Read Online Weird Sister by Kate Pullinger - Free Book Online Page A

wait.
    I rang that afternoon. ‘Lizzie,’ I said.
    ‘Hello Robert.’ She sounded cheerful.
    ‘How are you?’
    ‘I’m okay.’
    ‘I’m sorry I haven’t been around to see you.’
    ‘That’s all right.’
    ‘How are things?’ Usually on the telephone we talked easily, but today I felt awkward. Well, it was the first time I’d ever rung her up to announce I was getting married, so I suppose that explained my difficulty.
    Ticking over. Things are ticking over. I’m looking for a job.’
    I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t make small talk. ‘Lizzie, I’m getting married.’
    There was a small pause. ‘Oh, that’s great. Who to?’
    Her voice was disappointingly flat. I thought she’d be beside herself with excitement. We’d always taken great pleasure in each other’s news before. I thought she’d feel like I felt when she got her degree – almost as though I’d done it myself. I know it sounds naive, but it hadn’t occurred to me that Lizzie might be jealous. She’s admitted as much to me since, but at the time I was surprised.
    ‘Agnes Samuel. I want you to meet her.’ This felt important now. ‘Before the wedding. You’ll love her, Lizzie, she’s amazing.’
    ‘That’s great, Robert, just great.’ Another pause. ‘I’m really happy for you.’
    Oh come on, I thought, can’t you even fake a little excitement? ‘Listen –’ and this was spur of the moment, I swear that I did not intend to hurt Lizzie – ‘will you be my best man or maid of honour or whatever? Please? You’re my oldest friend. It’s important to me.’ The phone was quiet. ‘Elizabeth?’
    She cleared her throat. I heard her sniff. ‘Ahh – no. No, Robert. But thank you.’
    ‘No?’
    ‘I can’t. I . . . I’m in mourning. For my father. Still in mourning. I’m sorry. I – it wouldn’t feel right. I couldn’t stand up in church with you. I couldn’t be relied upon. To . . .’
    ‘But Lizzie you –’
    ‘No Robert. Thank you for asking.’
    She’d said no. I didn’t believe the line about her father. I couldn’t understand why she would begrudge me happiness. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. Neither did she. ‘What kind of a job?’ I asked, pushing the conversation on.
    ‘Oh, anything. Something in the village.’
    ‘I’ll keep an eye out for you. Let you know if I hear of anything.’
    ‘Good idea.’
    ‘And I’ll bring Agnes round to meet you.’
    ‘You do that.’
    ‘Bye Lizzie.’
    ‘Good-bye.’
    I felt let down. Later – much later, after everything had happened and there was no going back – Elizabeth told me that when she hung up she cried so hard she thought her lungs were going to collapse. She cried for the rest of the day. I didn’t know that at the time. I don’t know how I would have reacted if I had known, if I had been privy to Elizabeth’s misery. I was so happy with Agnes, my love for her had such a grip on me, that I probably couldn’t have cared less. I probably would have done nothing. I’m not proud of that, but I’m not ashamed to admit it. It just shows how much I loved Agnes, how by then I would have done anything to be with her.
    Elizabeth was my great friend. But the fact is, I did not fancy her. Yes, we slept together occasionally over the years. Yes, she knew most of my secrets and I hers. Yes, her opinion mattered to me. And yes, I probably did rely on the fact that she was always there to fall back on – and I probably would have been disappointed myself if she’d got married before me. But I never assumed that we’d end up together. I was very surprised when she came back to Warboys, despite the obvious logic of the move, given her circumstances. She shouldn’t have blamed herself so completely for what happened with her client. And she blames herself now for some of the things that have happened here in Warboys. But she shouldn’t. What happened was my fault. I take the blame.

Agnes and Jenny go shopping
    In London, in Knightsbridge, Agnes