What Lies Between Us(77)

He puts his knife and fork down on his plate with a clank. ‘They did more than just “take me in”, Nina. They gave me a home; they gave me a life.’

‘Yours wasn’t a life to be given away. And if they can’t cope with how close you and I have become, then perhaps they don’t have your best interests at heart.’

‘Like I’ve explained to you many times before, I don’t want to hurt them.’

‘I know that, but maybe putting their feelings first isn’t always the right thing to do. What about how you feel? Or how this affects me?’

‘You?’

‘Well, yes. It’s not nice being someone’s little secret. It’s as if you’re ashamed of me.’

‘I’m not . . .’

‘So you’ll tell them soon?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘You can come here to live—’

‘To live? A few minutes ago you said it was “to stay”.’

This is going from bad to worse, and now he’s making me muddle my words. ‘Live, stay, it doesn’t matter. You would enjoy being here, you’d bring new life into this dusty old place.’

‘Nina,’ he says firmly. ‘You can’t use me to get out of your rut. It’s not fair.’

‘I . . . I’m not,’ I stutter. ‘I just like spending time with you.’

‘And that’s what we have been doing. But sometimes you can be . . . overbearing.’

‘When?’

‘You make me feel guilty if I don’t stick to your plans. You call if I haven’t replied to your texts within fifteen minutes. You get upset if I don’t message you before I go to bed. You’ve turned up at the office to see me unannounced. You keep buying me expensive presents I don’t need. It all makes me feel a little . . . awkward.’

He’s referring to the designer jacket we saw on a shopping trip to Milton Keynes. He’d been offhand with me that day so when he expressed an interest in it, I looked it up online the next day and ordered it. It cost me a week’s wages but if it made him happy, it was worth it. However, when I saw him next and presented it to him, he refused to accept it and asked me to stop buying him things. So I sent it by post to his office instead.

‘I do it because that’s what parents do. I love you.’

‘And then there’s tonight and you constantly reminding me that my parents aren’t my blood relatives. I know they’re not and it doesn’t bother me. But it’s like you’re trying to place a wedge between us so that you can have me for yourself.’

‘You’re my son. I like being with you.’

‘I know, but parents learn to give their kids space too.’

‘What for? Why do you need space from me?’

Dylan sighs and shakes his head. ‘I think it’s time I left,’ he replies, and dabs at his mouth with a napkin before rising to his feet.

‘Don’t go,’ I say quickly, and follow him into the hallway where he reaches for his coat. ‘I’m sorry, it won’t happen again.’

‘I have to go early anyway because I’m going out later.’

‘Who with?’

‘A friend.’

‘What friend? Why didn’t you mention it earlier?’

‘I’ll speak to you soon.’

And without giving me a peck on the cheek or so much as a goodbye, he closes the door quietly behind him.





CHAPTER 66





MAGGIE


Three weeks have passed since I last saw the man in the white car arrive at the house, then leave soon after. And in the back of my mind, I fear he’s not going to return. However, I haven’t let my doubts stop me from making preparations in case he enters the house again. My plan involves the bathtub screw, but instead of using it as a weapon, I’m using it as a tool.

Since the idea came to me, I’ve spent every morning waiting patiently by the window for Nina to leave the house for the library. And once she’s out of sight, I make my way down the staircase to the soundproofed partition wall and get to work.

I chose a section furthest away from where Nina might potentially catch sight of it, at the bottom, close to where the skirting board once was. It’s neither illuminated by the light coming through the reinforced glass of the Velux roof window nor the bulb at the top of the stairs. The other side of the partition wall is the closest spot to the dining room.

My screw has been galvanised to prevent it from rusting when in contact with water, making it strong. The tip is as sharp as a needle and will take some time to wear down. So I have been using it as leverage to prize away a small section of the wall. The cardboard egg box in that section came off easily, but underneath was a layer of board that had been glued to another board, and that had been attached to the existing plasterboard. From that first day, I knew it was going to be a challenge and I had to be patient. But Lord knows, I have the time and the motivation. I want to survive this lump and I can’t do that if I remain trapped up here.

I’ve been placing a towel under my workstation, collecting debris and rinsing it down the sink rather than trying to flush it away and have some remain at the bottom of the toilet pan. Then before Nina returns home each day, I stick the egg box to the wall with toothpaste and cover my tracks.