The Secret by Kathryn Hughes

Author:Kathryn Hughes [Hughes, Kathryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

28

Daisy gazed out of the window and smiled as she watched the rain bouncing off the pavement. Heat was still in the air, though, and a fine mist rose from the tarmac, giving the road an ethereal quality. All summer she had longed for the day when the weather would finally break, and now it had. It was just a pity it was August Bank Holiday and Daisy had promised Mikey that she would take him to the Blue Lagoon outdoor swimming pool. It was one of his favourite things to do, but he had not been since his father had passed away. There was no way the worthless Andrea would ever have put herself out for her son. Now that the school holidays were coming to an end, it was going to be one last treat before he had to return to the classroom.

Daisy wrestled with the umbrella she had almost forgotten how to use and navigated her way through the puddles to Mikey’s house a few streets away. As she turned the corner into Bagot Street, she could see him in the distance splashing about in the gutter. He shrieked with delight as he leaned his head back and tried to catch the raindrops on his tongue. She called to him, but the rain was so loud he couldn’t hear her. The front door was flung open then and Andrea stepped out, yanking her son by his arm, clipping him round the back of his head and pulling him roughly inside.

Daisy quickened her pace, arriving breathlessly at his door a few moments later. She rang the bell and the door was opened immediately by Mikey.

‘Hello, Aunt Daisy,’ he beamed. ‘I’ll just get me stuff.’

He ran up the stairs as Andrea came to the door, a cigarette hanging from her lips. Her clothes hung off her scrawny frame and her lank, greasy hair looked as though it had not been washed for a fortnight. She had dark purple circles beneath her eyes, and if Daisy had not known better she would have thought she had been punched in the face. It would have been a stupid man to attempt such an assault, she thought ruefully, and one who no doubt would have come off worse.

Andrea’s hands shook as she withdrew the cigarette and let it hang by her side. ‘What time you fetchin’ him back, then?’ She swayed a little and grabbed the door frame to steady herself.

‘I’ll give him his tea and bring him back after that.’

Andrea took a sharp intake of breath. ‘Ooh, any chance you could keep him for the night?’

Whilst Daisy loved having the little boy over to stay, this was his home and he needed to bond with his mum. There was a note of irritation in her reply. ‘What, again?’

Andrea immediately took umbrage. ‘Oh, leave it then if it’s too much trouble. It’s just that I’ve got some mates coming round and he gets in the way.’

Mikey appeared with a rolled-up towel under his arm.

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