It Started With A Tweet(74)
I come out of the bathroom and peer into the bedrooms on either side. One is most definitely a guest bedroom, which looks as if it doubles as a laundry room, with all the odd socks and piles of clothes strewn on the bed. The other has a neatly made bed and a bedside cabinet full of books. I’m about to look at what he reads, before I remind myself to be more mission-focused and less Lloyd Grossman nosy.
Padding downstairs, I find a cosy-looking lounge, a modern kitchen and a small office – bingo! That’s exactly where I’ll find my answers.
I open a drawer and I’m about to start rifling through when I catch the large computer screen out of the corner of my eye. All thoughts of detective work stop as I realise how close I am to the Internet. I hesitate for a second, wondering if I should actually go through with it, before I switch it on. Telling myself that I can be good and that I’ll just look up that E.D.S.M. company. I pull the letter out of my jeans pocket, ready to type in the URL.
The computer whirrs into life, the screen begins to load and I feel my stomach churn, as any second now I’m going to be connected to the real world again. I actually feel nervous.
Suddenly, a phone rings behind me and scares the bejesus out of me, forcing me to jump back from the mouse. It only rings three times before the answerphone kicks in.
‘You’ve reached the voicemail for Jack Lowe; I’m not here at the moment, but if you leave your name and your number, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.’
The machine beeps and I half expect his voice to come out of it, as if he’s sensed I’m here and knows what I’m doing.
‘Jack, it’s me, Jenny. I really need to see you. Will you call me as soon as you’re back? Thanks, Marra.’
The room goes silent and instinctively I hit play to hear it again it. She’s got her own pet name for him? They really must be close. I go to replay the message and realise that it’s not flashing anymore, indicating that it’s been listened to. Oh crap. I’d not thought of that. If I leave the message on here, then he’s going to know I listened to it. And if I delete it, then he’ll never know that Jenny wanted to speak to him. I’m torn as I weigh up my options. I guess he could just have a faulty machine .?.?.? Before I can talk myself out of it, I delete the message, telling myself she’ll probably phone again. I mean, who trusts answerphones anyway?
The world’s slowest computer is still chugging into life and I idly pick up a card on his desk with a cartoon dinosaur. I know I shouldn’t look, but I can’t help myself.
I saw this and thought of you! Thanks for being there, Jenny xxx
That could mean anything, surely? Maybe they’re just really good friends. But do really good friends put three kisses on their correspondence?
The computer is finally booted up and I stare at the screen. I’m desperate to connect, but I can’t help feeling guilty. I’ve done so well with this detox over the past two weeks, I don’t know if I can go through with breaking it, or even if I really want to. As I wrestle with my conscience, I hear the front door slam. WTF? Desperately, I try to fumble around with the mouse to shut the computer down again. Jack said he wasn’t back until later in the week. The footsteps in the house grow louder, as if he’s heading straight for his office. What if he’s forgotten some important work and now he’s going to come back and find me in here using his PC? The screen goes blank as the door swings open. Hastily, I shove my letter from E.D.S.M. into the dinosaur card to hide what I’m up to.
‘You,’ I shout, relaxing back into the chair in relief when I see it’s just Alexis. Though he practically jumps out of his skin at the sight of me.
‘Daisy, you scared me,’ he says, clutching at his chest. ‘I thought I was ’ere alone.’
‘Ah, you will be,’ I say jumping up. ‘I’m heading home. I was just having a shower. Jack said I could,’ I add. I start towel drying my damp hair for effect as I shuffle towards the door, before it hits me. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Jack told me where the spare key was so I could use his computer. Jack ’as been letting me use it as I organise the next ’elp-exchange placement.’
‘Oh, I see,’ I say nodding. ‘So you’re only with us for another couple of weeks, then?’
‘I think so. Rosie said that you will be going, and that her ’usband will be coming after. Besides, with you not there – there is no reason to stay.’
I do a double take as I’m sure that was lost in translation, but I feel my cheeks blushing anyway.
‘I should head back to the farm,’ I say. ‘I’m sure Rosie will wonder where I am .?.?.’
‘She went to the village to pick up some food. I like to be alone.’
‘Um, OK, I’ll go,’ I say, taking the hint.
‘No, no, I like to be alone, with you. I ’ave not spent much time alone with you and I would like to.’
I feel a bit weird being here with Alexis in Jack’s house, I really should go.
‘Please, I am feeling lonely today and I ’ave been thinking a lot about my dad.’
He raises his eyebrows like a sad puppy dog, and while I’m almost too young to fully remember my dad, I do know about the void a parent dying leaves and I can only imagine the level of grief he has.
‘Of course I’ll stay.’