Page 32 of Things We Never Said
‘Yes. Yes, I think I do.’
‘So are we on?’ April asks. ‘For the weekend.’
‘Sure,’ Sean says. ‘I’ll see you then. When are you coming?’
‘Friday night. To avoid all the hassle.’
Once the call is over, Sean lays his phone on the table and pushes it around with one finger like a toy car as he runs the conversation and the contents of Catherine’s tape through his mind. Because, yes, he can see, in a way, how that day changed Catherine. She had been a poorly educated girl from a council estate when he met her. She was bright as a button, that’s for sure, but she had never asserted herself in any of the discussions that happened at college until that day. But after the demonstration she had known what she thought, at least about that one subject. And she hadn’t been afraid to take on anyone who disagreed with her.
‘You’ve changed your mind?’ April asks, the second she picks up the phone.
‘No. Well ... sort of,’ Sean stammers. ‘Look, how would it be if I came down instead?’
‘But I told you. Central London’s going to be—’
‘How would it be if I came down and we went to the demo together?’
‘Really?’ April asks. ‘Why?’
‘To express our disagreement, maybe?’ Sean offers.
‘There was a vote, Dad. We expressed our disagreement then. And we got outvoted.’
‘Maybe that’s not enough,’ Sean says.
‘You’re freaking me out a bit, now.’
‘Have you ever been to a demonstration?’
‘I don’t see what that’s got to do with anything.’
‘No,’ Sean says. ‘But have you?’
‘Well, no. Have you?’
‘Yes,’ Sean tells her. ‘Lots.’
‘Really? For what? I mean, which demos? In aid of what?’
‘Lots of things. With your mother. I’ll tell you tomorrow. And on Saturday – it’s on Saturday, right?’
‘Yes. But—’
‘On Saturday, we can go. Together.’
‘Hold on, Dad. Ronan’s just got in.’
April’s voice becomes muffled, but despite the fact that Sean can’t quite make out her words, he can tell, from the tone, that she’s explaining his proposed change of plans to Ronan and not sounding happy about it.
‘Is this to do with Mum?’ she asks, when she returns. ‘Is it some sort of post-Mum midlife crisis?’
‘No,’ Sean says. ‘Look, if you’re really against it, then forget it.’
‘I don’t mind,’ April says. ‘Not really. And Ronan actually thinks it’ll be fun.’
‘It will.’
‘But it just sounds strange. It doesn’t sound like you.’
