Chapter 7

David pulled onto the driveway and parked next to Susie’s Range Rover. He got out and cast an admiring glance at the luxury 4×4 as he walked past it. It used to be his, and he missed it. Shortly after they’d got married, David had offered to replace Susie’s battered Peugeot 205. She’d wanted a sporty roadster, but David pointed out that a car with only two seats and no roof was hardly practical for a woman with a small baby. Instead, he’d persuaded her to look at small people-carriers. They settled on a Renault Scenic after traipsing around dealers one wet weekend. Two weeks after she’d taken delivery of the new car, Susie began eyeing David’s Range Rover.

He arrived at the doorstep, put the key in the lock and turned to look at his old car once more before entering the house. Susie was waiting for him in the hallway with their screaming son in her arms.

“Oh, good, you’re home. Here...” She handed Ben over. “He’s been horrible the past couple of hours, I think it’s his teeth. He’s ready for his next feed. Would you mind? You’re so much better at it than me.”

David took Ben in his arms and the nine-month-old immediately stopped crying. He looked up at his father, smiled, and started to gurgle quietly. David tickled under his chin, making Ben giggle. David was so engaged with the boy that he didn’t notice Susie had left the hallway until she returned carrying a sports bag. “Going somewhere?”

“The gym.”

“What, again? That’s every night this week.”

“I’m working on getting my figure back.”

“But we were supposed to go out tonight. You know I’m at that stupid conference next weekend.”

“I know, but the babysitter cancelled a couple of hours ago.”

“Did you try the others?”

“No point. They’ll all have plans this late on a Saturday.”

“What about your parents.”

“Mother had Ben earlier in the day—it’d be unfair for her to have him again.”

“So what about dinner?”

“I’ve already ordered you a pizza. It should arrive in the next half-an-hour or so. Don’t forget to tip the delivery boy.” With that, Susie strode out of the house and climbed into her car. David and Ben were still standing in the doorway when she’d backed off the drive and headed down the road.

David went back inside and closed the door. He looked at Ben, who stared up at his father, grinning and chuckling. “I guess it’s just you and me again then, little man. You don’t seem that hungry to me. Let’s see if Mummy wrote down when you last ate, shall we?”

David had kept a record of when Ben had fed and how much he ate, ever since the little boy was born. Susie had flatly refused to breast feed, despite David’s instance that it would be best for the child, so it had been easy to track how much he was eating. David carried Ben into the kitchen and looked at the record book. It was immediately obvious that he was due a feed. David warmed a bottle of baby milk in the microwave and sat Ben on his knee. He stared into his son’s blue eyes, which were wide open, clean and bright, and felt more love for him than ever thought possible.

“I’ve said it before, Benny, and I’ll keep on saying it. I am never gonna let anyone hurt you. D’you hear me? Never.”

Ben gurgled through his bottle in response.

“I have to tell you, Benny, Daddy did something very naughty today. He went to see your Auntie Charlotte. Yes, he did. And Auntie Charlotte was very nice to Daddy. Yes, she was. Very nice. But then, she always was. Best not tell Mummy though. No, that wouldn’t be a good idea. Mummy doesn’t want Daddy to see Auntie Charlotte.”

Ben pushed the bottle away to indicate he’d had enough. As David put the bottle on the coffee table, the telephone rang. He picked it up.

“Laird residence, David speaking.”

“David, thank God. Can you talk?”

“Charlie? Yes, I can talk, but why are you phoning the land line?”

“Because I don’t have your mobile number. Susie made you change it, remember?”

“I mean, ‘What if Susie had answered?’”

“Then I’d have told her how much I enjoyed lunch and arranged another one.”

“You went for lunch together?”

“Yes.” Charlotte sounded irritated. “Look, is Susie in the house?”

“No, she’s gone to the gym.”

“Good. How long do you think she’ll be? Have I got time to come over?”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? What if we lose track of time?”

“No. That’s not why I want to come. I have to talk to you, David.”

“We’re talking now, aren’t we?”

“No. I have to talk to you face to face. I have something I need to show you.”

“Can’t it wait until Monday?”

“Not really.”

“Okay. But come over right away. Susie usually stays at the gym for a drink with her friends but might decide not to.”

“I’m in my car outside. I’ll be right there.”

David put the phone down and wondered what could be so urgent that Charlotte would take this kind of risk. He daren’t think what would happen if Susie caught them together. His train of thought was distracted when Ben snored gently. So often the little boy fell asleep in David’s arms. He studied him as he slept. His face was a subtle mixture of pleasure and contentment. People often said that Ben had David’s eyes or his ears, or mouth, or any other feature they could think of, but David couldn’t see it. He thought that the boy shared his eyes with his mother and aunt, but they were the only features he recognised. He certainly couldn’t see himself in him—but he loved him just the same.

Ben stirred at the knock at the door but didn’t wake. David opened the door with one hand while clutching Ben to his chest with the other. Charlotte stood in the doorway, looking as radiant as always. He put his finger to her lips to silence her before she spoke. He nodded for her to come inside. “I’ll just take him up to bed,” he whispered. “Then we can talk, okay?”

Charlotte nodded. David could feel her watching him as he carried Ben upstairs. When he returned, she was still in the hallway, waiting for him. He took her into the kitchen and offered her a glass of wine.

“What if Susie finds lipstick on the glass?”

“She won’t. I’ll have time to clean it before she gets back. After all, how long can it take you to warn me not to come to the shop again?”

“Warn you ... What?”

“That’s why you’re here isn’t it? To warn me off. I’ll understand if it is. It means you felt it too.”