Page 15 of You Belong With Me

‘I do worry the latest escapade is going to make it worse,’ Elliot’s mum said quietly. ‘The Void. I confess I’m not very interested in thejumping off buildings in a tornadosort of films. Do you enjoy them, Edie?’

‘Don’t put her on the spot, Deborah!’ Bob said.

‘It isn’t any spot – Edie’s allowed her preferences, whatever our son has been up to.’

‘I think I’m Team Deborah on the building-jumping, though I did enjoy theBournes,’ Edie said.

‘Oh yes, was that the young man who couldn’t remember who he was?’ Bob said. ‘Some hair-raising driving in Paris in a hatchback? Very well made, I thought.’

‘That’s him.’

Edie knew Elliot’s parents were bringing her into their confidence with this candour on purpose. It was signalling she was inner circle, and she appreciated it.

His parents were a vision of elegant sixty-something, middle-class solidity. They were so at ease with themselves and each other: Bob, white-haired, benign yet carrying authority; Deborah, serene and articulate with a sly sense of humour. She had a silver bob that ended in sloping points above a swan neck, and she was wearing a coat like a belted dressing gown, made of berry-coloured cashmere.

As they manoeuvred Elliot into the far corner of a table where he couldn’t easily be identified or easily photographed, Edie thought on the irrevocability of fame, of all the unintended consequences.

She’d wondered if tonight might be strained, if the timing had been thrown off by David in Cardiff’s fictions.

In fact, the exact opposite was the case; adversity made it shine brighter.

They didn’t discuss Elliot’s haloed career; instead, it was the urine that kept mysteriously appearing in a herb planter by the Owen front door.

‘Fraz insisted the wee was from’ – Elliot snapped a breadstick – “Either a passing tinker, a gentleman of the road” – I mean, it’s not an area known for vagrancy – “kids in high spirits” – or, my favourite hypothesis – “a fox”.’ Why would a fox be having a slash in that? I mean, it’s a wild animal? What’s it neatly urinating in a piece of whimsical pottery for?!’

Edie started laughing.

‘Then Fraz gets really creative and comes up with the theory that it’s someone who knows it’s my family home,’ Elliot said. ‘Cheeky little git. Anyway, long story short, Mum and Dad got Ring Video. Can you guess who the mystery planter filler has been identified as? In a M. Night Shyamalan-sized twist?’

Elliot’s father shook his head in headmasterly disapproval, making it even funnier to Edie.

‘Was it … Fraser?’ she gasped out.

Elliot clapped. ‘Now, Edie got there straight away. So why these two bought into the idea it was a targeted harassment campaign, I have NO IDEA … I know not all my work has been McKellen’sLearat Stratford standard, but suggesting I’d attract doorway pissers is a bit much.’

They all corpsed at this, Elliot rolled his eyes, and Edie felt such ease with them.

His parents politely asked after her family and her work, and she told them about her promotion running an office.

‘You didn’t mention that?’ Elliot said, looking mildly perplexed amid the chorus of congratulations.

‘I’ve not had a chance – it was only yesterday I got the call,’ she said.

‘Well done,’ Elliot said, a little blankly.

Edie knew what he was thinking: it wouldn’t suit skipping off for three weeks on the West Coast anytime soon. She was hardly going to look that gift horse in the mouth and sayerrrmmm, I’ve got a boyfriend?like a Valley Girl.

She would’ve classed it a perfect evening until she went tothe ladies and a young woman in a denim dress, hair up in a banana clip, loitered and pounced when she left the cubicle.

‘Excuse me, is that Elliot Owen you’re with?’

‘Er. Yeah?’ Edie didn’t know what else to say.

‘Could you ask your brother if I can have a picture with him?’

‘He’s having a quiet night tonight, but he might do one before he leaves – I’ll ask.’

Why did you assume I was his sister? WHY?circled round Edie’s head like breaking news ticker tape as she washed her hands.

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