Page 69 of Plot Twist

There. I’d said it. I couldn’t not say it.

She looked up, shocked.

‘I did not,’ she whispered, her eyes suddenly darker.

‘You did. You were pissed, but you told me.’

‘I was obviously exaggerating, Becca. I was being my usual drama queen self because I was pissed.’ She forced a laugh. ‘As if he hit me. I’d never let someone do that.’

‘It happens to women all the time, Rae. You wouldn’t be the first. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. There are people that will help you. I can help you. I don’t think you should be getting back with someone like that.’

She stopped dead in the middle of the path and looked over my shoulder, avoiding my stare.

‘Becca, I’m telling you right now, you’ve got the wrong end of the stick. If I said that, I was lying. Looking for sympathy. It’s absolutely not true. And I’d really like it if you didn’t bring that up again, actually. And I hope you’ve not told anyone that. Not Drew. No one. The last thing Mickey and I need is people trying to cause problems for us,’ she said.

Her hands were shaking. I pulled one of them into mine and then linked her arm again but she tensed and pulled away from me.

‘Of course I’ve not told anyone. I just want you to be careful. To be sure. You are so funny. And smart. And beautiful, obviously. You could have any guy you wanted.’

‘I want him, Becca,’ she replied. ‘Yeah, sometimes he can be a bit jealous or whatever, but it shows he cares about me, doesn’t it?’

‘I don’t know, Rae,’ I said, doubtfully. ‘I mean, if he’s possessive and aggressive, there’s a lot of big red flags waving around.’

‘You want to talk about red flags, Becca? What about you constantly stalking your boyfriend’s boss online? You’re crazy jealous! You’re worse than Mickey. If I found out he was doing that to me, I’d freak right out.’

She had a point. I fell silent, my cheeks burning. Maybe it was a pot-calling-the-kettle-black kind of situation.

‘OK,’ I said. ‘Point taken. Maybe he’s changed, anyway. Like you say he has. I just hope everything works out.’

She smiled with satisfaction at winning the argument. I was a crazy jealous stalker, too. Who the hell was I to argue with that? It was true.

I was sure it wouldn’t last between Rae and Mickey, anyway. They would have another blow-up and Rae would declare that they were over in no time. There was no point in pushing it with her, when their relationship was bound to come to a natural end point, anyway.

What was the point in ruining our friendship over something that would never last?

32

I checked my phone notifications and found I had a voicemail from Rae’s mum, asking me to call her, and a text from her. Rae had always been tenacious too. Like mother, like daughter.

Ellie and Bridget were in deep discussion in the living room, so I went outside, wrapping a cardigan around myself. It was time to call her back. I couldn’t keep ignoring her. I’d have to face the music eventually.

She answered after one ring.

‘Oh, Becca. It’s so lovely to hear your voice. Finally.’

‘You too, Linda. I’m sorry for not calling before now. I’m in Ireland. I’ve been busy.’

‘Oh, I know, love. Adam told us all about it. Living with the man you thought was a woman. How’s it going?’

‘It’s fine, thanks,’ I said, although of course it was far from fine, but that’s just what you say. ‘How are you?’

‘You know,’ she said. I could hear her voice crack. ‘Just wanted to check in on you. I felt so awful after the funeral and everything that happened with Drew. . . I just wanted you to know that Rae didn’t plan to be with him, Becca. They bumped into each other in Edinburgh when she moved. They didn’t even plan to meet up. It was a while before anything actually happened, too. . .’

‘It’s fine, Linda,’ I said.

I didn’t have the energy to talk about it right now.

She sighed. ‘Fair enough. I also wanted to let you know that we’re holding a memorial for her. For Rae. On her birthday. I hoped you’d be home for it.’