Half Life (6 page)

Kate looks up at me breathless. 
“
Wow.
”

She looks divine with her clothes and hair mussed up and cheeks flushed.  Then I recall myself and hastily sit up.

“
What
’
s wrong?
”
she says, sitting up with me.

“
Please accept my apologies.  I got so caught up in the moment that I dishonoured you.
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
We
’
re unmarried.  I should never have touched you like that.  I am appalled with myself.
”

She appears amused. 
“
Things have changed Tom.  You don
’
t have to be married to share a kiss, or more.
”

“
You mean people have relations freely?
”
I say, shocked.

“
Yes.  I thought you would have gathered that from watching our favourite show?
”

“
I assumed that was all make believe,
”
I say slowly, attempting to come to terms with this shocking information. 
“
So I haven
’
t dishonoured you?
”

“
You are so sweet,
”
she smiles, taking my hand. 
“
And no you haven
’
t.
”

“
Then that is all that matters.
”

Shortly after Michael
’
s departure two police officers turn up asking if they can search the house for the hideous sculpture.  Kate had it removed by some scrap metal merchant days ago so she lets them in and offers them tea, which they pleasantly decline.  I follow them through the house, breathing down their necks and sensing my presence they make a hasty search before leaving, assuring Kate she has nothing to worry about.

From then on we grow even closer, spending most of our time together.  It starts to feel as though we
’
re a real couple.  I see her off in the morning with a kiss and she returns and we kiss again and talk about what we
‘
ve got up to in the interim.  We spend the evenings curled up together, talking.  It
’
s just so wonderfully peaceful and incredibly fulfilling.

The only thing that spoils it are the incessant phone calls from Michael.  Sometimes there
’
s just silence on the other end but the majority of the time he spews a torrent of abuse and filth at her and she hangs up, red faced with rage and fear.  She complains to the authorities but as the calls can
’
t directly be traced to him there
’
s nothing anyone can do.  She changes her number twice but somehow he always manages to find it out and the calls continue.  When the fear starts to get the best of her I assure her that she will always be safe in this house and she feels better.

Soon a whole new level of intimacy opens up between us and she finally asks the question I know is inevitable.

“
Tom?
”
she says one night when we
’
re cuddled up together on the couch.

“
Yes?
”

“
Did you jump off that balcony?
”

“
No.
”

“
I
’
m glad.  I
’
d hate to think of you so unhappy that you were forced to do that.
”

“
I was thrown off it.
”

She sits bolt upright, surprise written all over her face. 
“
By who?
”

“
Clara
’
s lover and his friend.
”

“
Clara, your wife?
”

“
The very same.  I
‘
d just woken from a nap, I
‘
d been working very late the night before, consequently I was exhausted.  I was stood on the balcony enjoying some fresh air and the view of the sea when the three of them entered.  I fought back but I didn
’
t really stand a chance; the lover and his friend were both much more solidly built than myself and threw me over as though I was a rag doll.
”
 

“
But that
’
s terrible.  Everyone said how in love you and Clara were.
”

I give a derisive snort. 
“
We despised each other.  Our families desired the match, not us.  Clara was beautiful but she was an evil grasping witch too.  She wanted my house and my money and she got it.  I think that
’
s one reason I
’
m still here.  I returned to haunt her so she could never enjoy this house.  It worked because I drove her to near madness and she packed up and left.  My brother moved in here after she
‘
d gone and from eavesdropping on his conversations with my parents I learnt that Clara
‘
s lover abandoned her in Italy, taking all her money with him.
”

“
Did anyone suspect what she
’
d done?
”

“
I
’
m certain my family did but they never did anything about it.  Too afraid of a scandal you see.
”

“
Did you have any children?
”

“
I thought you would have researched all this already.  It
’
s in your nature.
”

“
I was tempted but I wanted you to tell me yourself.
”

“
Thank you,
”
I say, kissing the tip of her nose. 
“
I appreciate that.  No we didn
’
t.  We
’
d only been married a few months when I died.
”

“
How old were you when you died?
”

“
Thirty three.
”

“
So young.  It
’
s not right,
”
she scowls.  One thing I love about her is her righteous sense of injustice. 
“
So you never loved her?
”

“
No.
”

What is that in her eyes, relief?  She rests her head on my shoulder.

“
Tom?
”
she says, breaking the contemplative silence again.

“
Yes?
”
I smile.

“
Did it hurt?
”

I recall that awful moment, as though it was just yesterday. 
“
I remember a brief moment of pain but nothing too awful.  I think I must have died instantly.  I was very confused afterwards, it took me a while to realise what had happened.  I just stood staring at my broken twisted body trying to understand.  I went back into the house and saw Clara with her lover, some pasty-faced conman with a pencil moustache and their friend drinking champagne and toasting my demise.
”

“
The evil bastards,
”
she seethes.

“
Very much so but rest assured, I did pay Clara back in a way no court of law ever could.
”

“
Good,
”
she glowers, nestling into me.

Our peace is disturbed by a knock at the door.

Kate gives me an apologetic look then gets up to open it. 

“
Sally,
”
she smiles.

I sigh and retreat to a corner of the room as Sally enters with her husband and a tall, sickeningly handsome man with dark hair and eyes and shockingly white teeth.  Kate seems surprised to see him.

“
Kate,
”
says Sally with a knowing smile and instantly I divine the reason for this visit. 
“
This is Nick.
”

“
Hello,
”
says Kate politely.

“
Hi,
”
he replies, giving her a dazzling smile.

“
Nick works with Simon at the office,
”
continues Sally. 

“
Oh really,
”
replies Kate. 
“
So you
’
re a solicitor too?
”

“
Junior partner,
”
Nick says with an annoying easy confidence.

“
Kate
’
s a journalist,
”
continues Sally and I want her to shut up. 
“
She
’
s freelance so she can pick and choose her work.
”

“
Sounds great.  I
’
d love to have such freedom,
”
smiles Nick. 

“
Yes it is very convenient,
”
replies Kate pleasantly. 
“
Can I get anyone a drink?
”

After she
’
s taken their orders she heads into the kitchen and Nick
’
s eyes watch her go hungrily. 

I follow Kate and she turns to me with an apologetic look in her eyes. 
“
Sorry, I didn
’
t know Sally was going to bring him,
”
she whispers.

“
Can
’
t you get rid of him?
”
I scowl.

“
I
’
ll do my best.
”

We go silent as Sally enters the room. 
“
Are you alright?  I thought I heard you talking to someone.
”
  The unease is clear in her eyes.  Despite how good I
’
ve been to her she
’
s still edgy in this house.

“
I had the radio on but I
’
ve turned it off now,
”
Kate replies, pouring out four glasses of wine.

Sally visibly relaxes. 
“
Oh good.  So, what do you think of Nick?
”

“
Not much.  I
’
ve only just met him.
”

“
Don
’
t you think he
’
s good looking?
”

“
He
’
s alright.
”

“
Oh come on, he
’
s gorgeous.
”

“
I hadn
’
t really noticed.
”

“
How can you not notice?  Don
’
t tell me Michael has put you off men for life.
”

“
No but I
’
m fine as I am.
”

“
Aren
’
t you lonely?
”

Kate glances in my direction. 
“
Not at all.  In fact I
’
m very happy.
”

I smile back at her.

“
You need to get back out there before you lose your confidence,
”
urges Sally.

“
Honestly, I
’
m fine.
”

“
All I
’
m asking is that you talk to him.  That
’
s not too much, surely?
”

There
’
s a brief pause, during which I urge Kate with every fibre of my being to say it is and send them on their way.

“
I suppose not,
”
she sighs.

I watch, horrified as they take the drinks into the sitting room.  The wink Kate gives me does nothing to assuage the biting jealousy.