He's After Me

Chapter THIRTY



She answers straight away. I knew she would; her phone is a permanent extension of her right hand, like an extra digit.

‘Hi, Anna!’ she says breezily. ‘How’s the revision going?’

‘Fine.’ I take a deep breath, not sure of what I’m going to say, trying to keep the worry from my voice. ‘Look, daft question, I know, but I don’t suppose you’ve seen anything of Jem today, have you?’

‘Duh! He’s sitting here right next to me. D’you want him?’

I am stunned. I forget to answer. Then I hear Jem’s voice on the line. ‘Anna? You OK?’

‘What are you doing there?’ I ask in surprise.

‘Came over after work, since you’re at Zoe’s,’ he says, stressing her name warningly.

‘I’ve been worried! Why didn’t you let me know where you were?’

‘Sorry. Your mum asked me to stay for dinner. I didn’t realize the time.’

‘Why didn’t you answer your phone?’

‘It didn’t ring.’ I can hear him fumbling about then he says, ‘Oops! Forgot to switch it back on after work. Sorry!’

‘It’s all right, Anna!’ shrieks Livi’s voice in my ear. ‘We’ve been looking after him!’

‘Get off!’ I can hear Jem laughing and Livi giggling, like he’s trying to wrestle the phone from her. ‘It’s my phone!’ she yells and there’s more shrieks and laughter like they’re fighting over it. She must have won because she comes back on.

‘You can have him back!’ she pants, out of breath. ‘He eats too much anyway. Roast last night, curry tonight. He’s eating us out of house and home!’

He must’ve snatched the phone off her again because there are more squeals, then I hear him say, ‘I’m leaving this madhouse! I’ll ring you!’ and the phone goes dead.

I stare at it, bewildered.

Roast last night, curry tonight? There’s me thinking we’re having a secret few days together and Jem’s been stuffing his face with my mother and sister for the past two nights. What the hell is going on?

I don’t have long to find out. He rings me a few minutes later, on his way home, all apologetic, but I refuse to listen. I stand at the window and watch as the bus draws up and he leaps off and runs across to Wharfside. When the buzzer goes I leave it, feeling a small surge of power as it goes again. But soon he is leaning on it and the continuous noise does my head in and I smack the button to let him in. He looks at me sheepishly as he peels off his jacket.

‘Sorry.’

‘I was worried! I didn’t know where you were!’

‘Sorry.’

‘And all that time you were at my house with my sister and my mother filling your face with curry!’

‘Sorry.’

‘Stop saying that! I nearly called the police!’

He looks alarmed. ‘You didn’t, did you?’

‘Of course not! What was I supposed to say? I’ve broken into this flat and now my boyfriend’s disappeared! They’d think I was some kind of psycho or something!’

‘You’re not …’

‘I know I’m not! But they’d think I was!’ My voice rises alarmingly. ‘And last night. We had a nice romantic meal together and then you left me, so I could get on with my work, you said, and you went round to my house and ate a roast dinner! What’s going on, Jem?’

‘Nothing! Look, sit down, Anna, you’re all upset.’

‘Too right, I’m upset.’ But I allow him to take my hand and lead me to the sofa. And I allow him to keep my hand in his as he explains.

‘I went round last night to give you a chance to get on with your work, yeah?’

I nod.

‘Your mum had made a roast and she offered some to me. I said no, but she insisted!’

I sniff. I know what he means. My mother doesn’t take no for an answer when it comes to food.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘Because you were fast asleep when I got home, that’s why.’ He refrains from saying I was crashed out, drunk. ‘Then this morning you were gone before I could say anything.’

I consider what he’s saying. It all makes sense. But I’m not quite ready to let him off the hook yet.

‘Still, you didn’t have to do the same thing all over again tonight,’ I say sulkily.

‘Don’t go moody on me, Anna. I didn’t mean to. I only went around after work because I’m bored out of my mind without you.’ He takes my hand and draws me into his arms. ‘Anyway, think about it,’ he says. ‘It’s a great alibi. It shows your mum that, obviously, we’re not together. You’re revising at Zoe’s, I’m at a loose end. She was pleased to see me and so was Livi …’

‘I bet she was!’ I mutter to myself. Livi worships the ground he walks on.

‘Your mum sort of assumed I was staying for dinner again and it would’ve been a bit rude to leave straight after. Anyway, I thought it would give you time to get on with your work with me out of your hair for a bit.’ He looks repentant. ‘I’ve cocked up, haven’t I?’

Jem is irresistible when he’s sad. He’s got that dark, soulful look that lends itself to misery.

‘Come here,’ I say, my anger all spent, and his face lights up. We kiss and make up and then he stretches out on the sofa, his head in my lap.

‘I don’t deserve you,’ he says.

I trace the outline of his lips with my finger, wondering how I can hate him so much one minute and love him so much the next. It’s not his fault – it’s me, I’m all over the place. I mean, what was going on in my head? My boyfriend goes out of his way to allow me to get on with my work, spending two boring evenings with my mother and my kid sister for my sake, and what do I do? Freak out! Make out he’s some kind of lying criminal.

‘It’s me that doesn’t deserve you,’ I confess. ‘I was so mad at you, Jem, when I came home. I was dying to see you and you weren’t here …’

‘I’m here now,’ he says, kissing the tips of my fingers.

‘… And the flat was in a mess, and I was horrible. I wouldn’t clean it up on my own …’

‘We can do it together in the morning.’ He reaches up and pulls me down towards him. ‘We’ve got more important things to be getting on with now.’