Page 81 of Don't Believe A Word

‘We’ve got so much to catch up on,’ Hayley ran on excitedly. ‘It’s ages since I last saw you and I really miss you. If the weather’sbad we can stay in our jammies all day and say to hell with the rest of the world. I’ll bring chocolate.’

Laughing, Cristy blew her a kiss, and clicked off just as Aiden clattered in through the front door.

‘Hey, Mum!’ he shouted from the hall. ‘Something smells good. Piers and Richie are with me. Hope there’s enough for us all.’

Having expected him to turn up with at least one other monster appetite in tow, Cristy said, ‘There’s plenty and if you want to take some out to the homeless after, I’ve got flasks.’

‘We’re your men,’ Aiden declared, coming into the kitchen and making straight for the fridge.

‘Hi, Piers, Richie,’ she said, as they traipsed in after him, just as tall, spottier in Richie’s case, lots of facial hair in Piers’s, all three of them more manly in their growing bodies than they were in their minds.

‘Hey, Cristy,’ they responded, in unison. ‘We’re starving,’ Piers informed her.

‘Hope it’s OK to have a shower?’ Richie said. ‘The hot water’s down at home so Aiden said I could jump in here.’

‘That was kind of him. Off you go and don’t leave wet towels all over the floor.’

‘Just listened to the latest pod today,’ Aiden told her, tossing a protein bar to Piers and tearing one open for himself.

‘They are supposed to bemysnacks,’ Cristy informed him.

‘I’ll get some more,’ he promised. ‘Anyway, pod seems to be going well. Have you managed to find out where Sadie’s mother is yet? We all reckon she’s dead and the brother sold the child.’

Cristy frowned. ‘The brother? Why him?’

He shrugged. ‘He had access to her, didn’t he? She’d have trusted him, and it kind of makes sense that someone close delivered her to the creepy aunts. She’d have kicked off otherwise. Any idea where he is now?’

‘Not yet, no.’

‘I reckon she was trafficked, same as her mother,’ Piers put in.

Lowering the heat under the soup, Cristy said, ‘Would someone like to set the table?’

‘On it,’ Aiden responded, showering her with chocolate andpeanut crumbs. ‘Sorry. Didn’t mean to share. Is Dad coming for supper?’

‘No, why would he be?’

‘Just asking, you’ve got so much there. Have you emailed Marley back yet?’

Stung by the reminder, Cristy said, ‘I’ll definitely do it this weekend. Hayley’s coming so we can work on it together.’

‘Cool. She’s great at stuff like that. I’m in Yeovil on Saturday, don’t forget. Back on Sunday.’

‘What’s in Yeovil?’

‘Duh! Playing rugger for the school. We’ve got a party after, so staying over. OK, table’s ready, feel free to bring it on any time you like.’

‘You can serve yourselves,’ she told him sharply. ‘I’ve got work to do, so I’ll take it into the bedroom.’

‘Awesome. Love you.’

‘Thanks for the soup, Cristy,’ Piers added, as she packed up her things. ‘Love you too.’

Laughing, Cristy carried her laptop, wine and phone into the bedroom where she’d dumped a couple of Lottie’s boxes on her way in, and closed the door. The last thing she wanted was to be distracted by the boys’ inane chat, or their awful music, or some kind of farting contest, which they always seemed to find so hilarious. It was why she’d set up a small desk in here right after moving in. She loved her son, adored him, but there were limits to her tolerance of teenage-boy wit and wisdom.

Opening up her laptop she took another sip of wine and sat down to read the message she’d started to Robert.

Sorry for late reply, thanks so much for inviting me to the dinner on Saturday night. I wish I was in a position to accept as I’d love to hear your speech, but I’m afraid it won’t be possible.