to scare away the voice in my head. Bonus!
“Kate, you look wonderful. You’re positively blooming. What on earth have you been doing to yourself to glow so brightly? And could you please share your secret with me?”
I laughed, “Paula, it’s good to see you again. What brings you to Rowley?”
“An old friend’s sixtieth.” She looked at her watch. “Damn, I don’t have time now but I’d love to catch up for a coffee.”
I nodded and rummaged in my bag, “I’ll give you my number. Give me a call.”
Tucking the scribbled note in her pocket, Paula’s face fell. “I was sorry to hear about you and Frank.”
I stared at Paula, “what have you heard?”
“I’ve just come from Frank’s,” Paula explained, gesturing vaguely over her shoulder in the direction of the bakery. “He told us you two had broken up. Oh, Kate, I was sure you were a match made in heaven, you seemed so perfect together. He’s putting on a brave face but he’s pretty cut up about the whole thing.”
“He’ll survive!” I said savagely.
Paula gazed curiously at me, “of course he will. He’s survived tougher than this.”
I glanced around before my eyes found Paula’s once more, “you mean his … problem?”
“He told you about that, did he?” Paula replied glumly, “he doesn’t usually like to advertise it –”
“I wonder why?” I replied sarcastically.
“—but,” Paula pretended not to have heard my comment, “it’s nothing to be ashamed of –”
“Oh, of course!” my sarcasm had turned sour.
“—it’s a disease that can affect anyone. Anyone at all.”
“A disease … that’s right.”
Paula frowned and glared at me, “do you have a problem with Frank’s condition? Is that why you broke up?” She was furious. “I thought so much more of you, Kate. I never realised you could be such a … a bitch. Bloody hell, I can’t believe you’d dump him over this.”
I grabbed Paula on the arm, “it’s not like that. You know what happened to his wife and baby. You must know what he did to them? What if he’d hurt me too.”
“You? What’re you talking about?” Paula shook her arm hard, dislodging my grip, disregarding my comment. “He didn’t know what was going on, he’s not a doctor.”
“You’re telling me he didn’t notice himself drinking too much?” I was sceptical.
Paula blinked, suddenly confused, “drinking too much? Frank doesn’t drink too much.”
“What? But … he said –”
Paula rubbed her hand across her eyes, “did Frank tell you he had a drinking problem?”
“Yes,” I was adamant, “he said he was drinking a lot back then. Too much. And it was his condition that had made him hurt Cassie.”
“Did he say, specifically, that he was an alcoholic?” Paula was still glaring at me making me feel belligerent. Had Frank really kept this secret from his best friends?
“I told you what he said.”
“So, let me get this straight,” Paula looked thoughtful, “Frank told you he had a problem that had contributed towards the accident?”
I nodded impatiently.
“So you, in your wisdom, put two and two together and assumed he must be an alcoholic.”
“He didn’t deny it,” I was beginning to feel just a little bit stupid.
Just a little bit?
Paula sighed, “oh, Kate. You idiot.”
There was silence for a moment and I licked my lips, ‘so … Frank’s not an alcoholic?”
Dimwit! Bonehead! Plonker!
Calmer now, Paula shook her head. “I’ve seen many alcoholics in my time as a nurse and they all tried to hide it from the people who wanted to help them. I’ve seen most of the tricks, heard all the excuses and if Frank is an alcoholic I’ll run down the main street of Rowley naked. That’s how positive I am.”
I closed my eyes breathing heavily, suddenly feeling rather faint. I put out my hand and grabbed the railing beside us.
“Kate? Are you all right?” Paula grasped my arm, steadying me.
Ignoring the question, I opened my eyes
“Kate, you look wonderful. You’re positively blooming. What on earth have you been doing to yourself to glow so brightly? And could you please share your secret with me?”
I laughed, “Paula, it’s good to see you again. What brings you to Rowley?”
“An old friend’s sixtieth.” She looked at her watch. “Damn, I don’t have time now but I’d love to catch up for a coffee.”
I nodded and rummaged in my bag, “I’ll give you my number. Give me a call.”
Tucking the scribbled note in her pocket, Paula’s face fell. “I was sorry to hear about you and Frank.”
I stared at Paula, “what have you heard?”
“I’ve just come from Frank’s,” Paula explained, gesturing vaguely over her shoulder in the direction of the bakery. “He told us you two had broken up. Oh, Kate, I was sure you were a match made in heaven, you seemed so perfect together. He’s putting on a brave face but he’s pretty cut up about the whole thing.”
“He’ll survive!” I said savagely.
Paula gazed curiously at me, “of course he will. He’s survived tougher than this.”
I glanced around before my eyes found Paula’s once more, “you mean his … problem?”
“He told you about that, did he?” Paula replied glumly, “he doesn’t usually like to advertise it –”
“I wonder why?” I replied sarcastically.
“—but,” Paula pretended not to have heard my comment, “it’s nothing to be ashamed of –”
“Oh, of course!” my sarcasm had turned sour.
“—it’s a disease that can affect anyone. Anyone at all.”
“A disease … that’s right.”
Paula frowned and glared at me, “do you have a problem with Frank’s condition? Is that why you broke up?” She was furious. “I thought so much more of you, Kate. I never realised you could be such a … a bitch. Bloody hell, I can’t believe you’d dump him over this.”
I grabbed Paula on the arm, “it’s not like that. You know what happened to his wife and baby. You must know what he did to them? What if he’d hurt me too.”
“You? What’re you talking about?” Paula shook her arm hard, dislodging my grip, disregarding my comment. “He didn’t know what was going on, he’s not a doctor.”
“You’re telling me he didn’t notice himself drinking too much?” I was sceptical.
Paula blinked, suddenly confused, “drinking too much? Frank doesn’t drink too much.”
“What? But … he said –”
Paula rubbed her hand across her eyes, “did Frank tell you he had a drinking problem?”
“Yes,” I was adamant, “he said he was drinking a lot back then. Too much. And it was his condition that had made him hurt Cassie.”
“Did he say, specifically, that he was an alcoholic?” Paula was still glaring at me making me feel belligerent. Had Frank really kept this secret from his best friends?
“I told you what he said.”
“So, let me get this straight,” Paula looked thoughtful, “Frank told you he had a problem that had contributed towards the accident?”
I nodded impatiently.
“So you, in your wisdom, put two and two together and assumed he must be an alcoholic.”
“He didn’t deny it,” I was beginning to feel just a little bit stupid.
Just a little bit?
Paula sighed, “oh, Kate. You idiot.”
There was silence for a moment and I licked my lips, ‘so … Frank’s not an alcoholic?”
Dimwit! Bonehead! Plonker!
Calmer now, Paula shook her head. “I’ve seen many alcoholics in my time as a nurse and they all tried to hide it from the people who wanted to help them. I’ve seen most of the tricks, heard all the excuses and if Frank is an alcoholic I’ll run down the main street of Rowley naked. That’s how positive I am.”
I closed my eyes breathing heavily, suddenly feeling rather faint. I put out my hand and grabbed the railing beside us.
“Kate? Are you all right?” Paula grasped my arm, steadying me.
Ignoring the question, I opened my eyes
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