Me. Her. Him - Chapter 62

by Jacob1395

Background
Angela has spent nearly half her life hiding from a man in her past. But when he finally tracks her down, it isn't him she's scared of. It's what he knows.

Background: Angela is shocked when William, an old friend from her past, who she hoped never to see again, comes back into her life, after he applies for a role at her work and successfully secures the job. William’s sudden reappearance puts Angela on edge. She’s terrified he’s discovered her secret, which she needs to protect her family from. William’s convinced Angela knows what happened to his former girlfriend, Caz, who hasn't been seen for twenty years, and that something terrible happened to her. The only person, who can help Angela, is her once best friend, Michelle, but Angela hasn’t seen Michelle for more than a decade. Faced with the threat of William’s return, they know they’ll need to work together to save their future, even if this does mean reopening old wounds, and revisiting a past they'd rather keep buried.

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May 2002

Caz is pretty much laid up for most of the day now. Part of me is somewhat surprised William hasn’t come back here in the months since she’s been living with us. I was tense for days after she first arrived, thinking he’d turn up at any moment, knowing we would be the only people who Caz could turn to. Perhaps he’d be the one to realise he’d made a mistake in throwing Caz out and ask her to come back. But there’s no way I can advise Caz to get back with him, if he ever did come back. She could find herself in the same situation again in just a few months’ time.

‘Caz, can you budge up a little?’ I ask.

She looks up at me, her forehead creasing before she shuffles a little to the other side of the sofa, resting her hand on her stomach as she comes to a settled position.

‘What’s up?’ she says.

Michelle’s in the bedroom, probably reading. I didn’t fancy having this conversation with Caz while Michelle was in the same room.

I shift in my seat. ‘Can I ask you about your family?’

Caz’s eyes darken. ‘I thought I told you . . .’

‘I know you told me you don’t want anything to do with them, but, while you’re under our roof, and while we’re supporting you, which we’re happy to do for the time being, we need to know the reason why you won’t see them. Why won’t you at least speak to your parents and tell them you’re expecting their grandchild?’

Caz balls her fists and pushes them into the sofa, to push herself up a little straighter.

‘I tried years ago, before I met William, to get in contact with my parents again, you know,’ she says. ‘I stayed in London for a year or so on my own, moving from hostel to hostel. I thought perhaps enough time had passed and that they might be pleased to see me. I saved up for my train ticket back to Newcastle. I wanted to see my sister as well; it had been years since I’d seen her. She’s five years older than me, so she left home ages before I did. I went back to their house only, they weren’t in. One of the neighbours spotted me waiting, they told me they were still living there and hadn’t gone away. I figured I’d just hang about until they turned up again; it was the middle of the day. But I was still waiting gone midnight. Someone must’ve let them know I was there. They couldn’t even be bothered to come and say hi.’

Caz wipes her eyes.

‘Did you manage to see them?’ I ask.

‘No. I ended up booking myself into a hostel, then at first light I got the train back to London. I’ve no desire to go home ever again.’

‘Okay, but that still doesn’t explain what happened between you,’ I say.

‘They never bloody cared, that’s the reason why. They didn’t even give a damn when I went to London, I didn’t tell them where I was going. I could’ve been abducted by some serial killer for all they knew and I could be dead. I could be lying in a ditch now and no one would care, you know. I’d remain there, forgotten.’

I get the sense Caz doesn’t want to talk any further. Her eyes are fixed on the television ahead. She won’t make eye contact with me.

I reach out to rub her back but she flinches as I touch her.

‘But something serious must’ve happened between you to make you fall out like this,’ I say carefully.

‘You want to know the reason why, Angela? They never wanted us, me and my sister, they made that quite plain when we were kids that we were a mistake, and left us pretty much to fend for ourselves, you know. At five-years-old, I had to get myself up, make myself breakfast and get myself off to school. If I missed the bus, too bad, I had to walk. They spent their mornings lazing around in bed, after being up all night drinking with their friends, and doing drugs. As far as they were concerned, the only good thing we brought them was the money we got them in benefits. I’m surprised they didn’t have more kids just for that reason, if I’m honest. Can you imagine at Christmas, as a child, watching every other kid your age being spoilt rotten and you’re just left to your own devices, no presents, no Christmas dinner, just being shut up in your room the whole time, until the holidays were over.’

‘Caz, I’m so sorry,’ I say, my voice cracking.

‘I need a lie down,’ she says, picking herself up off the sofa and pushing away my offer to help.

My stomach hardens as she heads to her bedroom, then she slams the door shut. I hear the bedroom door lock with a sharp click.

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Character List:

Angela Watkins - Protagonist

Paul Watkins - Angela's husband

Rebecca Watkins - Angela's daughter

Michelle Blake - Angela's former best friend

Kirsty - Receptionist (Angela's friend)

Olivia - Angela's boss

William Harris - Angela's former friend