I wondered if I had heard a door closing and that was what woke me. But now there is definitely a presence in the house. I am sure I can hear breathing. Rosalie had left just after I put Caitlin to sleep, so that leaves only one possible explanation.
Suddenly, the entire room is illuminated and I leap off the sofa. Chuck is standing in the doorway. He looks tired and a bit fuzzy around the edges, the epitome of someone who stopped off after the office for a few beverages.
We take each other in for a few moments. Suddenly I feel embarrassed being here at Caitlin’s, soon to be Chuck’s home.
‘Sasha, I didn’t know you were here. Is Cait here?’
‘In the small kitchen. She’s had a skinful. We found “the dress”.’ I put my fingers into quotation marks.
‘Oh.’ Chuck nods. ‘And as tradition goes, is that usually followed by a piss-up?’
I sniff out a laugh. ‘Not traditionally, but I think Caitlin is rewriting the wedding rule book.’
‘Right, well, then I’d better check on her.’
I have already started moving towards the hallway and I stop as Chuck and I block one another’s way. An awkward moment ensues, and I realise I haven’t quite woken up yet. I touch my hair, a quick bedhead check. Chuck puts his hand out to let me go first. He follows me through to the kitchen where Caitlin is still in the same position as she was when I left her.
‘What does one do in this sort of situation?’ Chuck looks at Caitlin and rubs his head.
‘Have you never had to deal with her drunk?’ I say, bewildered.
Chuck shakes his head. ‘Not this kind of drunk – she usually makes it to her bed.’
‘Well, I don’t think she’s going anywhere, not unless you fancy giving her a fireman’s lift?’
Chuck snorts.
‘Look, I guess she’ll be okay,’ I say. ‘I’ll fetch her a blanket and then maybe you should sleep on the sofa so you can hear her if she wakes in the night. I’d leave the hall light on as well – she might wake up disoriented.’
‘You’re not leaving me, are you?’ Chuck moves away from Caitlin and steps closer to me. His voice drops to a whisper. ‘Surely I can tempt you with a cold glass of something?’
I feel my stomach churn, having not eaten anything substantial for dinner.
‘I can’t stay. Oscar must be going out of his mind,’ I say, although I haven’t checked my phone for over an hour, but he hadn’t texted before then either. He is still playing it a little cool.
‘Oh right, okay.’ Chuck looks forlorn and shoves his hands in his trouser pockets whilst scuffing his shoes on the floor. ‘Shall I order you a car?’
‘No, my car is just out there. I used the allocated space outside the house.’ I don’t know why I am speaking so formally, tiredness truly has got the better of me.
‘Marvellous. Okay, go careful then, old girl. Maybe text me when you’re home.’ Chuck walks me to the front door.
‘I’ll give you three rings.’ I smirk.
‘Eh?’ Chuck says, and I laugh.
‘It’s a thing we did when I was kid, ring the landline when we got in so the other person knew we got home safe.’ Chuck looked at me blankly. ‘Doesn’t matter – we’re from different worlds, Chuck.’
‘Okay, Sasha.’ He leans in and kisses me lightly on the cheek. I feel the light bristles from his day-old stubble and inhale that scent from his skin and hair: clean and soapy mixed with a hint of alcohol. As I get into my car and wave once more from behind the wheel, I can still smell him on my skin, and I am once again reminded of the time we spent together at Saxby.
18 Saxby House, Dorset, April 1989
We had summoned quite the crowd within a matter of minutes as we sat in the kitchen whilst Judith hurried about making us sweet tea. Maxwell had been summoned from his office, and Chuck came running from the pool where he had been sat on a lounger, reading. Dad was already with us, as we had passed him on the way and he followed us inside.
‘Tell us exactly what happened.’ Maxwell paced the kitchen and spoke with a serious tone.
‘There are travellers, Papa, hundreds of them, and they’re in Brian’s field, and we heard them because they were so loud, playing their silly guitars and cremating some food on an open fire. I crouched down to see and then before we knew what was happening, there before us was a, a… a vagabond, with his trousers down, trying to show us his manhood!’ Caitlin finished the sentence by throwing her arm into the air dramatically.
Judith brought the sweet tea over and I could detect a smirk behind her carefully crafted expression. ‘This will put you right, Caitlin.’ She placed two cups of tea on the table between us.
‘Absolutely shocking. Phil, we must rally the troops immediately,’ Maxwell said to Dad. ‘We must give those travellers a stern talking-to. I know Brian is rather lackadaisical when it comes to letting folk onto his land, and I’m not here to tell him what he can and cannot do, but this is outrageous, scaring two innocent little girls. And exposing themselves to them! I’m afraid I can’t and shan’t let this pass.’
I looked at Caitlin and saw she was beaming red, a huge smile plastered across her face.
I cleared my throat, and I found that the words just came flowing out.
‘He was using the toilet,’ I began.
