‘Well, at least let me get you an umbrella; there’s a spare one in the kitchen.’
As she went to fetch it, the office phone rang.
‘I’d better get that. Maybe it’s Perry.’ Gavin went into the office and spoke briefly to whoever it was, coming out again just as Zoe returned, brandishing a purple, Peppa Pig umbrella. ‘Here we go.’
She handed it to me, taking the opportunity to give me a hug at the same time. ‘God bless you, Faith. And that man of yours. It’s been lovely getting to know you. Just leave the brolly propped up by the door when you’re done.’ Pulling back, she took Gavin’s hand as they walked me out. ‘All right, Gavin? Why were you sneaking about in the office?’
‘The phone rang.’
He opened the door to let me and Zoe out, as we braced ourselves against the wet wind attempting to blow us back in again.
‘Who’s calling at this time?’
‘Nothing important.’ They began to hurry down the steps, while I stayed huddled beneath the overhang of the roof. ‘Just that bloke again, asking about a redhead called Rachel.’
‘Well, I think the only redhead who comes here is Faith.’
‘I told him that.’
‘Right. Bye Faith!’
They disappeared into the stormy night, just about the same time the world shattered inside my skull.
21
I stood frozen, a deer in headlights, panic running through my veins. When I finally managed to steady my hands enough to phone Perry, it rang straight through to voicemail. I didn’t leave a message.
‘Okay. No need to panic. He’s not phoning the chapel if he’s hiding round the corner, is he? Lurking behind that bin over there, or in the shadow of that massive, creepy tree. Argh! Stop scaring yourself and think of a plan to get home. Or at least out of the rain until Perry turns up.’
I ran through my options. Out loud. It helped drown out the sound of my terror.
‘One. Phone Perry. No, tried that. Two. Phone a taxi. Only there aren’t any taxis for miles. And I haven’t got any money. Three. Phone a friend. Ooh yes. I have some friends now. How about Marilyn? No. The twins’ll be asleep and Polly’s gone to stay with her parents. Who else?’
I thought about the other choir members, but the few I knew best had no transport, or had to get up early in the morning, or, let’s face it, weren’t the level of friend I could call up at ten-thirty at night to pick me up, ferry me six miles through a storm, andthen drive home again. Even if I did have any of their numbers, which I didn’t.
Yes, there was option four. Someone who happened to live in the manse right behind the church where he worked.
But I couldn’t.
Not after the weirdness of the evening, pretending to be on a marriage course together, with the new, growly, pirate Dylan and the you’re so beautiful I would die for you thing. I could not turn up on his doorstep, sopping wet and beg for his help once again because Perry had let me down.
I would rather fight off Kane with the Peppa Pig umbrella.
Come on, Peppa, we’re tough stuff. We can do it!
I huddled against the door, wishing, hoping, praying Perry had not forgotten me. The longer I waited, the worse it would be if I did knock on Dylan’s door. What if he had gone to bed?
Enough! I’m walking home. So I get a little wet? What’s the worst that could happen?
My rational self gave my ridiculous, mixed-up, more-scared-of-knocking-on-Dylan’s-door-than-a-murderer-on-the-prowl self a mental slap around the chops.
It’s dark, and raining and the footpaths will be a bog. Remember the camping hike. You could actually die if you try to walk home. Kane won’t need to come and find you. Your own stupid pride will do the job for him.
I stopped for a minute at the bottom of the steps, an enormous puddle lapping at my ankle boots, and wrestled with common sense.
What if I caught the flu again?
Furious at Perry, the storm, Dylan, marriage classes, my ugly past and confusing future, and of course mostly myself, I kicked a nearby lemonade can against the metal gate securing the far side of the chapel from the car park. Once wasn’t enough, so Ikicked it a few more times. Then I used a tissue from my bag to pick it up and deposit it in the recycling bin.
