Page 96 of Lean On Me
His nostrils flared. ‘I think you needed to dig a bit deeper. That is rank.’
With horror, I realised what the smell was. ‘Actually, that’s not what it is.’
I leaned in a bit closer, screwing up my face in apology. Dylan veered back, covering his face with his hand.
‘I don’t mean to be rude, but what on earth?’
‘I know. I ended up in a swamp last night. A few of us did. Help me carry some of this stuff to the car and I’ll tell you about it.’
We loaded everything up and searched the clearing for any last trace of litter or chunks of chewed-up tent. Most people had left by the time Marilyn started strapping her now sleeping toddlers into the car, and I had a moment to say bye to Dylan.
‘Thanks for coming out here. I’m sure you’ve got places you’d rather be in the middle of a Saturday night.’ I checked my watch. ‘Sunday morning.’
He smiled. ‘Nope, can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be than here.’ A look of horror flashed across his face. ‘I don’t know why I said that. I just meant, you know, otherwise I’d be sat on the sofa by myself watching a rubbish film and eating crisps. I didn’t mean, um. Anything else.’
‘Right. Of course you didn’t! I never thought… I mean. Of course.’ I kicked at a clump of grass in front of me. ‘I’ll probably skip church tomorrow. But I’ll see you in the week for a lesson?’
Dylan looked over at the truck, then straight back at me. ‘Yeah. About that.’
Oh. I tried to brace myself.
‘Have you told Perry yet?’
‘Told him what?’ About the gate? Nothing happened! Why would I tell him that?
‘About the real reason you’re learning to drive.’
Ah. I folded my arms. ‘I haven’t found the right time yet. He’s been working away. And I’m not sure I need to tell him. I haven’t seen or heard anything about Kane in weeks. Gwynne was probably right. Kane’s been to all his meetings. It was paranoia.’
Dylan looked at me. I could just about see his furrowed brow through the darkness.
‘Look, I will tell him. But it’s my decision when. What? Are you going to stop giving me lessons until I do?’
Dylan ran his hand over his head. ‘I think it might be a good idea if you found someone else.’
I had known it was coming, but felt the slap of rejection all the same. ‘Why? I thought the lessons were going really well. I thought you were my friend.’
‘Faith.’ His voice hardened. ‘I’m a minister. I have a job to do. For people who rely on me. I need to get on with it.’
‘Oh.’I’m relying on you, you idiot!‘Well, I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time. Thanks for all the help. I’m probably better off with a professional anyway.’
‘Don’t be sorry.’ He glanced at me, then looked away again.
‘Well, I am sorry. I never meant to drag you away from your job. If I remember, you offered to help me. And it didn’t have to be so often. That was your idea, too. But it’s fine. I understand. You’re a busy, busy man.’ Urgh. I sounded like a stroppy teenager. I hated, hated, hated accepting help from people. I didn’t know how to handle it being withdrawn.
He sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. ‘Look. I want to help you. But Faith, I see you what, five times a week, with choir rehearsal and Sunday services? How often have you seen Perry in the past month? He should be teaching you how to drive, or at least paying for you to have driving lessons. He should be the one awake half the night worrying about the ex-convict who may or may not be hunting you down. I like being your friend, Faith.’ He stopped, swallowed, ran his hand through his hair again. ‘I love being your friend. But you’re getting married in three months. This is your hen do. I shouldn’t be the one here taking the equipment back.’
‘It was a choir weekend. I knew nothing about the hen do bit. And anyway, Perry’s in Germany.’
‘That’s not my point. You need to sort things out with him. He should be the one you go to when you need help, or a shoulder to lean on. You’re in a potentially really dangeroussituation and he deserves to know. If he did know, he probably wouldn’t be in Germany. You aren’t being fair to him. And when you confide in me about this stuff I have no right to get involved with, you aren’t being fair to me.’ He was nearly yelling now. I’d never seen Dylan like this before.
‘My relationship with Perry has nothing to do with you! With us being friends.’ I choked on my words, on the humiliation and the hurt. ‘Do you think because I’m getting married, I shouldn’t have any male friends? That’s hogwash.’
He looked down at the grass I had kicked again. ‘No. I think because you’re getting married, you shouldn’t be friends with me.’ He grimaced. ‘I’ll see you around, Faith.’
He strode round to the driver’s side of the truck, yanked open the door and screeched into the night. I walked over to where Marilyn waited in her car.
‘Everything okay?’
