TOYL

head of his? As if it wasn’t bad enough running off the week before you were supposed to be getting married, he goes and does this.’ He slapped the offending article, his anger rising.
    Miranda stood behind him, twirling the hairs on the back of his head through her fingers. ‘Try and stay calm, dear. You know what the doctor said.’
    Emma’s ears pricked up.
    ‘Doctor?’ she said. ‘You’ve been to the doctor?’
    He waved away her concern. ‘It’s nothing. He just said I should make sure I try and stay relaxed, that’s all.’
    Emma looked at Miranda and caught a flicker in her eyes that told her it wasn’t quite that innocuous. But she wouldn’t push it any further, not for now.
    ‘Don’t talk to any other reporters,’ he advised.
    ‘I won’t.’
    ‘And if Dan tries to contact you again, tell me.’
    ‘Okay.’
    ‘Right,’ he said, tearing the newspaper in two. ‘Let that be an end to it.’

    ***

    ‘Have you heard from Will?’ Edward said, tucking into his salad as the three of them were sitting around the dining table.
    ‘No,’ Emma said. ‘Have you?’
    He shook his head.
    ‘I never realised Will was so bad,’ she said. ‘I thought he was fine.’
    ‘He’ll be okay. He just needs a break.’
    ‘When are you going to tell him about the baby?’
    ‘As soon as he gets back. I hope that he’ll be happy about it. Not at first, maybe, but eventually. Are you happy about it, Em?’
    ‘Yes, of course,’ said Emma, glancing at Miranda and smiling. ‘Of course – it’s great news.’
    ‘You never were a very good liar,’ said Edward bitterly, pushing his plate away. ‘I need to get some air.’
    ‘Dad, wait,’ Emma pleaded. But he walked out of the room.
    ‘I’m really sorry,’ she said, looking across to Miranda.
    ‘It’s okay. It isn’t just you – he’s been tetchy for the past week or so. Better just to let him go and cool off.’
    ‘I really am happy for you both,’ Emma said.
    ‘You don’t have to be. I wouldn’t blame you if you hated my guts, like Will obviously does. I’ve taken your mum’s place. I know I wouldn’t like it if the situation were reversed.’
    ‘Okay, I admit it was hard. It still is. But it’s not personal, Miranda. I actually think you’re very nice. It just takes time, that’s all. And Will – he’ll come around too. It’s just that my mum dying hurt him more than anyone.’
    ‘I didn’t plan to fall in love with your dad, you know. I don’t have some kind of fetish for older men. It just happened. My parents still think I’m crazy for being with someone not much younger than they are. But you don’t choose who you fall in love with. You just go along with the ride and see where it takes you. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.’
    ‘Like me and Dan,’ Emma reflected. ‘And me and Stuart.’
    ‘If there’s anything I can do to help –’
    ‘I’d like to look at the phone,’ Emma said. ‘Dan’s phone.’
    ‘Sure, I’ll go and get it.’ Miranda rose from the table.
    ‘Miranda,’ Emma said, ‘I am sorry for everything.’
    Miranda smiled and went to get the phone.
    ‘Here it is,’ she said, handing the phone to Emma. ‘It isn’t locked, so you should be able to go through all the messages.’
    Emma scrolled through the menus to bring up the list of previously called numbers. He hadn’t made many calls, but one number caught her eye.
    ‘Found anything interesting?’ Miranda enquired, as she watched Emma just staring intently at the mobile screen.
    ‘It’s your number.’ Emma looked up, stunned. ‘He phoned here.’
    ‘Dan?’ Miranda said. ‘He often calls, checking if you’re around when he can’t get hold of you on your mobile. He’s done it a few times when I’ve been here.’
    ‘No, he called here after he disappeared.’
    ‘Are you sure?’ Miranda looked confused.
    ‘I’m sure,’ Emma said. She turned the screen towards Miranda. ‘Look, the phone lists all the calls in order. Your number comes after the number here, which is for the wedding shop, and he called there two days ago. It means he called here in the last couple of days.’

38

    ‘I’m sorry about just blowing up like that,’ Edward said as he entered into the living room. ‘I’m just a little touchy at the moment.’ He looked at Emma and then Miranda, who were both sitting on the sofa, stone-faced. ‘What’s happened?’ he asked, his face deflating. ‘Is it Richard?’
    Emma shook her