One Perfect Summer

says. ‘These last few weeks have been exhausting.’
    ‘I know,’ I murmur with sympathy. ‘I feel so bad that you’ve had to go through all that.’
    ‘Fingers crossed the worst is over.’
    ‘I’m sure it is,’ I say, although I have no idea. ‘I’ll let Joe know we’re leaving.’
    He’s popped out to see us every so often with drink refills, when he’s been able to escape unnoticed. I haven’t dared to go into the bar, even for a loo break, but now the alcohol is giving me some much-needed courage.
    ‘I’ll come with you,’ Lizzy decides, grabbing her bag.
    We walk inside. To my dismay, Joe’s mother is now serving. Thankfully Joe sees us before she does. His wary look in her direction, however, doesn’t go unnoticed.
    ‘We’ve got to head off,’ I say.
    ‘I’ll walk you out.’ He motions to the door.
    I turn and glance in his mum’s direction, and at that same moment she looks up and sees me. Her mouth is set in a hard, thin line. Permanently? Perhaps.
    ‘Can’t you stay a bit longer?’ Joe asks us when we get outside. ‘Then I could walk you back.’
    ‘Sorry,’ Lizzy interjects. ‘It’s my fault. I’m really tired, with everything that’s been going on recently . . .’
    ‘Of course, of course,’ Joe says quickly.
    ‘We’ll see you tomorrow?’ I ask hopefully. We agreed yesterday that he shouldn’t come to the cottage while Lizzy is there – three’s a crowd, and all that.
    ‘Definitely. Come over as early as you can.’
    ‘JOE!’
    We turn to see his mum come around the corner of the pub.
    ‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ he says wearily.
    ‘You’ll be there right bloody now!’ she snaps.
    ‘I’ll be there in a minute,’ he says firmly.
    The look on her face . . . Uh-oh.
    She storms towards us. Joe steps in front of Lizzy and me, protectively. What the hell does he think she’s going to do?
    ‘Get your arse inside right this second!’ she hisses. She jabs her finger at Lizzy and me. ‘These two slags have taken up enough of your time tonight!’
    Lizzy and I nearly fall over at her words.
    ‘MUM! I cannot believe you just said that!’ Joe shouts.
    ‘GET INSIDE!’ she bellows.
    ‘Go,’ I urge him, my hand on his arm. I don’t want him to lose his job – his only way out of here.
    ‘I’ll be there in a minute ,’ he repeats through clenched teeth.
    She backs away. ‘Just you wait until your father hears about this . . .’ Her tone sends a chill through me.
    It’s only when she disappears around the corner that Joe turns to face us. I’ve never witnessed such a mixture of emotions on anyone’s face before. Anger, fear, anxiety, remorse . . .
    ‘You should have just gone,’ I say worriedly, sensing Lizzy’s shock beside me. I know she wants to be out of here, pronto, and to my utter dismay I know that neither of us will be coming back tomorrow.
    ‘I’m going to walk you home,’ Joe says suddenly.
    ‘No,’ I urge. ‘No. You should go back inside. Don’t make it worse!’ He hesitates. ‘Come and see me later?’ I suggest. This wasn’t the plan but I know he needs me, and Lizzy will be asleep, anyway. ‘Please,’ I press. ‘As soon as you finish. I’ll wait on the bench.’
    He looks at me, his eyes glistening. He nods abruptly and squeezes my hand before letting it go.

 
    ‘I’m sorry,’ I say to Lizzy as soon as we’ve changed into our trainers and are stomping across the field to get as far away from the pub as possible. We’re both worried his lunatic of a mother will follow. Thankfully she doesn’t like dogs, otherwise she’d probably set Rottweilers on us.
    ‘I can’t believe that! What a bitch!’
    ‘I did warn you . . .’
    ‘Oh, God . . .’ Lizzy’s still in shock. ‘I know he’s gorgeous and all that, but Alice ! His mother ! How can you bear it?’
    ‘I don’t have to see much of her,’ I say. ‘He wants to get out of there.’
    ‘Where does he want to go?’
    ‘London.’
    ‘Not Cambridge?’
    I hesitate. ‘No.’ At least, not that I know of . . . Although I have found myself dreaming recently.
    This seems to pacify her somewhat, and I hate her for it.
    Oh, God, I don’t hate her. I don’t mean it.
    ‘Please don’t say anything to my parents about tonight,’ I beg.
    ‘I won’t,’ she says crossly.
    I have no fingernails left by the time Joe arrives at close to midnight.
    ‘I came as quickly as I could,’ he says reaching the gate, out of breath. I get up to meet him. ‘Dyson,