Page 23 of Gone in the Night
She stared at him, furious that he’d turned up now when she’d been in such a great mood. She wasn’t in the right frame of mind to argue with him; he’d shown his true colours when she’d told him about the baby.
‘What do you want, Jack?’
‘Blimey, Amy. No need to sound so happy to see me.’
‘I’m not happy, why are you here, tainting my doorstep with all your bad vibes?’
Jack looked at her. ‘Your doorstep, I thought this was Cain’s house.’
‘It is, but I’m renting it from him so technically it’s mine, and you’re making the place look untidy.’
‘Can I come in?’
She didn’t even need to think about it. ‘No.’
His mouth dropped open; and she realised he hadn’t been expecting such a blunt reply.
‘I guess I deserve all of this hostility.’
She nodded.
‘How are you? How’s the baby?’
‘We were doing just fine until I saw you. I want you to leave. I have nothing to say to you. I gave you a chance and you blew it, so don’t bother to come around here asking if we’re okay becauseyou and I both know that you don’t give a crap about either of us. All you’ve ever cared about is yourself.’
‘Ouch.’
‘Does the truth hurt? Actually, don’t answer because I really, honestly do not care one little bit.’
‘I’m in a bit of a mess.’
She paused, he looked a mess, and he also looked sadder than she’d ever seen him since she met him.
‘Can I talk to you? I really need to talk to someone.’
Amy sighed, she wanted to tell him to fuck off out of her life, but she hadn’t ever seen him looking so dishevelled and down. The last thing she needed on her conscience was for him to go off and do something stupid because she wouldn’t talk to him.
‘Five minutes. You raise your voice at me and I’m calling the cops. I mean it, I’m not in the mood for your bullshit, Jack.’
He nodded. ‘Thanks, Amy, I appreciate it, best behaviour. I promise that I’m not here to give you any grief or cause any trouble for you.’
She opened the door, and he followed her inside, but she didn’t lock it. She took her phone out of her pocket and placed it on the breakfast bar in the kitchen in front of her, where she made sure it was charged enough that she could phone 999 if he kicked off. He was a copper; he was supposed to stick to the code of conduct in and out of work, but up to now he’d had a hard time controlling his emotions when it came to the subject of her and their baby. She pointed to a stool. ‘Sit down.’
He did as she told him.
‘Do you want a drink?’
‘I’d love a coffee if you have any.’
She made him a coffee, a lemon and ginger tea for herself, thinking about how she was going to have the world’s largest latte after she’d given birth because she missed it so much. After she managed to get herself and her extra-large bump onto a stooland they were sitting facing each other, she asked him, ‘So what kind of mess are you in, and why do you think I care about that?’
He flinched at her harsh words, but she didn’t care. He hadn’t cared about the way he’d spoken to her, telling her to get an abortion when she’d told him she was having a baby, their baby.
‘You look great, being pregnant really suits you.’
‘Does it? Not sure why you’d care, Jack.’
‘I’m sorry I was such a dick to you, Amy. I get why you’re mad at me, I do, and I deserve it. I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did, it was cruel and I messed up big time.’
