‘Yes, OK.’

The light on my phone shone for a second after I’d ended the call, and it glowed on Jay’s face. I went straight back to where we’d left off; kissing him softly.

When we eventually stopped again though, Jay looked at me. ‘What happens if your mum phones your grandad?’

‘She won’t.’

‘She might do.’

I shook my head. ‘She won’t.’

‘How d’ya know?’

‘Because he hasn’t got a phone.’

‘Oh.’ Jay laughed.

‘Or a computer, or a telly, or a dishwasher. He cooks on an old Yorkshire range, makes toast on an open fire, and uses twine off the bales of hay to hold up his trousers.’

He grinned. ‘What, ya mean
even though your mum and dad are loaded, they’re too tight to buy him a belt?’

‘No ...’ I smiled. ‘And anyway, if anyone’s loaded it’s him. He’s got enough money to settle Greece’s national debt, and he’d still live off bread and dripping if we let him.’

‘Have ya like always been rich?’

‘Dad has, Grandad hasn’t.’

‘How come?’

‘He used to work here, Grandad, years ago when it was a proper farm. He started when he was about twelve or something daft like that. Then a few years later, the old farmer died; he didn’t have any kids or anything, so he left it all to Grandad. Can you imagine that? All these acres, and the woods and the animals? It was in a real state though, apparently, all the buildings were falling down and everything, but Grandad sorted it out. Have you seen that housing estate further down the lane, just before the village?’

Jay shook his head.

‘Well, that land used to be Grandad’s. He made a fortune when he sold it; used some of the money to do up the farm, then invested the rest.’

‘Your dad’s pretty minted an’ all though, in’t he?’

‘I suppose
. He had the house built that we live in, and he paid for the riding school when Mum set it up. But I think it was Grandad who gave him the money to start up his business in the first place.’

A voice called from the drive then. ‘Foxglove ...? What are you doing out here on your own?’

‘God; it’s Dad.’ I jumped up and brushed the hay off my coat. ‘If I walk back to the house with him, will you stay here until we’re out of sight?’

He stood up. ‘Yeah, OK.’

I snuggled against him quickly. ‘I’m so glad you told me everything,’ I whispered.

Jay seemed to tense up a little – probably because of the cold – but I really had to run. So I kissed him one final time and bolted out to find Dad just a few feet away from the doorway.

‘Oh, Annabel; I was wondering if the dogs were with you.’

I slipped my arm through his and turned him away from the barn. ‘Yes, we were just on our way home from Grandad’s, then Daisy went sniffing around in there and I decided to investigate
– but there was nothing.’ Our feet crunched on the crisp, frozen snow as we walked along and Dad squeezed his arm against mine.

‘Oh, Mum said to tell you dinner’s at six-thirty
; she thought you were down on the yard.’

‘I have been. Jenna’s off sick again and Becky needed some help with the horses.’

‘Is she going to be off long?’ I resisted the temptation to smile, but the plan was already formulating in my mind.

‘It’s looking that way, yes. It’s the tendons in her hand; apparently it could be months before she’s fit again. We’ll have to get someone in of course
– Becky and Cathy can’t manage all the horses and lessons on their own – but it won’t be easy to find someone who’s good ... or cheap.’

I scooped up a handful of snow and threw it for Foxglove as she ran past my side. She chased it, then tried to eat it as it landed. ‘Mmm, it’s a pity he isn’t here anymore, you know, that lad ... who was on that thing ... that work experience thing.’

Dad pulled a thinking face, and I beamed at him sweetly, stood on my tip-toes and pecked him on the cheek. ‘Anyway, never mind, I’m sure my clever old dad will find someone. Have you seen Mum’s new painting ...’

31 – Jay

Standing just inside the barn doorway, I smiled as I watched Anna and her dad walk up towards their house. They had their arms sort of linked together, and after a bit she stretched up and kissed him. It looked kind of nice, how they were with one another, and it made me think; had I ever kissed my mum or dad, ever, even when I was little? I was pretty sure not, I mean, why would I?

When the two of them disappeared into the darkness though, I set off towards the yard. He didn’t seem like such a bad guy really, her dad. Maybe things wouldn’t kick off as much as Anna thought when she eventually got round to telling him about us.

Becky was locking up with her back to me when I got there. I walked towards her across the yard, but as I passed Tia’s stable, the horse shot her head out and neighed at me.

‘Bloody hell.’ Becky spun round and jumped about a foot in the air. ‘Jay! You nearly gave me a coronary. How are you?’

‘I’m OK – a lot better than I were. I were just wonderin’, can I come back to work soon?’

She checked the tack-room door and put the key in her pocket. ‘Oh ... but ... surely it’s too early for that – you can’t possibly be well enough.’

If there’s such a thing as a happy, healthy voice, I put one on. ‘I’m gettin’ better every day, honest – my ribs are still a bit sore, but I swear down, give it a few more days and I’ll be back to normal.’

‘Err, well it’s not really up to me. I’d need to talk to the boss.’

Becky wasn’t looking at me. ‘Why what’s up,’ I said. ‘Is summat wrong?’

If there’s such a thing as a trying to sound like there’s nothing wrong voice, Becky put one on. ‘No, no ... we just couldn’t possibly have you working here if you’re not fit enough – it wouldn’t be right.’ She stepped towards me and smiled. ‘Leave it with me, yes?’

I didn’t have much of a choice, did I? I shrugged. ‘Yeah, OK.’

‘Good.’ She tried to stroke Tia, but the horse wasn’t having any of it, she snapped her teeth and backed off into the stable. ‘I know someone who’ll be pleased if you do come back,’ Becky said.

I leaned in over the stable door and looked at Tia. What did she mean by ‘if’?

‘Anyway, I’ve done enough overtime for one day. How about I give you a lift home – you really don’t look like you should be out in all this awful weather.’

That sounded like a cool idea. ‘Cheers,’ I said, and after I’d given Tia a quick pat, we went round and got into Becky’s Subaru.

She talked about everything and anything as we drove along, except me working at the yard. It made me feel even more bothered about what was happening; it was like they didn’t want me back, which I didn’t get. I hadn’t even done anything.

We got to the edge of our estate, and although I was a bit jumpy about being out on my own in the dark, I really wasn’t keen on Becky seeing our house, so I told her to drop me off where we were.

‘Are you sure?’ she said. ‘I don’t mind taking you to the door.’

‘Yeah, this’s fine.’

As she indicated and slowed down, her phone rang.
‘Crikey, it’s the boss – you’d have thought I’d done enough for him today.’ She pulled over and answered her phone. ‘Hi.’

I opened the door and started to get out, but she put her hand on my arm.

‘Oh, yes of course, that’s great – thanks for letting me know.’ Becky ended the call and smiled at me. ‘Well, that was a coincidence – he’s just asked me to contact you and ask when you’ll be able to start again. ’

‘Wicked! Thanks.’

‘Don’t thank me, he came up with it all on his own. But really, love, I don’t want you back until you’re ready.’

‘I’ll be fine in a few days. Is after the weekend OK?’

‘Perfect. I’ll see you then if you’re sure.’

I set off down the road as she drove away. Well, that was that sorted then, looks like I’d worried for nothing.

The snow was muckier and way more slushy than it’d been at Anna’s, and I stepped down on to the road to try and stop my feet getting any wetter. I felt in my pocket and brought a handful of change out, but it wasn’t enough to buy me anything hot from the takeaways, and I’d be needing it next week anyway, for bus fare to get me to the stables. So I headed straight for home and hoped my dad had remembered I was out of hospital and might need feeding.

As I got halfway down our road, a car’s headlights shone from behind me and I moved over to let it pass. It seemed to slow down though, and the memory of the last time a car had slowed down like that flashed in my mind. I backed off further away from the edge of the road. The car went slower and slower, until eventually it stopped. Two figures sat in the front, and steadily, they bent their heads forward until they were staring right up at me, but I still couldn’t make their faces out.

I swear down I almost ran. My stomach pinged around inside me and my mouth went dust dry.

But then, silently, the passenger side window slid open, and I saw Billy’s older brother, Shaun, staring at me.

Jeez, thank God for that. I closed my eyes for a second, and my shoulders went back to normal as I stepped closer to the car.

‘Alright, Jay?’ he said.

‘Well, not buzzin’ exactly, but ... how about you?’

His mouth sort of went to one side before he answered. ‘We’ve been better. Funeral’s not gonna be for weeks though.’

‘Oh.’

The driver lit a fag up, and I looked across to see Billy’s dad.

‘We were gonna come an’ see ya in the hospital,’ Shaun went on. ‘But they said you’d left.’