Life Or Something Like It (31 page)

‘What?’

‘Ya-ha. I sorted it all with Donald. I basically laid it on the line. Told him that our clients are demanding to have you back and that he won’t have a company without you.’

‘Wow.’

‘I know. It was pretty intense – you would have been proud of me, Kit Kat. I was fed up with him dictating our business, you know.’

‘Well, that’s pretty big news,’ said Cat.

‘I know. It’s the best, isn’t it? So when can you come back? Today, tomorrow? Or are you still playing kindergarten cop?’

‘I’m…’ For the second time that day, Cat didn’t know what to say.

Jesse laughed. ‘I’ve stunned you into silence, haven’t I? Well listen, come back as soon as you can. I can’t wait to see you. I’ve really missed you, Cat.’ He rarely called her Cat and there was something about his tone that made her heart jump. ‘Text me when you know and I’ll lay out the red carpet.’

He rang off leaving Cat numb and confused. Surely this was what she had been working up to? It had to be the best solution. The kids were back at school and Melissa would be home soon. It had to be time to go back to her old life. She wandered through the house, searching for Finn. She spotted a note on the hall table.

‘Thought I’d give you some space. See you later. Finn x’
She picked up the note and, folding it carefully, she slipped it into her pocket.

She arrived early to collect the children, scooping up Ellie on her way to see Charlie’s teacher. Ellie was carrying a construction made of egg boxes, milk lids and a lot of glue.

‘Ooh, what’s that?’ asked Cat as Ellie held it up for inspection.

Ellie stared at her as if her aunt had just fallen out of the stupid tree. ‘It’s a McLaren racing car of course! We’re doing “transport” this term.’

‘Well it’s fantastic,’ declared Cat. She spotted Finn entering the playground, waving at Daisy, who ran towards him. Cat raised her hand in greeting and he gave a smiling salute in reply. She signalled that she would call him and he nodded before turning away with Daisy skipping alongside.

Mrs Randall, the headmistress, looked up from her immaculately tidy desk, gesturing for Cat and Charlie to take a seat on the two electric-blue fabric chairs in front of it. Cat spied a family photograph featuring two teenage daughters next to her computer. Charlie’s teacher, whose name was Miss Denby, appeared moments later. She spied Ellie and recognising that the meeting might run more smoothly if the little girl was otherwise occupied, the teacher spoke brightly to her.

‘Ellie, would you be able to help Mrs Bunce in the office, please? She’s got a very important job for you.’

‘Of course,’ replied Ellie, skipping happily from the room.

Miss Denby returned moments later and took a seat next to Mrs Randall, who smiled warmly at them both. ‘Miss Denby tells me that Charlie has been having some problems with other boys in his class?’

Cat glanced at Charlie who was looking very uncomfortable. She realised that she would need to do the talking. ‘Yes. Ben and Tom. I think it began in Year Two and stopped for a while but it’s all kicked off again.’

Mrs Randall’s smile remained fixed as she spoke. ‘And what is it that they are doing?’ She turned her gaze from Cat to Charlie. ‘Charlie?’

He was staring at his hands but looked up as soon as she addressed him. ‘Messaging,’ he said quietly.

Mrs Randall looked to Cat for further explanation. ‘It’s happening online mostly. They’ve been sending abusive messages, well at least Tom has. I think Ben goes along with it. I also witnessed some bullying behaviour when I was in the park with Charlie over the summer. Again, this is mainly from Tom.’

‘I see,’ said Mrs Randall, glancing at Miss Denby, who was wearing a pained expression. Mrs Randall leant forwards, clasping her hands together and nodding her words towards Cat and Charlie as she spoke. ‘The problem is that none of this is happening during school time. We can only be responsible for the child’s behaviour during the school day.’ Cat glanced at Miss Denby and noticed that she was staring straight ahead, her face expressionless. ‘Bullying is a very strong word and we cannot bandy it about willy-nilly. If these boys start to show consistently inappropriate behaviour towards Charlie at school then of course I shall take action but until then, my hands are tied.’

Cat could feel indignant anger boiling up inside her but knew she had to keep control of it for Charlie’s sake. She understood enough about people to see that Mrs Randall was not a woman to be contradicted and that Cat would inevitably need to find another way to solve her nephew’s issues. She rose to her feet and offered her hand. ‘Thank you for taking the time to listen. I’m sure we’ll be speaking again at some stage,’ she said poker-faced. ‘Come on, Charlie.’

Mrs Randall gave them both a warm smile as she accepted Cat’s hand. ‘We will do our best for Charlie,’ she said.

Cat ushered her nephew out of the office without a backward glanced. Once in the foyer, Charlie turned to his aunt, a look of desperation spreading across his face. ‘But you promised you’d sort it,’ he whispered.

‘And I will, just not now,’ replied Cat. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t realise she’d be like that but I will find a way, I promise.’

Angry tears coursed down Charlie’s face. ‘You said you would sort it and it’s just going to get worse. I know it is. They started saying stuff today and other boys are joining in. They do it when no-one else can hear.’

Cat put an arm on his shoulder. ‘Oh Charlie, I’m sorry.’

He shrugged her off. ‘I trusted you,’ he shouted before bolting out of the door.

‘Shit,’ declared Cat, remembering that she needed to collect Ellie. She turned round and nearly walked into Miss Denby.

‘Could I have a word?’ she asked, ushering Cat towards her classroom. Cat glanced over her shoulder. Charlie had gone but she knew he was able to walk home on his own so she didn’t panic. She followed Miss Denby down the corridor. When they reached the classroom, the teacher closed the door behind her.

She turned to Cat and took a deep breath. ‘Okay, I shouldn’t be saying this but I’m going to. Mrs Randall is an absolute control freak and all she cares about is her Ofsted grading and keeping the governors happy.’ Cat stared at her in astonishment. ‘I know, get me, the twelve-year-old whistle-blower,’ joked Miss Denby. Cat decided that she liked this woman and gave her an encouraging smile. ‘Tom’s mother is one of the governors and a very vocal one at that. Added to that, Mrs Randall doesn’t want a hint of bullying to blot her copybook.’

‘So Charlie has to put up with it because of school politics?’

Miss Denby shook her head. ‘Absolutely not, but she is right in that stuff that happens away from school isn’t under our jurisdiction. However, I know about the history with Tom and I will do my best in PHSE and e-Safety lessons to talk about the issues. Plus I will keep an eye on Charlie. I can’t stop all the bad stuff being said but I can show that we have a zero tolerance to it.’

‘Thank you,’ said Cat. ‘I really appreciate it.’

‘You’re welcome. Tell Charlie to come to me if he’s got any worries, okay?’

‘I will. I’m glad Charlie’s got someone on his side.’

Miss Denby sighed. ‘Well it helps that I look about the same age as them.’

Cat laughed. ‘Thanks again.’

She collected Ellie and herded her towards the door. ‘Where’s Charlie?’

‘He walked home on his own.’

‘Did it not go well then?’ asked the little girl with her customary razor-sharp insight.

‘I think he’ll be okay once I speak to him.’

‘Cool. Can I have a biscuit when we get home?’

Cat smiled at her. ‘You might even get two.’

‘Yay! You’re the best auntie in the world.’

‘I bet you say that to all your aunties.’

‘I’ve only got one auntie, duh,’ said Ellie shaking her head.

Ellie skipped alongside her aunt, talking non-stop, sharing snippets of her day. Cat had got used to the way Ellie barely took a breath and knew she was going to miss her incessant chatter when she returned to her old life. They reached the house and Cat cursed as she fumbled for her keys. She wanted to get inside and speak to Charlie as soon as possible. She was completely wrong-footed when the door was opened and they were greeted by Melissa’s smiling face.

‘Mumeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!’ cried Ellie, leaping into her mother’s arms.

Melissa planted kisses all over her head and squeezed her tightly. ‘I have missed you soooo much!’ she declared. ‘Hey, Cat,’ she added, giving her sister-in-law a brief smile.

‘Hey, Melissa, welcome home,’ said Cat leaning forwards to kiss her on the cheek. ‘This is a surprise – Andrew said that you weren’t back until Thursday.’

‘I caught an early flight,’ she replied. ‘Couldn’t wait to get back and see the kids,’ she added, kissing the top of Ellie’s head.

‘Of course,’ said Cat. ‘I’m so sorry about your dad. How is your mum?’

Melissa sighed. ‘Struggling but then they’d been together for over forty years.’

‘Poor Granny. And Mummy,’ said Ellie, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother’s neck. ‘Can I have a biscuit, please?’

‘Sure, go and help yourself. I’ll be in in a minute.’ Ellie ran off without a backward glance. Melissa turned back to Cat. ‘So…’ she began.

‘So,’ said Cat. She got the sudden feeling that she was intruding, as if it was time to be on her way. The silence started to inch towards awkwardness. ‘I should probably get out of your hair,’ offered Cat finally.

Melissa’s smile betrayed her relief. ‘Well we’ve taken advantage of you for too long. I expect you’re dying to get back to your old life.’

Cat longed to tell Melissa that she had changed, that she wasn’t sure if she belonged in that world any more; in truth she wasn’t sure where she belonged. She wanted to tell her that she was going to miss the children, that they meant the world to her now, that they’d changed her and it was a good change. But Cat knew that she couldn’t tell her any of this. Melissa was smiling but her arms were folded in a way that told Cat it was time to go and let her take over again. This was her family and she wanted them back. It made Cat’s chest tighten with sadness but she understood that this was Melissa’s right and she respected it.

‘Could you give Charlie a message for me, please?’

Melissa looked at her in surprise. ‘Sure.’

‘Tell him that Miss Denby is going to help. Get him to tell you what’s been going on. He knows that he needs to talk to you more about stuff that happens at school. It’s to do with Tom and Ben.’

Melissa raised her eyebrows. ‘Okay. Is he all right?’ she asked.

‘He will be now you’re back. Tell him I’m here if he needs me.’

‘Wow,’ exclaimed Melissa. ‘It sounds as if a lot’s happened since I’ve been away.’

‘It has,’ admitted Cat. ‘But it’s all good.’

Melissa nodded, staring at Cat as if seeing her for the first time. ‘Well thank you,’ she said, placing a hand on her shoulder. ‘Really.’

Cat smiled before turning away and going upstairs to collect her belongings. As she packed her bag her phone began to ring. Cat glanced at the caller ID. It was Finn. She hesitated. It would be the easiest thing in the world to answer the call, to go to him and let him comfort her. So Cat wasn’t sure why she found herself in the car five minutes later, driving back to her old life. Maybe it was because it was more solid and predictable than the shifting sands and roller-coaster emotions of the new world she had discovered. She brushed away the tears as she drove back to the familiar comfort of home.

Chapter Twenty-One

Cat sat on the Tube looking at her fellow commuters: the neatly bearded young man to her left, his gigantic earphones clamped around his head like a music comfort blanket; the minute twenty-something woman opposite wearing a black and white polka-dot ruffle dress, staring at the daily free newspaper from behind angular red 1950s-style glasses. She glanced over and for a second Cat thought they might share a moment’s irritation at the too-loud electro pop pumping from beardy man’s iPhone but she merely frowned and returned to the day’s potted news.

Cat sighed. Every single person in the carriage was either frowning, looking bored or sleeping.
What’s wrong with these people
? she thought as got off the train. She felt oddly out of step with everyone, like the only fish in the shoal trying to swim the other way. She bumped and apologised her way towards the exit, receiving grunts or silence in return. She felt herself longing for a friendly face or wondering what would happen if she just grabbed someone and hugged them. She would most likely be arrested or punched so she went with the flow and made her way to the offices of Hemingway Media.

She was so happy to see Stan in the lobby that she practically skipped towards the front desk. She stopped short when he looked up and gave her a smile that was clouded with sadness.

‘Miss Nightingale, you’re back,’ he said. ‘I’m so glad. I thought they were mad to let you go.’

‘Thank you, Stan. And how are you? Is everything okay?’ she asked, sensing that it wasn’t.

Stan sighed, his face crumpling with grief. ‘My Maudy passed away last month.’

‘Oh Stan, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.’

He shrugged. ‘It was very quick. She had a heart attack. She was there one minute and the next she was gone.’ He choked back a sob.

‘Oh Stan,’ repeated Cat, reaching over the desk and squeezing his hand. ‘Should you be here? Why don’t you go home?’

‘I can’t stand being there on my own,’ he said. ‘Everything reminds me of her. I like coming to work. Sorry, Miss Nightingale. I’ll be okay in a minute.’

‘Please, call me Cat.’ She walked round to the other side of the desk and gave him a hug to which he responded with awkward surprise. She glanced behind the desk where Stan had a small kitchen. ‘Shall I make us a cup of tea?’

Stan looked round as if someone might tell him off. ‘I don’t want to put you to any trouble.’

‘No trouble,’ said Cat. ‘And if anyone says anything, send them to me.’

Cat forgot the time as she listened to Stan’s tales of Maud, of illicit trips to Brighton on his motorbike when they were first courting, of the hours they spent together tending their vegetable garden, of their beloved son, Anthony, who now lived in America. Cat smiled as she noticed how Stan’s face seemed to lighten as the weight of grief was replaced by the joy of memory.