Yours Truly (44 page)

“
And that's why,
”
Robbie continues.
“
I'd like you to come on tour with me.
”

“
Tour?
”
Meg breathes.

“
Yeah. We're so good together. I want us to go on the road. Perform music all over the country. We'll have to sleep in the van and eat Spam straight from the tin.
”

“
I don't care,
”
Meg coos, her eyes sparkling with delight.
“
I quite like Spam.
”

And with that they embrace and snog noisily. I wipe an unexpected tear from my eye. Well this is a turn up for the books! Meg peels herself off Robbie and gives me a hug.

“
This is awesome,
”
I say, squeezing her tightly.
“
Puzzling, but awesome.
”

Meg woops and dances off to the bar.

“
I'll be back in a second,
”
I call over to her, thinking of Riley and the papers in my room.
“
There's something I have to do.
”

She waves me off and I think I'm f
inally
about to make it to my room when I'm stopped once again. This time by Riley. He's already holding the stolen papers in his hands.

“
I was looking for you and I found these, Natalie.
”

He holds up the envelope with the letters, his face stony.
“
What are they and why on earth do you have them in your room?
”

“
I was just about to tell you!
”
I say at once.
“
That's exactly what I was just doing, coming to find you!
”

“
What are those?
”
Barney Braithwaite is suddenly there again with his video camera, pointing it at the brown envelope in Riley's hands.

“
Secret documents,
”
I snap. Why won't he just bugger off?
“
Please shut off the camera,
”
I ask him as politely as I can manage.

He ignores me and presses the
zoom in
button.

“
Riley,
”
I say, aware of everyone around me listening intently at what is going to happen next in this ridiculous spectacle.
“
I found them. I'm sorry I didn't say sooner. I was at Hobbs last
-
”

“
Hobbs?
”
Riley says, anger darkening his bright features.
“
You're part of this, this attempt to take away my pub? I knew I was right to be suspicious of you when you first came here. What an idiot I am.
”

“
No,
”
I plead.
“
I'm so sorry. I found them in Jasper's room.
”

“
Jasper’s room?
”
Meg's eyes pop out of her head.
“
What on earth were you doing in Jasper's room?
”

“
Do you really need to ask?
”
Riley spits.

Oh gosh, he's mad. I'm about to explain myself again, apologise
again
, when it occurs to me that here Riley is acting like he's the very model of morality and
I'm
the liar when in fact he's just as bad! I put my hands on my hips and step closer to him.

“
You have no right to talk to me like that,
”
I say.
“
Not after the way you’ve treated me.
”

“
Excuse me! What are you talking about? I welcomed you into my home. I
-
we
-
”

“
You lied to me. You seduced me so that I would stay here and cook for you. For free! So that I would help to save your pub and I would be too lusty for you to say anything about it.
”

Riley goggles.

“
Are you kidding?
”
He rubs the back of his neck as if he’s in pain.
“
What went on with us was real. I've always been honest with you, Natalie.
”

“
Honey
told
me. She told me you planned it together. You haven't even split up with her! I saw you together in the kitchen, hugging and smooching. You've not been honest at all, Riley. You lied!
”

“
I wasn’t smooching. Jesus. I was hugging Honey because she was upset about our breakup! I swear to you.
”

“
Oh.
”

We're both standing there awkward and utterly confused as to what's going on when Honey barges back into the pub. She has snow in her hair, her lipstick is smeared across her face and her eyes are glinting with fury.

“
Riley, she’s lying. I never slept with Jasper.
”

“
What are you on about?
”
Riley opens his arms in a gesture of complete confusion.
“
What the hell is anyone on about!
”

Honey doesn’t seem to get it.

“
Take me back
,
Riley. Don’t make me leave. They all make me leave!
”
she cries, her face red and crazy looking.

Oh my goodness!
She’s acting like this has happened to her before
-
the whole sleeping around, stirring, making trouble in a small village thing. However much I dislike her, though, she’s really very upset and for a moment I feel bad for her.

“
Honey, are you okay?
”
I try, because she clearly needs some assistance.
“
Why don’t we just
-
”
I make to take her by the arm and sit her down but she slaps me away with her tiny hand.

“
Why won’t you just fuck off!
”
she hisses at me.
“
You’ve ruined everything.
”

“
But I
-
”

“
I was fine. I had it all and you ruined it. He would have fallen in love with me eventually! Now I’ll have to move
again
!
”

She breaks down into a heap of noisy sobs.

Mrs Grimes hurries forward and takes her hand.
“
Come on, love. Time to get you home.
”

Honey’s sobs quieten down into soft sniffles while Mrs Grimes gently eases her out of the pub. My goodness.

Riley looks stunned. He blinks and sinks slowly down onto a stool, pulling out the picture of his mother from the brown envelope.

“
They don’t belong to you.
”
Jasper appears and snatches the papers out of his hands.

Riley stands up.
“
They’re about me. About my mother.
My father
.
”

Jaspers fists are curled, his face red.
“
You’re not entitled to anything!
It’s my money. Don’t
think you can go getting your grubby, common hands on it. I’m the one who’s looked after that stupid old man for years on end. It’s my money. I fucking earned it.
”

“
I don’t care about the money, you moron.
”
Riley grabs the papers out of Jaspers hands.
“
I care about the fact that I have a Dad and no
one bothered to fucking tell me.
”

“
I promised your mother. I would never tell.
”
A voice comes from the door
of the pub. It's Alfred Hobbs.

“
Alfred?
”

“
Alfred Hobbs is here!
”

“
Isn't he dead?!
”

“
A recluse, Wonky Faced Joe. He's a recluse!
”

“
Not anymore. He's here! Alfred is here!
”

Alfred gestures that everyone should calm down. His impressive height, carrying voice and the understanding that he's about to say something really juicy and important means everyone shuts up quite quickly.

“
Leave the lad alone, Jasper. He’s had a shock, can’t you see?
”
Alfred roars.

Riley is just stood there. His hands are shaking. His eyes are filled with tears. He keeps looking down at the picture of his mother. He doesn’t look at Alfred.

“
I had to keep my promise, son.
”
Alfred says, approaching Riley.
“
I never wanted to. But…
now you know…
”

Riley says nothing. He drops the photograph. As it flutters gently onto the floor, he turns on his heel and walks out of the bar.

“
Riley
”
I call, going after him. But a strong arm grabs hold of me and pulls me back.

“
Natalie! Natalie!
”

I wheel around at the distressed voice calling my name. It's Dionne and she's crying hysterically, a snot bubble forming at her nose.

“
Olly just called. It's Mum. She
-
she's in the hospital. She's had a heart attack.
”

And everything goes silent in my head. Nothing else matters now.

You know how in films when something tragic happens to a character and suddenly everything they hear sounds all muffled and gloopy, like they're underwater? Well, that's not just a made up special effect. That's actually what happens. That's what's happening as Dionne sobs in front of me. Her mouth is moving but I haven’t a clue what she's saying.

Mum.

My Mum.

I get a sharp picture of her, sad, alone, deathly pale on a hospital bed. I snap out of my daze.

“
We need to get out of here,
”
I mutter.
“
We need to get to her.
”

“
But we can't!
”
Dionne bawls.
“
The snow. We're stuck! What if she dies?
”

Meg hurries over when she sees my face.

“
What is it, Natty?
”

“
My mum.
”

“
What’s happened?
”

“
She's had a heart attack. She’s…
It's my f...
It's my…
”

“
Wonky Faced
Joe,
”
she calls over to Wonky Faced Joe immediately.
“
Is your tractor fixed? We have an emergency. Natalie needs to get to home right now.
”

“
No,
”
he says, looking embarrassed.
“
It's nearly there. Maybe in another day or two.
”

“
What will we doohoohoo?
”
Dionne croaks.

“
I don’t know.
”

My poor sister. My poor mum.

And then I remember.

I march over to where Alfred Hobbs is sat in the corner of the pub, nursing a pint of ale and avoiding eye contact with everyone.

“
I'm sorry to interrupt.
”
I say, my voice shaking with the tears I'm trying not to let fall, because if I let them fall then they won't stop, I'm sure of it.

“
What is it, dear?
”
Alfred looks up. His expression is kind.

“
Mr Hobbs, I’m sorry to interrupt you when you so obviously have so much going on at the moment. I know you’re waiting to speak with Riley…
but this is urgent.
”
I swallow hard.
“
You know that helicopter you've got at home?
”

“
The Hobbscopter?
”