Page 66 of Mad About You

‘That makes me sound weird, Dad,’ Cal said, grimacing. ‘Harriet, he’s not heard a lot about you, he’s heard a few things about you. An appropriate amount about you.’

Harriet smiled.

How did Scott Dyer have her address?!

‘You’re a photographer, Cal says. A really talented one.’

Whether this was hyperbole or not, Harriet didn’t know, but accepted it with gratitude.

‘Thank you, that’s very kind. Only a wedding photographer. I don’t win awards. Well maybe wedding industry ones, occasionally.’ Her brain was flying autopilot, operating her mouth.

Game On.What did that mean?

‘Fabulous. If our daughter ever gets her act together you can do hers. Might be waiting longer on this one though, he can’t make up his mind even when the Motown band is tuning up and vol au vents are being heated through,’ he said, nodding towards his son.

Cal checked his watch and said: ‘A new record.’

Cal’s dad continued dazzling a smile at her and Harriet wondered if he’d mistaken her for a girlfriend in the ascendant, such was the torrent of attention and positivity. She felt a little shy, in fact.

What if he turned up here?

‘We’re taking boy wonder out for lunch, would you like to come?’

‘Dad …’ Cal said in the background. ‘Let Harriet enjoy her weekend …’

‘Only pub grub, our treat. Sandie and I would love for you to join us, wouldn’t we, Sandie?’

Cal’s mum, who seemed a woman of fewer words than her husband, said: ‘Yes! Do come, Harriet.’

‘Come on, what else do you have in for lunch?’ Cal’s dad said, looking towards the fridge, as if Harriet might throw it open to reveal a cartoon turkey, with paper frills on its legs.

‘Um, nothing but … I don’t want to intrude on your family occasion! Thank you, though,’ Harriet said.

She sensed the fact she was being given no choice, and although she was sure it was well intended, it felt slightly suffocating.That said, being home alone with the flowers didn’t appeal either.

‘You’re not intruding on anything!’

‘Dad,’ Cal hissed, and said ‘Sorry,’ to Harriet.

‘Really, you three should be able to talk family shop,’ she said, and Andrew made dissenting sounds.

‘No no – not at all. I’m bored of family shop, haha. It’s agreed then, our treat,’ he said, ‘I’ll drive if you give me directions then, Calvin.’

Harriet opened and closed her mouth in realisation she’d been completely railroaded. She sensed Cal sag in defeat at this turn of events, which she understood: it changed the nature of it, with her spectating. She felt culpable and yet powerless. Had she known this invitation was remotely likely she could’ve prepared a watertight excuse. She’d not thought renting a room from their son would give her status as anything other than a person of passing, minimal interest. Clearly Cal had got his sociable gene from somewhere.

‘Heard anything more from Kristina?’ asked Cal’s mum, after they got into the Clarkes’ huge off-roader.

Cal, in the front passenger seat, swung a sidelong look at Harriet on the back seat, and widened his eyes, which she presumed to convey:don’t mention the visit.

‘Nope, thank God. Mutual friends tell me she mainly puts up Instagram Stories of lifting kettle bells in Sweaty Bettyleggings and clinking espresso Martinis with Kanye’s ‘Stronger’ playing.’

‘I wish I understood a word of that,’ his mum chuckled, and Cal said, eyes back on the road: ‘Be glad you don’t, Mum.’

On the way into the city, Clarke family chat keeping the other occupants of the car occupied, Harriet messaged Lorna.

I’ve had a bouquet with a note saying GAME ON. That is 100% Scott’s sense of ‘humour’. I guess he’s seen the letter.How did he get my address, is what’s panicking me?

Ugh. I wasn’t going to say, but I sussed that he knew about the letter, because he’s blocked me

---