Page 40 of A Merry Little Christmas
‘Did he, now?’ I frowned, feeling angry on Will’s behalf. ‘Well, that’s just typical bullying behaviour.’
‘He said he’d get me after school.’
‘Thenasty little–’ I broke off, not wanting to curse in front of him. If she didn’t already, Penny definitely needed to know about this. I’d tell her as soon as she came back from her night out.
‘Would I be standing up to Lewis if I auditioned for Ryan’s part?’
I looked at Will in surprise. ‘Yes, you most definitely would be. You’d be showing him you’re not afraid of him.’
‘But what if I’m bad?’
‘At singing? You wouldn’t be.’
‘I get nervous singing when there are people listening. Even Mum.’
‘That’s just stage fright. A lot of people have that, you know.’
He frowned. ‘Lewis Hatcher doesn’t.’
‘Yes, but he’s weird.’
We caught each other’s eye and Will’s mouth curved into a smile.
*****
Penny couldn’t possibly know about the extent of the bullying... the threat from Lewis that he’d ‘get’ Will after school if he dared to audition. Otherwise, she’d have been up to the school already to sort it out, and I’d know about it.
I was watching TV on the sofa, listening to the bath taps running upstairs and not paying much attention to the nature programme that was on.
Will was such a lovely boy. How did he cope with having to go to school every day, not knowing what horrible stuff was in store for him, courtesy of that horrible bully and his boot-licking mates? Right at that moment, I felt so aggrieved for Will, I wanted to take the nasty little scumbag by one of his ears and haul him in front of the head teacher myself so he’d get the punishment he was due!
A little later, thinking it was probably time Will was in bed – it was after eight-thirty, the curfew Penny had given him – I got up to go and call through the bathroom door.
But just as I rose to my feet, the TV and the lights clicked off, and my world was plunged into darkness. Disorientated, I stood there in shock for a moment. It must be a power cut.
Cautiously, I made my way to the window and looked out, but lights were still glowing behind the neighbours’ curtains. Damn! It was just Penny’s house, which meant I’d have to find the fuse box somehow.
Will would know where it was.
I was gradually growing accustomed to the dark but I still had to feel my way around furniture obstacles to get to the hall. As I climbed the stairs, I called out, ‘Will? A switch must have tripped. Do you know where the fuse box is so I can sort it?’
A stair creaked and I paused to hear his reply.
Nothing. Maybe he hadn’t heard me.
Quickening my pace, I hurried up the remaining stairs and paused for a moment, listening at the bathroom door. ‘Will? Are you okay in there?’
Still there was no reply. Not even a splash of bath water.
‘Will? Is something wrong?’ I called, my heart beating faster with worry. In my panic, I tried the door, but of course it was locked. ‘Can you come out? Please, Will?’
As I stood there, imagining all kinds of horrible things, I suddenly heard the lurch of the bath water...
CHAPTER NINETEEN
My whole body seemed to slump with relief.
Will was getting out of the bath.
