Cassie’s curiosity to get the
better of her.
'Was everything all right?’
Yes, thanks.’
'Friend or family?’
'Old friend. Just touching base.’
She waited, watching him closely until she grasped that she would
get nothing more.
Suddenly full of good cheer, as though moods were sweaters you
could change with the weather, she said: 'I’ve got good news and bad.’
'Go on.’
'The good news is that I’m feeling better. But the bad news. . .’
You want to go clothes shopping?’
'You got it.’ She gave him a playful slap on the shoulder. And not
the snobby designer places, either. I want to look in some normal
shops.’
'Fine. But you know what we have to get past first?’
What?’
Joe indicated Jaden, then mouthed: 'The model shop.’ Cassie’s
shoulders sagged in mock horror. There was a branch of Modelzone
up ahead, on the corner of West Street.
'Oh, well. If I’m going to drag you both round Debenhams, I suppose
a few minutes staring at toy cars won’t hurt.’
'Cars!’ Jaden yelled. He yanked on Joe’s hand. 'I wanna look at
cars!’
A few minutes if we’re lucky, Joe thought.
But as it was, they were waylaid by something far worse.
It was a hen party. Advancing up West Street in a slow, clumsy swarm.
A dozen women, ranging in age from late teens to sixty or so. All
shapes and sizes. All dressed in skimpy black satin dresses that flattered
some of them considerably more than others. Already drunk,
but in good spirits, laughing and joking and calling out to anyone
foolish enough to point or stare in their direction.
Joe saw them as he crossed West Street at the pedestrian traffic
lights. Jaden was pulling ahead, desperate to see what treats Modelzone
had to offer. As they drew up in front of the shop window, Joe hoped
that by standing behind Cassie he could shield her from view. She
was leaning over the buggy, speaking to Sofia, and didn’t seem to have
noticed the hen party at all.
But they had noticed her.
The first indication came when the noise level dropped. Joe risked
a look round, thinking they’d crossed the road, but they were about
twenty feet away and closing in. Clustered together, nudging and
conversing in low voices. A couple of them were already eyeing
him up.
Leading the pack was a thickset woman in her twenties, with tattoos
on both arms and a pair of plastic devil horns propped in her hair.
She veered across the pavement and came to a halt in front of Joe,
who was still trying to keep Cassie out of sight.
'That’s Cassie Briggs, innit?’ she said, and Joe heard a gasp as Cassie
broke off whatever she was saying to Sofia.
The rest of the hen party fanned out around them. They peered
at the baby in her buggy, and at her mother standing frozen behind
it, gripping the handles with white knuckles.
'Oh my God! It is her.’
You still singing, then? Haven’t heard anything from you for years.’
Cassie made eye contact, smiling bravely. 'No. I don’t really—’
'She had a kid, didn’t she?’ One of them gestured towards Jaden,
who remained far more interested in a display of model sports cars.
'With the bloke from Hollyoaks. Dean somebody.’
'Oh, him? God, he shags everything that moves. . .’ The girl faltered
as she remembered who she was talking to, then dismissed her embarrassment
and giggled instead.
You’re probably right,’ Cassie said. Her voice sounded amiable
enough, but there were bright red spots on her cheeks: a blaze of fury
and shame.
'Did you see him in the jungle?’ another asked her.
Cassie shook her head.
'You can’t blame her,’ someone else said. 'She ain’t gonna watch
him on telly when he’s dumped her.’
'I thought she dumped him? That’s what it said in Heat.’
'I wouldn’t mind seeing my ex having to eat a load of maggots,’ an
older woman chipped in.
'He coped with your cooking, didn’t he?’
Wild laughter, which Cassie politely shared. Joe felt someone bump
against him: Jaden, sliding along the window, his nose pressed to the
glass.
The
better of her.
'Was everything all right?’
Yes, thanks.’
'Friend or family?’
'Old friend. Just touching base.’
She waited, watching him closely until she grasped that she would
get nothing more.
Suddenly full of good cheer, as though moods were sweaters you
could change with the weather, she said: 'I’ve got good news and bad.’
'Go on.’
'The good news is that I’m feeling better. But the bad news. . .’
You want to go clothes shopping?’
'You got it.’ She gave him a playful slap on the shoulder. And not
the snobby designer places, either. I want to look in some normal
shops.’
'Fine. But you know what we have to get past first?’
What?’
Joe indicated Jaden, then mouthed: 'The model shop.’ Cassie’s
shoulders sagged in mock horror. There was a branch of Modelzone
up ahead, on the corner of West Street.
'Oh, well. If I’m going to drag you both round Debenhams, I suppose
a few minutes staring at toy cars won’t hurt.’
'Cars!’ Jaden yelled. He yanked on Joe’s hand. 'I wanna look at
cars!’
A few minutes if we’re lucky, Joe thought.
But as it was, they were waylaid by something far worse.
It was a hen party. Advancing up West Street in a slow, clumsy swarm.
A dozen women, ranging in age from late teens to sixty or so. All
shapes and sizes. All dressed in skimpy black satin dresses that flattered
some of them considerably more than others. Already drunk,
but in good spirits, laughing and joking and calling out to anyone
foolish enough to point or stare in their direction.
Joe saw them as he crossed West Street at the pedestrian traffic
lights. Jaden was pulling ahead, desperate to see what treats Modelzone
had to offer. As they drew up in front of the shop window, Joe hoped
that by standing behind Cassie he could shield her from view. She
was leaning over the buggy, speaking to Sofia, and didn’t seem to have
noticed the hen party at all.
But they had noticed her.
The first indication came when the noise level dropped. Joe risked
a look round, thinking they’d crossed the road, but they were about
twenty feet away and closing in. Clustered together, nudging and
conversing in low voices. A couple of them were already eyeing
him up.
Leading the pack was a thickset woman in her twenties, with tattoos
on both arms and a pair of plastic devil horns propped in her hair.
She veered across the pavement and came to a halt in front of Joe,
who was still trying to keep Cassie out of sight.
'That’s Cassie Briggs, innit?’ she said, and Joe heard a gasp as Cassie
broke off whatever she was saying to Sofia.
The rest of the hen party fanned out around them. They peered
at the baby in her buggy, and at her mother standing frozen behind
it, gripping the handles with white knuckles.
'Oh my God! It is her.’
You still singing, then? Haven’t heard anything from you for years.’
Cassie made eye contact, smiling bravely. 'No. I don’t really—’
'She had a kid, didn’t she?’ One of them gestured towards Jaden,
who remained far more interested in a display of model sports cars.
'With the bloke from Hollyoaks. Dean somebody.’
'Oh, him? God, he shags everything that moves. . .’ The girl faltered
as she remembered who she was talking to, then dismissed her embarrassment
and giggled instead.
You’re probably right,’ Cassie said. Her voice sounded amiable
enough, but there were bright red spots on her cheeks: a blaze of fury
and shame.
'Did you see him in the jungle?’ another asked her.
Cassie shook her head.
'You can’t blame her,’ someone else said. 'She ain’t gonna watch
him on telly when he’s dumped her.’
'I thought she dumped him? That’s what it said in Heat.’
'I wouldn’t mind seeing my ex having to eat a load of maggots,’ an
older woman chipped in.
'He coped with your cooking, didn’t he?’
Wild laughter, which Cassie politely shared. Joe felt someone bump
against him: Jaden, sliding along the window, his nose pressed to the
glass.
The
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