The art of deception Read online

  ‘You needn’t bother. We don’t need timewasters on our staff.’

  ‘You what? But why?’

  ‘Goodbye, Mrs Greaves.’

  Later, when she’d pulled herself together, she gave AJ his medicine and wondered whether John had orchestrated the whole thing. If he had, she’d throttle him.

  <><><>

  John had gone to work early to avoid meeting AJ’s nanny. He wanted no part of all that. Once at work, in before everyone else, he dwelled on what he’d done. He supposed she’d shout at him when he got home, but she’d still have what she wanted, which left a bitter taste in his mouth. So when the phone rang later that morning, the last person he expected was Angie.

  ‘What the hell have you done? He was throwing up all over the place this morning. Did you have anything to do with that, by any chance?’

  John scratched his head. ‘What? You’ve got to be joking. Why would I want to make him ill? When I brought him up to bed last night he was fine, had his feed no problem. If you don’t believe me, that’s your problem, but I promise you it’s the truth.’

  ‘Whatever. Anyway, you’ll be pleased to know everything went wrong for me today. I couldn’t go to work because of him being ill. And I wasn’t at home when the nanny arrived. As a direct consequence, I’ve lost the job I wanted – and the nanny.’

  ‘Well, that’s got nothing to do with me. If things didn’t work out as you’d intended, I’m sorry. But I won’t be shedding any tears.’

  ‘You bastard!’ she shouted and switched off the phone.

  He might have expected this, given he’d left her to deal with a sick baby on her own, but at least she’d have calmed down when he came home.

  The rest of the day passed far too quickly as home time loomed. With so much bad feeling between them, he wondered if he could take any more. Only his love for his son kept him going.

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  As he said goodbye to his colleagues, he almost stopped off for a drink, but decided against it. He needed a clear head to deal with Angie’s tantrums.

  His heart beat faster as he opened the front door. The baby was crying, so no doubt he would have to go to him. He half expected to see Angie sitting there, allowing AJ to cry without lifting a finger. But no – there she was, rocking him in her arms.

  ‘How is he?’ he asked.

  ‘As you can see, still poorly. No thanks to you.’

  ‘Rubbish. As I’ve told you, I had nothing to do with Alan being ill. Why would I do something so callous? I’d never use him to stop you doing what you want. I’m not like that. I might not agree with it but if you’re that passionate, I’ve no objection – you carry on.’

  ‘I don’t believe you, with that smug look on your face. I’ll get another job, don’t you worry – and another nanny.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  ‘Better get your own dinner. With AJ sick, I haven’t had time. All right?’

  ‘Sure, no problem. I’ll soon rustle something up. Have you eaten?’

  ‘John, how do you imagine I’d make myself something with the baby ill.

  My God, do you think so little of me?’

  ‘Shall I take over? Then you can rest, since you’re been so busy.’

  She glared at him, got up and handed him AJ.

  ‘There you are. I’ve had more than enough for one day.’

  ‘Has he eaten? Had his medicine?’

  ‘Yes, to both questions. Don’t worry, I’ve taken good care of him, despite what you think. Perhaps I’ve not bonded with him like you but I’d never harm him.’

  ‘No one’s saying that, Angie, but …’

  Too late. She’d walked out.

  Later, while he fed AJ, she sat at the table, eating beans on toast and playing with her phone. His stomach growled. He’d been glued to the sofa under the baby for an hour and a half.

  ‘A cup of tea wouldn’t go amiss if you can spare me two minutes,’ he said.

  She got up from her seat to go to the kitchen. Wonders would never cease.

  He manoeuvred AJ gently onto the settee so he could have his nappy changed.

  When he turned around, Angie stood right in front of him, a pot of tea in her hand.

  He wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

  ‘Tea!’ she screamed and threw the red-hot liquid over him. Mercifully, it missed the baby.

  His arms took the brunt of it. He screamed in pain and tried to brush it off.

  But the damage was done.

  His flesh was red, burning like fire. He ran to the kitchen, holding his arms out, and thrust them under the cold tap. Tears came into his eyes, but after several pg. 130

  minutes the pain slowly eased. He dabbed his skin with a towel, wincing; he would have to keep his sleeves rolled up.

  He reached up for the first aid box, and found some bandages. He tied them around his arms with difficulty, still in severe pain.

  When he returned to the living room, she acted as if nothing was wrong.

  AJ lay in his pram, fast asleep. At least she’d managed to do something useful.

  ‘What the fuck did you do that for? That tea was scalding hot. My arms are red raw and swelling.’

  ‘To teach you a lesson. You ever meddle with my life again, you’ll get much worse than that.’

  ‘Not that again. I’ve told you, I’m not responsible for AJ being ill, and if you can’t see that, well, I feel sorry for you.’

  ‘I’ll get another job.’

  ‘All right, get one. You’ve got to stop hurting me. I’ll end up in hospital if you keep this up. And what the hell am I going to say if someone sees my arms?’

  ‘Keep them covered up. You shouldn’t keep doing these horrible things.

  You provoked me, John – it is any wonder I lashed out? It’s your own fault. I realise I have problems, but you’ve been so insensitive. I wish you could be in my shoes for one day. Then you might understand.’

  John shook his head. ‘And how can I look after the baby with my arms in this condition?’

  ‘Come on, it’s not that bad. You’re just laying it on to get back at me.’

  ‘You’re unbelievable.’

  ‘So are you. Trying to control me – well, I won’t be controlled. Be very careful, John. I’ll go – and if I do, I’ll take AJ with me.’

  He wouldn’t listen to this any longer. ‘I’d be grateful if you’d keep quiet now. You’ll wake the baby.’

  ‘It’ll be my pleasure.’

  <><><>

  They lay together but apart in bed, John fuming over what she’d done, trying to ignore his sore arms and Angie’s lack of sympathy. Then her hand touched his shoulder, another wrapped around his waist. She kissed him on the back of the head and moved him towards her. Despite the rows and bitterness, he got aroused by her unexpected tenderness. They made love as if was their first time and afterwards held each other tightly.

  ‘I love you,’ she whispered in his ear.

  ‘I love you too,’ he replied, revelling in this most tender moment.

  Afterwards, while she slept, he lay awake, wondering how long this reconciliation might last.

  pg. 131

  Chapter 27

  loud cry came from the cot. Angie sighed, looking for John; not there.

  Meaning she had to see to AJ herself.

  A She felt sick to her stomach but she picked him up, changed his nappy and carried him downstairs. John sat at the table, eating his breakfast. He had taken the bandages off his arms. They were red and ugly blisters covered them; she guessed he must be in pain. But she didn’t feel sorry for him after what he’d done to her.

  ‘Good sleep?’ he asked.

  ‘Not bad,’ she said. ‘But I imagine I’m in for a hectic day. AJ only woke up twice, not too bad considering he’s unwell. I’ll give him his medicine and hope he’ll take his feed too.’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘I wish you could be at home with me.’

  ‘So, do I, but you know that’s impossi
ble. We have bills to pay, and the mortgage … but hey, once we’ve paid that off, we’ll be laughing. Before you know it, we will be together.’

  ‘Oh, sure, maybe when we retire. That’s thirty years off yet.’

  ‘That’s life, Angie. But we can go on holidays, jet off to exotic places –

  and we have the weekends, too.’

  ‘It’s impossible with a baby.’

  ‘No it isn’t. Why don’t we ask my parents or your dad to babysit, if we fancy a night out?’

  ‘That doesn’t solve the problem, though, does it? The fact is, unless I get a job sometime soon, I’ll be on my own with him five days a week. It’ll drive me crazy. And it’s still almost six months before I go back to Elliott’s. That’s an eternity.’

  ‘It’ll pass quicker than you think. And anyway, isn’t it fascinating to watch him develop and grow? And you’ll be with him throughout that journey. You should be thrilled to have that opportunity.’

  ‘Maybe so, but I’m not, John. I’m trapped in this house with him – it’s my worst nightmare.’

  ‘How you can say that? He’s your son!’

  AJ started to cry.

  ‘Why don’t you get off to your accountancy world, that’s the best place for you since you care so little about me.’

  Anger flickered in his eyes but he kept quiet. Instead, he put his empty plate in the sink and disappeared to the hall, returning in his coat with his briefcase under his arm.

  ‘I’m off,’ he said.

  ‘What’s the matter with you now? Feeling sorry for yourself, are you? God, it’s me that’s got the worry with him over there.’

  pg. 132

  ‘If you say so. The trouble with you is that you think every little mishap is a major crisis. You need to put it all into perspective. AJ is a healthy, normal baby – and you ought to be grateful for that.’

  ‘You haven’t got a clue. You should take the trouble to find out before you keep slagging me off. Just piss off and leave me alone.’

  It was if last night’s sex had never happened.

  <><><>

  The pain in his arms remained, but he was too embarrassed to go to the doctor.

  He’d need to keep the sleeves of his shirt rolled down now the bandages were off; he should probably keep his jacket on, too, to be on the safe side. He hoped his colleagues wouldn’t find it odd, and that today wasn’t as warm as yesterday had been.

  He was in early, said good morning to David and Joe and sat down at his desk. After checking his emails, he glanced up, spotted Sarah, and smiled.

  ‘How’s it going?’ she asked.

  ‘AJ’s caught a bug and isn’t well. We had a bad night,’ he explained.

  ‘I thought you looked a bit run-down. Has he been to the doctor’s?’

  ‘Yes, Angie took him. They’ve given him some medicine. He’s improved a bit this morning, so we’ll see how he goes during the day.’

  ‘Glad to be at work, then?’

  ‘In a way. I’ll ring her at lunchtime. If I fall asleep give me a nudge, will you?’

  ‘Hey. Don’t sleep on the job.’

  He grinned. Sarah always had the knack of making him smile.

  Come twelve o’clock, he phoned Angie at home, but got no reply. Either she was out or not answering the phone. He tried her mobile too but had no joy.

  His heart fluttered.

  ‘Hey, John, coming the pub for a pint?’ Joe asked. ‘We’re going to the Pheasant.’

  ‘Yeah, I could do with a bite to eat. You carry on – I’ll be with you in two ticks.’

  This seemed like a good plan. He needed to take his mind off Angie and the baby and anyway, he hadn’t brought any lunch.

  He found them sitting at a table near the bar. David and Joe squeezed closer together and Sarah too, allowing him to sit at the end.

  ‘Got you a pint in,’ she said.

  ‘Oh, thanks, I’m parched. I’ll just order my dinner, won’t be a moment.’

  Upon his return, he sipped his drink and smiled at them. The heat was sweltering. Outside, the temperature was in the mid-twenties and the atmosphere unusually humid for mid-September.

  pg. 133

  As he ate his burger and chips, he felt worse. Sweat trickled down his cheeks. Everyone else was in shirtsleeves, and he sensed their eyes on him.

  ‘Hey, John,’ Sarah said. ‘You all right? You look hot – why don’t you take off your jacket?’

  ‘Yes, I will in a minute.’

  He blushed, unable to bear it any longer. As soon as he did, exposing a couple of inches of wrist, they gasped.

  Sarah looked concerned. ‘John, what the hell happened to your arms?

  They’re all red and blistery.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. Had an accident. Lifting a bowl of boiling water out of the sink. I slipped and it spilled all over me.’

  ‘My God, that must have been painful, mate,’ David said.

  ‘A little.’ He gave a rueful smile.

  ‘Have you seen a doctor?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘No, there’s no need. I soaked my arms in cold water and that helped. Can’t believe I was that stupid. Got so much going on these days, with the baby and everything.’

  ‘How’s Angie?’

  ‘Oh, up and down. Bringing up a kid isn’t easy, you know, even when he’s as good as AJ. I think she feels a bit isolated having him on her own … I think she’s got a touch of postnatal depression, to be honest.’

  ‘It does get better, mate,’ David butted in. ‘But you wait till you have another one – it’s ten times worse and twice the work.’

  ‘God, can’t even think about that yet.’

  ‘Hey, you put any cream on those burns?’ Joe asked.

  ‘Not yet. I might buy a tube later. I had bandages on them but they were so uncomfortable I had to take them off in the toilet.’

  After the interest had died down, John remained subdued and embarrassed.

  Had they believed his explanation? He’d told them a lie, but he was sticking to it.

  Sarah walked with him from the pub. ‘So, fatherhood has been a disappointment? That’s a real shame.’

  He shrugged. ‘Yeah. But AJ is great – it’s amazing how he’s constantly changing.’

  ‘You and Angie ought to go out more, get someone to babysit. I bet your folks and Angie’s would love to have him. Why not come out with me and Jack?

  You had a good night the last time we went out. Talking football all night, weren’t you?’

  ‘Something like that. Yeah, we enjoyed it; ironically, we were talking about babies, I seem to remember, weren’t we? And not long after that, Angie found out she was pregnant. I’ll speak to her, see what she has to say. I can’t promise, since she’s always shattered at the moment.’

  ‘Any problems, and I’ll talk to her for you.’

  ‘OK, thanks.’ He smiled.

  pg. 134

  <><><>

  Friday tomorrow at last, Angie thought. What a horrendous week. Although AJ

  soon got well, caring for him for five days was stressful. She went out, stayed in, visited her dad and John’s parents, but still her anxiety prevailed. How much more could she take?

  When John came home, he smiled but she didn’t return the favour.

  ‘How things?’ he asked.

  ‘The same as normal. Crap.’

  ‘Well, at least we’ve got the weekend to look forward to.’

  ‘We won’t be together as long as he’s here.’ The words were out before she could stop them.

  John looked dumbstruck.

  ‘What? Did I hear you right? Well, I’d say we won’t be a family without our son.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  He sat in the armchair, rubbed his eyes and sighed.

  Angie could see how shocked he looked, but it brought no reaction. Instead, anger festered over how little empathy he had for her. She saw red, but said nothing for now.

  She disappeared into the kitchen and checked on t
heir meal. It smelt delicious. Pity she wasn’t hungry.

  John held AJ in his arms when she returned.

  ‘Is he due a feed?’

  She nodded. ‘An hour ago, but I thought it best to let him sleep. So, if you want me to feed him, I’ll leave mine in the oven.’

  ‘OK. Got any feeds made up?’

  ‘No, haven’t had time.’

  He got up and headed for the kitchen. ‘Have you been giving him that special milk?’

  ‘Yes, and the sickness and runs have gone.’

  ‘Great.’

  This time, AJ took longer to finish his feed. John had eaten his dinner and pudding by the time Angie started on hers. She ate it in silence, then headed for the living room.

  When he returned from doing the washing-up, he sat down with a subdued expression on his face. Maybe she should tell him first.

  ‘I’ve come to a decision, John. You’re not going to like it.’

  ‘What’s that?’ he said, looking straight at her.

  ‘About AJ.’

  His eyes widened.

  pg. 135

  ‘I can’t deal with him anymore. There, I’ve said it, admitted it. I guess I’m not cut out to be a mother. I have no maternal instincts whatsoever and the more I try, the worse I am. Every bit of bringing him up is a chore and if something doesn’t change soon, I’ll hurt him. That’s why I want him put up for adoption.’

  pg. 136

  Chapter 28

  ohn never saw this coming, not in a million years. To give their beautiful son away on a whim? That would be unthinkable.

  J ‘What are you talking about? Adoption? Over my dead body.’

  ‘I’m not joking. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. It’s the only solution, under the circumstances. We have to do what’s best for him. He’ll never get the life he deserves here, not with me.’

  ‘You speak for yourself. I won’t give him up! He means everything to me –