They were drawn in by the singers, a young white guy with a prominent Adam’s apple and a statuesque black lady in a purple sequinned dress. She was in her late fifties, but her voice was strong and defiant. The young guy would occasionally flirt with her on stage and she’d treat him with dignified disdain. This amused him, and between them they had an electrifying presence on stage.
Cherry glanced at Daniel and looked for signs that his mother had been in touch since that morning. Laura would’ve found out about the non-existent ITV meeting hours ago and no doubt she’d be extremely suspicious of who’d actually sent her there, and had probably worked it out. She’d likely panicked, wanting to talk to Daniel, but so far he’d not mentioned anything. He was still behaving as if he hadn’t spoken to her, which meant he didn’t know about how she’d threatened Laura the day before. In fact, Cherry wasn’t all that worried about this: if Laura did bring it up, she would just deny it. It was all rather melodramatic and far-fetched, and Laura was the one with the record in grotesque lies. In fact, instead of being a worry, Cherry felt sure she could make it look like Laura was behaving worse than ever, and this would push Daniel to her even quicker. She’d wasted enough time and was sick of being skint. Thankfully, Daniel had paid for the cab and put his card behind the bar for the drinks.
The band changed songs and the woman started up something feisty and proud, and her voice was powerful, stirring Cherry right in the pit of her belly. Murmurs of appreciation went round the room and Daniel impulsively stood. He held out his hand and led her towards the other couples in the small dance area. Cherry smiled. The ice was well and truly broken. There was no going back.
As he held her hand and spun her round the floor, Daniel thought again how lucky he was that Cherry had decided to make an unplanned visit to his parents’ house that morning. And how lucky that his shifts had worked out so he’d been in at the time. He’d been given something back out of all that was taken away from him after the accident. He got a stab of hurt when he thought about his mum and how quickly he’d moved out, but quickly quashed it.
The flat had smelt musty. He’d immediately opened all the windows and run the taps, which gurgled with airlocks. His old Oyster card was lying on the coffee table, put there after he’d returned from work the day he and Cherry took the trip to Wales. It had been lined up neatly with his work ID and all his old post. He checked through the postmarks. They stopped sometime around early November, probably when his mother had managed to get hold of most people to tell them he was in a coma. He quickly looked through, but they were just admin letters, statements and so on, and he chucked them all in the bin. Then he opened the fridge. It was empty. He had a sudden urge to fill it and make the place feel more like home, so he left his rucksack lying in the hall and headed out. When he came back, he turned up the music and made himself some lunch. The place felt better already, but what he couldn’t get rid of was the ache in his chest. And for the first time he felt angry. He’d been cheated out of something he cared about. All those months when he could have been with Cherry, the girl he loved. Why? Why had she gone to such lengths?
The vibrant music and powerful singing released something in him and made him feel free. The singer finished on a heartfelt note and a small burst of applause rippled round the room. Daniel led Cherry back to their table.
‘Quite a mover.’
She blushed. ‘No . . .’
‘Did we ever go dancing?’
Her face clouded over. ‘Don’t think we had time.’
‘What else didn’t we do?’
‘Swim with dolphins.’
‘Which couples swim with dolphins?’
‘It’s an option. Have our portrait painted.’
He smiled. ‘Buy matching T-shirts.’
‘Throw a dinner party.’
‘Have “our” song.’
‘Row.’
He considered. ‘No, we didn’t, did we.’ In fact, he realized, they’d never had more than a healthy debate. It was a nice thought. ‘I’ve moved back to the flat.’
She stared at him. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It was left empty. Ever since the accident.’
‘What did your mum say?’
‘I haven’t spoken to her yet. I left her a note back at the house. It just seemed like it was never going to be an easy conversation and I needed some time to think.’
Cherry nodded. ‘Was that today? After we met up?’
‘Yes.’
She could tell he was still hurting. She put a hand on his, then raised her glass. ‘Happy new home,’ she said warmly, and chinked.
By the end of the night he knew what he wanted to do. They left the bar, and before it became too big a thing, he asked her. ‘Do you want to come back?’
She stared at him a moment and he wondered if he’d gone too far.
‘It’s OK if you don’t—’
‘No, I’d like to.’
They were silent in the cab on the way back, each content with the other’s company and their own thoughts. Daniel opened his front door and she stepped inside. As it closed behind them, they moved together into a kiss. Cherry pulled urgently at his shirt and they were naked before they reached the bedroom.
Afterwards, as they lay in bed, each was happier than they’d been in a long time. The missing months had melted away and they felt as attached to each other as they had a year ago, only more so because of what they’d been through. Cherry’s leg was looped over his, and Daniel looked at her beautiful, lightly tanned skin, luminous in the semi-dark.
‘Cherry?’
She snuggled into his side. ‘Yes?’
‘Move in.’
Her heart beat rapidly against his arm. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked at him, wide-eyed.
‘Here?’
‘Of course here. I don’t want to waste any more time. My accident taught me that. And I don’t know about you, but this’ – he indicated the two of them – ‘feels as good as it was, better even. I just want to be with you.’
‘I want to be with you too.’
‘So will you?’
She paused. ‘What about your mum?’
‘She’s not coming.’
‘No, I mean—’
‘I know what you mean. She’ll just have to get used to it. It’s my life and I want you in it. If you’d like to be.’
She kissed him. ‘I would.’
FORTY-ONE
Thursday 17 September
Laura buzzed Daniel’s flat from the street. She pulled her handbag in tightly over her shoulder, then realizing her palms were damp, quickly dabbed them on her jacket. It was a new sensation, being nervous of visiting your own son. She gave a small wave to the porter, who was looking at her through the glass door, then finally, an answer. She smiled up at the camera and heard the door click. On the first floor, he’d left his front door open. She knocked and peered inside for him.
‘Hello? It’s me.’ It felt odd not to be greeted, as if she were trespassing. He came through from the kitchen and stopped still in the hall. Laura was instinctively about to go and embrace him, but his folded arms and flat expression kept her at bay.
‘Tea?’
‘Yes, please.’