EPISODE ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-EIGHT
Nigel and Jackie had
gone out for the day, and Vanessa suspected it was to get away from her. She
was feeling paranoid and uncertain about her future as a single mother.
She felt any chances of a career had flown out of the window, and she suspected
Nigel and her mother would tolerate her, provide her with a secure home, if
only out of reasons of Christian charity. Although she had been brought up in a
religious home, she was finding it increasingly difficult to feel a sense of
belonging to any organised religion.
It was a mild day, but she felt she felt flushed and uncomfortable. She went
outside and sat on the patio, taking her mobile phone with her, wondering who
she could telephone to wallow in empathetic feelings.
Before she could think of anyone, the telephone rang. She didn’t recognise the
number from the display and clicked answer.
‘Hello?’
‘It’s Paul here.’
A nervous tremor almost caused her to drop the phone. Before she could say
anything, Paul continued speaking.
‘My mother suggested I ring you to talk about the situation. Which is why I’m
ringing.’
Vanessa recovered sufficiently to offer him a sarcastic laugh. ‘Oh, so you
couldn’t decide to phone me yourself. This had to come from your mother.’
‘I probably would have got round to it myself, but…’
She interrupted him angrily. ’But you needed your mother to push you into doing
something. You hit me, Paul, you bastard.’
‘Well, babe, you did provoke me.’
Vanessa felt choking anger in her throat, like bile. ‘So you haven’t phoned up
to apologise. I don’t believe this.’
‘I’m phoning you to offer you – both of us, actually – a way out. My mother’s
offered to help. Financially.’
‘I thought you’d bled your parents dry.’
‘Well, I used up all their cash, if that’s what you mean. But my old man’s got
a pretty decent property in France.’
‘So you intend getting your hands on that money as well.’
She heard the cold steel in his voice. ‘Do you want to hear my proposition or
not? Presuming I’m the father of your child.’
‘You know bloody well you are.’
‘Ok, ok. So here’s the deal. My mother’s willing to pay for a termination.’
‘You what?’
‘You know: as in abortion.’
‘Yes, I heard you. And there is no way – NO WAY – I would even consider getting
rid of my child.’
She heard him snort sarcastically. ‘Oh yes, I forgot: you’re one of the God
squad, aren’t you.’
‘That’s got nothing to do with it.’
‘I would have thought it’s got everything to do with it.’
‘You just wouldn’t understand. A sleaze-bucket like you wouldn’t understand
in a million years.’
‘This offer won’t come round again, you know. I’ll give you twenty-four
hours to make a decision. After that…’
She clicked the phone off, and pressed her head back into the sun-lounger,
feeling the damp on her back from the fabric of the seat. She wanted to cry,
needed to
cry, but she was numb with shock.
After a moment, the phone rang again. It was Paul, speaking breathlessly and
hurriedly, trying to have a final word before she cut him off once more.
‘Don’t hang up until you’ve heard what I have to say. I’m warning you: if you
don’t go through with this abortion, I will never call you again. You will
never hear
from me, and neither will whatever sex the brat is. I don’t want to know. Not
now!
Not ever! Understood.?’
She heard the click as the call was terminated. She knew the only reason he’d
called back was so that he could have the last word and be the one to hang up
on her.
How could she ever have fallen for someone who was so despicable?
She burst into tears and spent the next hour sobbing uncontrollably.
IN EPISODE 159
Nicky discovers Anthony’s secret.