what the hell? Marks on her skirt, splatters on the silk. Holding her breath, she crouches down to inspect them. They dilate, creep and grow as she stares. Surely not blood? It wasn’t her fault; she didn’t mean to hurt anybody.
After a moment she blinks. No, silly! Just water from the ladies’ tap. Or the spray of champagne! More likely the downfall. Pitter patter, pitter patter. She told him it was raining.
Her mind focusing, she breathes. Everything’s fine, it really is. The room key is in her handbag, she can go up and change. Not a problem, absolutely! If she hurries, she’ll be back before anyone notices. Like rabbit running! Run rabbit, run!
Removing her shoes, she darts up the stairs, counting each riser until she’s on the third floor. With a loud clatter and clang, she leaves the fire door behind, her feet smacking the carpet as she sprints to the room.
Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run!
With the swipe of a card she’s in, almost giddy with purpose.
She sits on the bed and time slows. Sees her heels in her hand and tries to focus, to think. That’s right; she came inside for the toilet. Washed her hands at the sink, watched the water drip from her fingers to avoid looking at her face. The dress, yes the dress; she needs to change it.
Her breathing shallow and fast, she brushes her hair, lines her shoes neatly, takes off her jacket, then slips off her dress. ‘So I feel the benefit,’ she remembers. Her mum’s words. Like the rhyme, the lovely rhyme, before she went bad. Pitter patter, pitter patter. Listen to the rain. She looks to the window. There it is, the windowpane! And she can hear it, it’s raining.
Striding to the window, she feels the heat rising. She knew he was lying; she always knows when he lies. She has to tell him, she has to tell him. He has to know that she knows!
The sash window protests, but she pushes and tugs and eventually it relents, yawning wide enough for her to see him and shout.
‘Stop pretending! I know the truth! I know when you’re lying!’
He doesn’t turn, he doesn’t hear, so she climbs on the ledge, swaying for a moment as she straightens her legs. Closing her eyes, she stands tall. Feels the breeze, a lovely breeze. And the refreshing splatter of rain on her bare arms and belly.
Ah, there’s the voice again, soft and reassuring.
Pitter patter, pitter patter.
She leans forward to listen.
Listen to the …
But a shriek spoils the moment, too loud in her ears. She looks down and teeters.
‘Oh my God, look! There’s someone at that window. Oh my God, quick, someone help! I think she’s going to jump!’
Five Hours Earlier
Dan
Dan Maloney smiles wryly, a puff of air through his nose. ‘A church, another bloody Catholic church.’
Unsure if the words emerge out loud, he stares at the hoary building through the spattered windscreen. Its arched windows are dark, the only sign of life a single clump of early daffodils beside its black door.
The pelt of rain brings him back. It’s bouncing off the bonnet like crystal ball bearings. ‘Poor bastards,’ he says. ‘I thought it might ease off.’
‘Yeah.’
The tone of Geri’s voice makes him turn with a jolt. A small furrow mars her glowing face as she rubs her rounded belly. His baby’s in there. He’ll be a dad, a bloody dad! Six and a half months on and he’s still struggling to believe it.
Trying to breathe away the flash of terror, he smiles. ‘Little Nutshell playing up?’ he asks lightly.
‘Just an angry kick,’ she replies. The usual beam replaces the frown. ‘Yeah, I know. Poor Nick and Lisa. But I guess this is what you get in mid-January. Rain and more grey rain! Aberystwyth or Manchester, same difference.’ She leans across to straighten the white rose in his buttonhole. ‘Should I change into my flats?’
‘Nah, I like the killer heels. We’ll walk slowly. Stay there and I’ll come round with the umbrella.’
As he opens the door, a sleek red car hurtles towards him through the deluge, then swerves at the last moment, pulling up next to his.
Will Taylor opens his window and grins. ‘Careful, Danny Boy, might get a few drops of rain on your head and spoil the lovely locks. Then you’ll be banned from the wedding photographs, leaving just handsome me.’
Dan laughs. ‘Good try, William, but no contest. I’m so the best man,’ he replies.
Inhaling the briny tang in the air, Dan links arms with Geri and they slowly negotiate the gritty puddles in the car park. They are overtaken by Will and Penny and another man in a suit, his face hidden by a black umbrella.
Dan steps into the dimly lit porch. The fusty smell strikes like a familiar soft slap. A blend of incense and aged parchment, taking him back. ‘Reminds me of when I was an altar boy. Every bloody time.’
Will shakes his umbrella and grins. ‘You were an altar boy? You’re joking, Dan. What about the opium of the masses? And the bloody rest. Think you owe me a few pints for all those pub rants I had to endure.’
Dan wonders why he mentioned it. ‘Strange but true. At primary school. Before we went to St Mark’s.’
‘Pretty boy with dark curls in a cassock? Yup, I can picture that.’ Will stretches his wide shoulders and wipes the drops of rain from his close-cropped brown hair. ‘It’s bloody freezing in here. Think we’re the first to arrive. Where the hell is Nick? His brother’s old Merc was right behind us when we left the hotel.’
Geri tucks a soft afro curl behind her ear and steps towards Penny. ‘Hi, Penny,’ she says, kissing her cheek. ‘You look nice; red is definitely your colour. Love the dress coat, bet it’s silk. I had intended to take off this ugly old thing, but …’
Penny blinks and shakes her head almost imperceptibly. ‘Maybe it’ll be warmer inside.’ Then after a moment, ‘Great hat; it suits you.’
Geri rubs her stomach. ‘Thanks, thought it would distract from, well, this,’ she replies with a happy grin.
Penny nods but falls silent. ‘Oh, do you know …?’ she starts eventually, turning to the tall man reading desiccated messages on a cork noticeboard.
‘Sorry!’ Will says. He unbuttons his jacket, which looks a little too tight. ‘I forgot you two hadn’t met. This is Sebastian, my little bro. Seb, this is Geri, Dan’s much better half.’ He looks at Dan. ‘You remember Seb, don’t you?’
‘Yeah, of course.’ Gazing for a moment, Dan takes in Seb’s sharp cheekbones and shock of brown hair. Bloody hell, time flies. The fair-haired slender youth’s now a broad handsome man. He shakes his hand. ‘Long time, though. The swimmer!’
‘Yup, that’s me. Shall we go in?’
Though the church is dank and cold, a surge of heat sweeps Dan’s chest. The empty silence is broken by the echo of their heels and muffled barking from outside. Will strides noisily ahead, lowering his body by the knee at the altar and making the sign of the cross with a flourish. He looks back with a grin. Seb follows with Dan bringing up the rear, shaking his head, but smiling.
Thrown back to the pretty boy with dark curls in a cassock, Dan listens absently to the two brothers banter for a while. When his racing heart finally steadies, he joins Geri and Penny.
Penny is taking off her thin coat and folding it carefully