The Casual Vacancy

the deputy headmaster.’
    Tessa, who had sat down on Fats’ computer chair, felt a familiar thrill of anger. She knew that self-preoccupation was an inevitable consequence of his illness, but sometimes …
    ‘Plenty of teenagers experiment,’ she said.
    ‘Still defending him, are you? Doesn’t it ever occur to you that it’s your constant excuses for him that make him think he can get away with blue murder?’
    She was trying to keep a curb on her temper, because she must be a buffer between them.
    ‘I’m sorry, Colin, but you and your job aren’t the be all and end—’
    ‘I see – so if I get the sack—’
    ‘Why on earth would you get the sack?’
    ‘For God’s sake!’ shouted Colin, outraged. ‘It all reflects on me – it’s already bad enough – he’s already one of the biggest problem students in the—’
    ‘That’s not true!’ shouted Tessa. ‘Nobody but you thinks Stuart’s anything other than a normal teenager. He’s not Dane Tully!’
    ‘He’s going the same way as Tully – drugs in his bin—’
    ‘I told you we should have sent him to Paxton High! I
knew
you’d make everything he did all about you, if he went to Winterdown! Is it any wonder he rebels, when his every movement is supposed to be a credit to you? I never wanted him to go to your school!’
    ‘And I,’ bellowed Colin, jumping to his feet, ‘never bloody wanted him at all!’
    ‘Don’t say that!’ gasped Tessa. ‘I know you’re angry – but don’t say that!’
    The front door slammed two floors below them. Tessa looked around, frightened, as though Fats might materialize instantly beside them. It wasn’t merely the noise that had made her start. Stuart never slammed the front door; he usually slipped in and out like a shape-shifter.
    His familiar tread on the stairs; did he know, or suspect they were in his room? Colin was waiting, with his fists clenched by his sides. Tessa heard the creak of the halfway step, and then Fats stood before them. She was sure he had arranged his expression in advance: a mixture of boredom and disdain.
    ‘Afternoon,’ he said, looking from his mother to his rigid, tense father. He had all the self-possession that Colin had never had. ‘This is a surprise.’
    Desperate, Tessa tried to show him the way.
    ‘Dad was worried about where you are,’ she said, with a plea in her voice. ‘You said you were going to be with Arf today, but Dad saw—’
    ‘Yeah, change of plan,’ said Fats.
    He glanced towards the place where the matchbox had been.
    ‘So, do you want to tell us where you’ve been?’ asked Colin. There were white patches around his mouth.
    ‘Yeah, if you like,’ said Fats, and he waited.
    ‘Stu,’ said Tessa, half whisper, half groan.
    ‘I’ve been out with Krystal Weedon,’ said Fats.
    Oh God, no
, thought Tessa.
No, no, no …
    ‘You’ve what?’ said Colin, so taken aback that he forgot to sound aggressive.
    ‘I’ve been out with Krystal Weedon,’ Fats repeated, a little more loudly.
    ‘And since when,’ said Colin, after an infinitesimal pause, ‘has she been a friend of yours?’
    ‘A while,’ said Fats.
    Tessa could see Colin struggling to formulate a question too grotesque to utter.
    ‘You should have told us, Stu,’ she said.
    ‘Told you what?’ he said.
    She was frightened that he was going to push the argument to a dangerous place.
    ‘Where you were going,’ she said, standing up and trying to look matter of fact. ‘Next time, call us.’
    She looked towards Colin in the hope that he might follow her lead and move towards the door. He remained fixed in the middle of the room, staring at Fats in horror.
    ‘Are you … involved with Krystal Weedon?’ Colin asked.
    They faced each other, Colin taller by a few inches, but Fats holding all the power.
    ‘“Involved”?’ Fats repeated. ‘What d’you mean, “involved”?’
    ‘You know what I mean!’ said Colin, his face growing red.
    ‘D’you mean, am I shagging her?’ asked Fats.
    Tessa’s little cry of ‘Stu!’ was drowned by Colin shouting, ‘How bloody dare you!’
    Fats merely looked at Colin, smirking. Everything about him was a taunt and a challenge.
    ‘What?’ said Fats.
    ‘Are you –’ Colin was struggling to find the words, growing redder all the time, ‘– are you sleeping with Krystal Weedon?’
    ‘It wouldn’t be a problem if I was, would it?’ Fats asked, and he glanced at his mother as he said it. ‘You’re all for helping