Page 33 of Mad About You

‘What did you say?’

Before he could attempt another brawl, Harriet pulled the front door near shut.

‘Go home and sober up.’ She hesitated. ‘Have you got your phone?’

Jon absently patted his trouser pocket.

‘Yeah.’

‘Right, walk this off for a while, then call an Uber.’

‘Harriet.’

‘What?’

‘I love you.’

‘Fucking hell.’

Jon made a fingers-to-head salute that turned into the V-sign as his gaze went over Harriet’s shoulder towards Cal, then he turned and staggered off, on legs that appeared to be part mechanical.

When Harriet re-entered the house, Cal was in the kitchen, dabbing at his wound with a screw of paper towelling. He’d been clean shaven since their first meeting; Sam’s comments must’ve hit home.

‘Fuck I am so,sosorry. How are you?’ she said.

‘I’ve been better,’ he said, briskly, making it clear her sympathy wasn’t particularly welcome.

Harriet grimaced.Jon, you absolutely mad arsehole.She pushed painful thoughts away:how could she have got him so wrong? How could she have got it so wrong, again? What was wrong with her?She knew from experience there would be plenty of time for that. The self-disgust.

‘It would’ve been helpful if you’d explained your circumstances rather than to leave me to answer the door to him.He was hammering away like he was being chased by a bear and if I knew there was a looming threat in your life like that, I’d have known to keep it shut.’

‘Honestly, this is as much a shock to me as it is to you,’ Harriet said.

‘No offence, but I doubt that. “Break-up” didn’t quite cover it, did it?’ Cal said. ‘Bad break-up might’ve at least hinted at it.’

‘It wasn’t a bad break-up, that’s what’s so impossible to add up,’ Harriet said.

‘Could’ve fooled me.’

It took Harriet some seconds to realise she was visibly and uncontrollably shaking, with Cal realising this at the same time.

He narrowed his eyes at her, assessing. Then, appearing to almost resent the necessity of asking, said, ‘Are you alright?’

Harriet nodded and gripped her elbows with her hands. It was a surge of fight or flight, that was all, from experience she knew she just had to ride it out. With her teeth chattering.

She saw a look cross Cal’s face and could almost read the thoughts like a news break caption scroll. Oh my God you verbally attacked HER over HIS behaviour! YOU are the ogre!

‘Shit, Harriet. I blurted that without thinking. Obviously this isn’t your fault. At all.’

Harriet nodded, feeling the shaking abate slightly. Jon had triggered a panic response in her, stirred up feelings she’d not experienced for a long time.

Cal put his paper towel down and gripped her shoulder.

‘It’s OK. He’s gone now.’

After a moment’s hesitation he hugged her, and Harriet submitted to it, thinking how surreal her life had become. Cal was very warm, probably sweating with the shock. She appreciated the gesture but somehow, being clasped in guilt by the man who didn’t want her in his house wasn’t much reassurance. Neither she nor Cal wanted consolation from the other.

‘Don’t be scared. We’ll get him sent to Horny Jail.’

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