Sitting down made her back hurt, but standing made her ankles sore. If motherhood was supposed to be so natural, why did it hurt so much? She leaned her hip against the kitchen worktop. She felt like an observer at a summit, Iona and Heather either side of the kitchen table like some Cold War standoff. Lennox and Ewan skulked at the edge of the room. She threw Lennox a glance which he caught and returned so deadpan that she almost laughed.
‘He’s in jail because of you,’ Iona said, hands agitated on the tabletop.
Heather had her fingers splayed, trying to prevent an approaching tidal wave. ‘He’s not in jail, they just took him in for questioning.’
‘About a break-in you got him involved in.’
Ewan swallowed and took a seat between the two women. ‘We didn’t make him do anything, he volunteered.’
Iona turned to him, cheeks flushed. ‘I knew you were trouble. We never should’ve helped. You’re wanted by the police, for fuck’s sake.’
‘Iona,’ Heather said.
She swung back to face Heather. ‘My heart sank when you called him, you know that? We’d both seen the news but I could tell from the look on his face. He’s a good man and you used that.’
Heather shook her head. ‘We didn’t have anyone else to turn to.’
Iona slammed the table and Ava jumped, banging her hip against the worktop.
‘What the hell is this about, anyway?’ Iona said, shaking. ‘I mean, look at you all.’
She waved around the room. She was right, they were ridiculous, the weirdest four musketeers you could imagine.
‘Paul didn’t ask why you were running or why they’re after you because he’s too nice. I’m not. I want to know what this is about right now.’
Ava caught Lennox’s eye. How to explain? She remembered sitting in the bath two hours ago with Sandy talking to her unborn baby. They couldn’t tell Iona the truth, she would throw them out. She might anyway.
Ewan lifted his head. ‘It’s complicated.’
Iona gritted her teeth. ‘You’re the journalist, tell me this story, nice and simple.’
Heather reached towards Iona, who recoiled from her.
‘I’m so sorry for getting you involved,’ Heather said.
‘Not good enough.’ Iona seemed to lose her nerve and anger. ‘What if they arrest him? We don’t have a lawyer, I have no idea what I’ll do if…’
She lowered her head, keeping in tears. Ava wanted to hug her but she would probably get a fist in the face.
Heather shook her head. ‘He won’t get arrested, he’s done nothing wrong.’
‘Since when did that matter?’
Heather’s face was calm. ‘He’ll be home soon and we’ll be gone, out of your life forever. I promise.’
Iona looked up. ‘Promise?’
Heather was about to speak when a phone rang. The handset was mounted on the wall at the kitchen doorway. All five of them stared at it. Each ring made Ava tense up.
Iona scraped her chair back against the stone floor. ‘Maybe that’s him from the station.’ She went to the doorway and picked up the phone. ‘Hello?’
They all watched. The interruption gave the room a deflated feel.
Iona listened on the phone and looked round the room. Her eyes widened at Ava.
‘Just a minute.’ She covered the mouthpiece and held the handset out to Ava. ‘It’s for you.’
Ewan stood up. ‘Who is it?’
‘He wouldn’t say.’
‘No one knows we’re here.’
The volume seemed to turn down in the room as Ava blinked heavily and felt a tremor up her legs. It could only be one person. Of course he would find her, what was she thinking?
‘It’s Michael,’ she said.
Ewan shook his head.
‘Hang up,’ Heather said.
Ava bumped her hips off the worktop. ‘No. I’ll speak to him.’
Heather put a hand out. ‘That’s not a good idea.’
Ava waved it away. ‘I might learn something.’
She crossed the room and reached for the phone. Iona hesitated then handed it over. Ava walked to the other room, stretching the coiled cord. She couldn’t stand an audience for this. She looked at the rolling hills out of the window and composed herself. Clouds high in the sky. She put the phone to her ear, listened to the crackle. She could hear him breathing, recognised it somehow.
‘Michael.’ She imagined him tensing, trying to disguise his fury.
‘Ava.’ Calm, in charge. Michael knows best. ‘Are you OK?’
She bridled at that, asking after her as if he cared. ‘I’m fine.’
‘And the baby?’
‘What do you want?’
‘Honey, please, I’m just worried about you. You’re off with a bunch of strangers, in your condition, just out of hospital.’
‘Tell me what you want.’
‘I want us to be a family again,’ he said softly. ‘I want things back the way they were.’
Ava swallowed. ‘You bullied and abused me for years. You controlled everything I did, made me a slave. You want that back?’
Silence, then he came back sounding hurt. ‘I’m sorry if that’s what you think, Ava, really. I just want what’s best for us. I miss you so much.’
His voice cracked and she was amazed to hear him sobbing down the line. The brass neck of it. Shedding tears over not being able to rape his wife-slave.
‘Shut up,’ Ava said. ‘You don’t get to cry about me. You never gave a shit about me or the baby, this is all about control.’
She felt sick. Heartburn leapt up her throat and she swallowed it down.
‘Please, Ava, come back.’
Ava stared out of the window. ‘Go fuck yourself, Michael.’
‘No.’ His voice switched in an instant. ‘You don’t speak to me like that. I’m your husband.’
‘You’re nothing to me anymore.’
‘You’re my wife, Ava, and you’re carrying my baby. I’m coming for you both. Either you come home or I keep the baby myself. You think they’ll let you keep it after this? Losing your mind and running off with a teenage boy? You’ll never see it again unless you stay with me. I’ll have you committed, you know I can. You’ll be in a mental hospital the rest of your life.’
‘You’re delusional,’ Ava said, but the mention of the baby had got to her, just like he meant it to. ‘You’re never going to see me again.’
She walked back to the doorway. ‘Fuck you, Michael.’
She slammed the handset down. Her body shook with adrenaline and only then did she realise she’d never asked how he got this number.