E for England (14 page)

‘That's good. Hugh, I was just wondering… Mattie's been at me about football and I wondered, we wondered…' How embarrassing. He'd probably forgotten all about it.

‘Tomorrow? I hadn't forgotten, I just hadn't called you yet. James said he'd come too, if that's all right with you.'

‘Oh! Yes, that'd be fine except I promised Floss we'd go to the zoo tomorrow before I remembered. They both want to go, actually.'

‘Ask him to come now,' said Mattie. Annie frowned and made a shooshing face.

Hugh chuckled. ‘We could go this afternoon for half an hour or so.'

‘I'm sorry, did you hear that?'

‘Yes. Hang on, I'll ask James.'

Annie held the phone to her chest and said to Mattie, ‘His cousin James wants to play too. He's just checking with him about this afternoon.'

Mattie clapped his hands together and jumped up and down. Annie smiled and ran her hand over his smooth brown hair. Dear little boy, so excited about something that should be normal for a child, something his father would do on a regular basis. If he remembered he had children.

‘Annie? We'll be home in about an hour so shall we meet in the foyer at three?'

‘Are you sure? I don't want to mess up your plans.'

‘We didn't have any beyond me cooking paella for dinner.' He cooks? What a completely perfect man. ‘Sorry, I'd better go. We'll see you at three.'

‘All right. Thanks.'

Annie disconnected. ‘Three o'clock in the foyer. Hugh and James are coming.'

‘I'll get my football.'

‘Can I play too? I want to play.' Floss clung to Annie's leg.

‘No, she can't play. This is for big boys,' Mattie said fiercely. He stomped to his room.

‘But that's not fair.' The bottom lip trembled.

‘Maybe you can play for a little while, sugarplum, but let Mattie play with the men on his own. You and I can read a book. Or we could take the other ball, the yellow one, and play catch.'

The miserable face brightened. ‘All right. I'll choose my books and find
my
ball.'

Annie sat on a bench in the afternoon sun and watched Mattie and Floss running about the park with Hugh and James. They'd devised some sort of touch rugby and Hugh insisted Floss was required to make up the team with James. Mattie was so excited he didn't care if his little sister joined in.

She raised her book and tried to concentrate but it was hard to focus on a fictional hero when a real one was right before her eyes. Two, actually. James was just as gorgeous as Hugh. Too young for her, though. How old was he? Younger than Hugh but it couldn't be by much. He was probably about her age, just seemed a lot younger. Less mature perhaps. What on earth was she thinking? Too young for her! She wasn't in the least interested in James. Not with Hugh right there…

She started the paragraph again.
Juliette raised the wine glass to her lips, savouring the rich flavour of the burgundy liquid…

How old was Hugh? Mid thirties, she'd guess. Medical degrees took years to complete. Gosh he was fit. Looked terrific in shorts, but she already knew that, same as she already knew he looked great in a swimming costume.

…
slid to the floor in a soft rustle of silken gown.

What? Who did? Annie skimmed back up the page to the last bit she remembered.
Juliette raised the wine glass to her lips, savouring the rich flavour of the burgundy liquid on her tongue.
Right.

‘Mummy, watch me.' Flossie.

Annie looked up. James was squatting down holding the ball upright with a hand on top, ready for Floss to take a kick at the makeshift goals — two water bottles set several metres apart.

Hugh glanced across and smiled. Annie grinned back. Mattie watched his sister squaring up for the kick. He needn't worry she'd score, judging by her usual attempts to connect. She ran in and swung her foot. This time the ball shot away across the grass and bounced between the goals. James cheered. Hugh clapped. Mattie stuck his hands on his hips but Hugh said something to him and he nodded and started clapping. ‘Good kick, Floss.'

Annie called, ‘Well done, darling.'

Floss stood for a moment eyes wide with astonishment then started bouncing up and down squealing, ‘I did it, I did it!'

‘Come on, partner. We only need three more goals and we're even with them,' said James.

‘I'm thirsty,' said Hugh. ‘Drink break.'

The players straggled across to Annie. She handed the red-faced, hot children their water bottles. ‘What's the score?'

‘We're winning six goals to three,' said Mattie.

‘We're catching up,' said James. ‘Thanks to Floss.'

‘That was a terrific kick,' said Annie.

‘It was.' Hugh caught Annie's eye briefly. ‘But Mattie is a good runner. Very fast. James can't catch him.'

Mattie beamed. She'd watched James trying not very hard to catch Mattie and loved him for it. Neither of the cousins would ever know how much this afternoon meant to her little boy. She'd have to make sure he understood it wouldn't be a regular activity. Neither of these two would want to give up their weekends very often, if again.

‘Come on, let's play,' said James. He and the children ran onto the field.

Hugh lingered a moment, retying a shoelace.

‘Thanks for doing this,' Annie said. ‘Mattie's loving it. And Floss.'

‘Hurry up, Hugh,' yelled Mattie.

‘It's fun.' Hugh caught her eye. ‘Thank you for letting us.' He jogged across to the others.

Annie took a swig of water. Letting us? Who? Hugh and James? Or did he mean all of them being allowed to play football together? Whatever he meant he made her sound like a prison guard. She was being a responsible mother. After the beach debacle she needed to be extra vigilant.

Fifteen minutes later the game drew to an abrupt close when a few big drops of rain plummeted down. Heavy clouds had gathered swiftly overhead bustled along on a strong southerly wind. Lightning flashed out to sea, a storm rushing in.

Annie hurried the children to the car. She'd insisted on driving this time, despite Mattie's protests. He'd wanted to walk with James and Hugh which had led to a minor altercation. Hugh had remained silent but it was clear he thought she didn't trust him to watch Mattie. He was right. Apart from the fact those two were intending to jog to the park, she wasn't letting him out of her sight. The memory of losing him at the beach sent shockwaves through her body.

‘Would you like a ride home?' She unlocked the car.

‘No, thanks. We can jog,' said James.

‘Are you sure?' She cast a look at the sky. ‘You mightn't make it before the storm.'

‘We'll be fine. Let's go, Hugh. Bye kids.' James waved an arm and set off at a run.

Hugh laughed and grimaced. ‘Looks like I'm running, too. Bye, Annie. Bye, kids. See you later.'

‘Thanks very much for playing.'

‘No problem. We had fun.' He peered into the car and waved, then turned and sprinted after his cousin.

Mattie stared out the window watching his heroes. Hugh caught James at the road. They went straight across and disappeared up the slope between the houses towards the steep path. Annie swung the car round and turned left, taking the longer route.

‘They'll get all wet,' said Floss.

‘They might.' That storm was coming in fast.

‘They won't. They can run really fast,' said Mattie. ‘They might beat us home.'

‘We might not be able to go to the zoo tomorrow,' Annie said. ‘If it rains.'

‘Never mind,' said Floss. ‘We can go another day.'

‘I'm tired,' said Mattie.

‘Me too.' Floss exhaled an exaggerated whoosh of air.

Annie smiled to herself. Two worn out, happy children, thanks to Hugh and James. A quiet night lay ahead. Would Hugh drop in again the way he'd done last week? If he did she had freshly baked choc chip biscuits on standby.

James bounded up the steps ahead of Hugh. Much fitter. Hugh slowed to a walk and paused at the top to catch his breath.

‘You're out of condition,' said James.

‘I know but I don't like jogging much. I only do it when I have to. Like now when I might get soaked and you insist.'

More big fat drops of rain plopped onto the path. James started up the last slope. Hugh sucked in air and followed, muscles burning. The rain increased but the overhanging canopy of trees broke most of the force. A gigantic crack of thunder spurred his weary legs on for the last stretch to the apartment block and he dashed under shelter just as the full torrent was unleashed from above.

James stood waiting, shaking wet hair from his eyes. ‘Just made it.'

‘Good thing Annie took the car.'

‘You really like her, don't you?' James opened the foyer door and strode across to their apartment.

Hugh followed on rubbery legs, wet joggers squeaking on the shiny tiled floor. ‘Don't you?'

‘Not as much as you seem to.' James grinned and went inside.

Hugh closed the door. ‘She's a friend.'

‘If you say so. I'm having a shower.' James disappeared into his room.

Hugh went to the other bathroom and stripped off his wet clothes. The hot water flowed down washing away the sweat, easing the tired muscles, warming his body after the sudden chill of the rain. Of course Annie was a friend. What the hell was James getting at? No denying she was attractive and he was attracted but that was all there would be. They'd agreed. They both knew where they stood which was why they could be friends. Comfortable.

She didn't trust him with her children though. He rubbed shampoo into his hair. Did that bother him? On one level, yes, on another, no. He understood why she felt the way she did but it was still insulting to think she didn't regard him as a safe temporary guardian. He and James would hardly have run off and left Mattie to follow them to the park alone. At the beach he'd admit he'd been negligent, but Mattie hadn't done what he said he would. It was a different scenario. And his own lack of desire to take on the massive responsibility of raising children stemmed from a far deeper place than the superficial level of walking with a child to the park.

He rinsed his hair swiftly and snapped off the tap. Enough wallowing!

But James hadn't finished with the subject. He raised it while they prepared dinner. Paella. A first for both, using a recipe James had been given by one of many girlfriends.

‘Why don't you ask her out?'

‘Who?' He knew who.

‘Annie. Should we use all these prawns?'

‘Save some and I'll do garlic prawns as a starter.'

‘Good idea. Take her to dinner. I bet she hasn't gone out to dinner for ages.'

‘She can't go out to dinner, she has two children. Remember?'

‘Babysitter, Hugh.'

‘I don't think she'll use one for a while after last weekend. You heard her when Mattie wanted to walk with us today. And Leonie's away.'

‘Hmm.' James chopped onion and garlic in silence. ‘Would she trust me?'

‘Doubt it. She knows you even less than me.'

‘But I didn't lose her kid, and not much can go wrong with them in bed in their own home.'

Hugh paused. ‘That's what I thought.'

‘Oh sorry, mate! I forgot.' James face screwed up in dismay. ‘But you were only twelve and it wouldn't have made any difference if your parents
had
been home. Kids do things in secret sometimes. Deliberately.'

Hugh sighed. ‘I know all of that but it doesn't help much. I'll never forget…' He swallowed and concentrated on measuring the rice with those distant screams ringing in his ears and the smell of long ago smoke bitter in his nose.

James opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of wine. ‘Here, let's have a drink. This is supposed to be a really good Semillon Blanc.'

Hugh forced a smile. ‘Thanks.'

‘Does she know?'

He shook his head. ‘No and I'm not going to tell her.'

‘Why not?'

‘Can you imagine what she'd think? She's paranoid enough as it is about her children.'

‘It wasn't your fault, Hugh. You were a child yourself.'

‘I was old enough.' He set the measuring cup down. ‘I don't want to talk about it, James.'

‘Okay. Sorry.' He poured two glasses of wine. ‘But I still reckon you should ask Annie out.'

Hugh groaned.

‘As a friend,' James added.

Another groan.

‘Offer to cook dinner for them.'

‘Why would I do that?'

He loved his cousin like a brother but sometimes he was exceptionally dense. ‘For God's sake give it a rest, James. I'm not asking Annie out and I'm not cooking dinner for her unless she asks me to. We're friends and neither of us is interested in being anything else. Got it?'

In true irrepressible James fashion he said, ‘In that case how about this? Yvonne texted while I was changing. She has a friend staying with her and she wants to meet tomorrow for brunch. I said I'd let her know. Although…' He looked at the pile of seafood they'd bought. ‘Why don't I invite them over for dinner? We have heaps here.'

‘All right.'

Why not? It'd keep James quiet and take his mind off Annie. Both their minds off Annie. She really did have a way of creeping into his thoughts and staying there. What was she doing right now, for instance? Preparing dinner most likely. Annie wasn't a fast food, takeaway sort of woman. Then she'd have to put that pair in the bath and get them to bed. Not much time left over for herself. Being a single parent would be tough, really tough, especially with a constant worry about money, and she adored her children to the point of being obsessive. Too concerned with their safety? He sipped his wine.

‘Earth to Hugh.' James waved a hand in front of his face.