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“So, I was just a prawn?”
“Pawn, Mare. It’s a chess piece, not a crustacean.”
Alison tried to convey Will’s meaning without making allowances for his behaviour. She wasn’t sure he deserved it.
“So, he’s gay?”
“He never actually said that. But, yeah.” Alison shrugged. “I guess so.”
“And he feels he has to hide his true self?”
“Yeah. Why, I’m less clear on.”
“Oh, the poor thing,” was all Mary-Anne said. It was enough for now. She understood that there was nothing she could have done, that it hadn’t been about her at all. She cried again but it was quieter this time.
When Mary-Anne had calmed down Alison dropped her next bombshell.
“When Mum and John come home, I’m moving out.” She wouldn’t run away like Gina but she would make a life for herself.
Mary-Anne perked up. “Are you and Ed moving in together?” She almost bounced, her tear stained face bright. “That’s wonderful! Oh my god I—”
“Stop. Mary-Anne, just stop.” She placed a hand over her sister’s, steadying her. “Edward is not my boyfriend, we aren’t carrying on. Please stop telling Marg stories. I don’t understand, where is this coming from?”
“He likes you Ali, he always has,” Mary-Anne insisted. “And we thought now that George was out of the picture and you should be moving out of your mourning period...”
“We, who?” A terrible thought struck Alison. “You haven't discussed this with Edward, have you?”
“I might have hinted—”
“God! I am mortified. He thinks I’m interested in him?” Alison closed her eyes. “Oh God,” she said again, “this is not happening.”
“He’s interested in—”
Alison opened her eyes and looked her sister straight in the face. “He is not interested in me Mare. He has a girlfriend, ok?”
“He never said—”
“No, he didn’t.” Alison paused. “I don’t know why, but he didn’t. Maybe because you’ve been so busy convincing him I’m in love with him that he feels he can’t say anything for fear of hurting me. Great!” She threw up her hands. “Now I’m pathetic.”
“I just thought—”
“No, you didn’t think. And that’s the problem.”
“He really has a girlfriend?” Mary-Anne asked in a small voice.
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you?”
“No.” She struggled but maintained her balance.
“Then how?”
“I met her. She told me.”
“Oh.”
“Yes.” Alison paused, then continued with some effort. “It was—it was difficult to hear. She told me with triumph so Edward must have told her whatever you told him. It felt like bloody high school. She would’ve fit right in with the bitch brigade. Sweet as pie to all the teachers but awful to everyone else, scheming, nasty.” She realised she was ranting and stopped. “That’s not entirely fair. I’m sorry, I got a bit carried away.”
“I can’t imagine Ed dating someone like that.”
“Neither can I.” Alison shrugged. “She acts really nice but that’s what it seems like—an act. But what could she gain from being nice to me?”
“And you’re really leaving? Not to be with Ed, you’re just leaving?”
“Yeah. I am.”
Mary-Anne started crying again.