Wife? So, he’d turned out to be the settling down type, after all. ‘Can you just tell him that Cara is here to see him? Cara Miller.’
This was ridiculous: she sounded like a ten-year-old calling for her friend to play out. Jack was always a soft touch, but he didn’t need his wife to play bodyguard, surely? Was she ever going to let them in? Rubbing Sophie’s arm as if to warm her up had the desired effect: Rebecca held the door open. ‘Do you want to step into the hall?’ She stood away from the entrance and leaned backwards to call out, ‘Jack! There’s someone here to see you.’
Inside, the warmth hit them like a slap after the crisp October evening. Though they rubbed their feet on the doormat, their boots made damp footprints on the black and white floor tiles. Cara took in the high ceilings, the Tiffany lightshade, Jack’s sketches framed in black, lining the left-hand wall. She pulled the hat from the top of Sophie’s head, her blonde curls lifting with the static. The heat wasn’t the only reason for taking it off; it was important that Sophie look her best.
Jack also had a glass of red wine in his hand when he appeared in the doorway to what was presumably their lounge. Sitting in the car, she had wondered if he would recognise her straight away, but the look on his face answered that question. ‘Cara? What are you doing here?’
Rebecca looked from one to the other. Did she know who Cara was? Had Jack ever mentioned her before? ‘I… er… I need to talk to you about something.’
She couldn’t blame Jack for being shocked. It had been a while. And Rebecca looked completely on the back foot.
‘Do you want to come through to the lounge?’ Rebecca held out a hand towards the door. ‘We’ve just finished a bottle of wine but I can make you tea and—’ she looked at Sophie ‘—milk?’
Though a girlfriend had felt likely, Cara hadn’t factored in a wife. It would be far better to speak to Jack alone. ‘Black coffee would be great, thanks.’
Sophie pulled on her mother’s hand. ‘I need the toilet, Mummy.’
Rebecca pointed to a doorway under the stairs. ‘There’s a toilet there you’re very welcome to use. Just come through when you’re ready.’
3
Rebecca
As soon as she heard the bathroom door close, Rebecca turned to Jack. ‘Who is she?’
Jack flushed and fiddled with the glass in his hands. ‘An ex-girlfriend. From years ago. Her name is Cara. I’m sure I’ve mentioned her to you before? I have absolutely no idea why she is here.’
Of course. She knew the name was familiar. ‘That Cara? The one you were dating just before we met? I had no idea you’d stayed in touch with her. How did she know we’d moved here?’
Jack held out his hands. Opened his mouth as if to speak, but barely a sound came out. He dropped down onto the sofa and ran his hands through his hair. ‘I didn’t… We haven’t… I’m as confused as you are, Becca. Honestly.’
Rebecca rubbed her eyebrows with her thumb and forefinger. She wasn’t a jealous person. Of course, Jack had had girlfriends before her. But why was Cara here? People from your past don’t just decide to make house calls out of the blue on a Friday night.
The lock on the bathroom door clicked, and Cara and her daughter appeared at the door. Rebecca smiled at them and pointed to the large armchair, big enough for both of them. ‘Why don’t you sit down.’
Cara perched on the edge of the armchair and pulled Sophie towards her. ‘You have a lovely home.’
Jack looked irritated. ‘Thanks. Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but why are you here? We haven’t spoken in years and now you just turn up at eleven o’clock at night.’
Cara stuck out her chin. ‘Is there anywhere Sophie could play for a little while? I don’t think she really wants to sit and listen to grown-ups talking, do you, baby? How about you go and do some drawing while Mummy chats to Jack.’ She opened her bag and rummaged around, then looked up at Rebecca. ‘I’ve left her notebook and pens in the car. Do you have anything she could use to draw?’
That was convenient. Clearly, she wanted Rebecca out of the way. At least they’d find out what was going on. ‘I’ve got some paper in my office. Shall I show you where it is, Sophie?’
Cara nudged Sophie, who trotted obediently after Rebecca. She tried to give Jack a pointed look, but he was still staring at Cara as if she had two heads.
Rebecca’s home office was a small room on the opposite side of the hallway to the sitting room, with a desk, chair and very small white filing cabinet. Rebecca pulled some paper out of the printer underneath her desk and laid it out for Sophie to draw on. Above the neatly updated wall planner behind the desk were two shelves of brochures for venues, restaurants and hotels. Next to them, a box of stationery which included a new packet of highlighter pens in pastel colours. She slipped them out of their pouch and laid them on the paper. ‘You can use whichever ones you want to.’
Sophie’s little face lit up. ‘Thank you.’
She looked so tiny perched on the office chair, like a little bird dressed in denim dungarees and a blue spotted top. Rebecca was torn between staying to check she was okay and wanting to get back to the lounge as quickly as possible. Her mind was chewing over Cara’s sudden appearance. There must be a reason why an ex-girlfriend would turn up out of the blue after five years. She watched as Sophie picked up a highlighter pen and pulled it across the page as her left hand twisted the bottom of her curly blonde hair.
It was the hair that gave it away.
Maybe her mind was already almost there before she walked back up the hallway. Before she overheard Cara and Jack’s conversation. Before she saw him running his hands through his hair like he always did when he was confused. The thick blonde hair he kept short to prevent it from curling.
Jack was leaning forward in his seat when she got to the doorway, shaking his head at Cara as if he couldn’t shuffle his thoughts into the right order. ‘So, you’ve been chucked out of your home, you’ve got no one else to ask and you’ve come here? When we haven’t spoken in, what, five years?’
Why had they been thrown out of their home? Rebecca’s heart was beating hard in her chest. She wanted so much to be wrong. She sat next to Jack, put a hand on his arm to stop him waving it around. ‘Money? Have you come to ask Jack to lend you some money?’
Cara was the only one in the room who was composed. ‘Not exactly.’ She paused. ‘I was kind of hoping you might be able to have us to stay for a few days. Me and Sophie.’
‘What?’ Jack stood and started to pace. This was how he always processed something complex.
Rebecca’s stomach was turning over. She knew what was coming and yet she still hoped she was wrong.
Jack stopped pacing and turned to Cara. ‘I’m sorry. I just don’t understand. What are you thinking? We dated for a short while years ago, and then you turn up here and ask if you and your daughter can stay in my house with me and my wife? This is crazy, Cara. Even for you.’
Cara flinched at his words but Jack didn’t notice; he was pacing again. ‘The more I think about it, the worse this is, Cara. I can’t believe you would just turn up here, dragging your poor daughter behind you and… and… what?’