Page 77 of Things We Never Said
‘So you don’t mind?’
April exhales deeply again. ‘Look, I’m going to be honest, Dad, if that’s OK? I didn’tthinkI would mind. But now it’s happened ...’ She pauses for a moment, then continues, in a far more up-tempo voice, ‘You know what, Dad? Don’t listen to me. I’m talking bollocks, here. Absolute bollocks. Of course you should move. If you want to move, you absolutely should. The house will still be there. I can go and stand and look at it any time I want to. But, ultimately, it’s just a house, isn’t it?’
‘Hmm, you don’t sound very convincing. Or convinced.’
‘No, really. I’m certain. You won’t be leaving Cambridge though, will you? You’re not going to move to London and live in a squat and be a DJ or anything scary like that?’
‘Well, maybe,’ Sean jokes. ‘I was thinking about a sect, actually. Scientology seems quite groovy.’
‘That’s a fabulous idea,’ April says. ‘You can introduce me to Tom Cruise.’
‘But, no. Just a flat, I thought. Something on the riverfront, maybe. One of the places in a building I designed is up for sale, so I may go and look at that for starters.’
‘Cantabrigian Heights or whatever?’ April says.
‘Rise,’ Sean says. ‘Cantabrigian Rise. Yes, that’s the one.’
‘Gosh, I remember you taking me to the building site when I was little. You’ve always had a thing for that place.’
‘I know. I still think it’s one of the nicest things I’ve ever done. That’s all it is, really.’
‘You should go for it, Dad,’ April says. ‘Really. Mum would totally approve, too. She once said it was a shame you didn’t have the wherewithal to live in your own buildings. Maybe I’ll come down and we can go see it together?’
‘That’d be nice. But, anyway, if you’re sure you’re OK about it?’
‘I really am.’
‘Then I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you pregnant lassies do on Sunday nights.’
‘We’re just binge-watching something on Netflix.The Bridge. It’s Swedish. Or Danish. A bit of both, actually. Have you seen it?’
‘No.’
‘It’s brilliant. We’re both addicted. Go watch it now. Oh, before you go, Dad?’
‘Yes?’
‘Have you heard anything from Auntie Maggie?’
‘Mags?’ Sean says. ‘No, I can’t say that I have. Why d’you ask?’
‘She’s gone quiet, that’s all. On Facebook. I mean, she never posts much, but she still likes stuff, especially baby stuff. And anything with animals. But for the past month or so there’s been no reaction to anything. Zilch. Nada.’
‘You could phone her, maybe?’ Sean offers.
‘Yeah,’ April says doubtfully. ‘Yeah, I suppose I could. It’s just we don’t tend to do that these days. It’s not, like, our usual mode of communication. But you’re right. I’ll give her a ring.’
The call ended, Sean struggles to remember his last interaction with Maggie. It’s as if his internal filing system has been shaken up by the trauma of Catherine’s revelations. But eventually it comes back to him: his call asking Maggie if Catherine might have had an affair, and Maggie’s text informing him that such a thing was an impossibility. If only she knew the truth.
Wondering if he might have upset her by not answering her call, by not replying to her text either, he reaches for the phone. Maggie answers immediately.
‘Hello Mags!’ Sean says, trying to sound chipper, and, he suspects, probably overdoing it a little.
‘Hi Sean,’ Maggie replies without enthusiasm. After a pause, during which Sean waits for her to become her usual voluble self, she adds, ‘Yes?’
‘I just ... I was wondering how you are, really,’ Sean says.
‘Oh, that’s nice,’ Maggie says. ‘I’m OK, really. Considering.’
