Warhol's Prophecy

22

HAILEY GIBSON PUSHED open the front door and staggered in with three bags of shopping. She almost dropped one it was so heavy, but she managed to retain her grip on its handle until she reached the kitchen, where she set all three bags down on the worktop.

Caroline Hacket followed her, also carrying three bags. She heaved them up alongside Hailey’s and wiped her hands on her jeans, blowing out her cheeks with the effort of carrying such weighty loads.

Hailey looked at her friend and started laughing.

‘What now?’ Caroline asked innocently.

‘I can’t believe how you were flirting with that poor lad on the checkout,’ Hailey told her, filling the kettle. ‘He couldn’t have been more than about eighteen.’

‘He was old enough,’ chuckled Caroline. ‘He had big hands, too. And you know what they say about big hands.’

‘I thought that was big feet,’ Hailey said, starting to unpack the shopping.

‘Whatever – it probably works the same way.’

‘You could see he was embarrassed.’

‘He was enjoying it.’

‘Until you started stroking that courgette, and asking if that would make it any bigger. I think that was when he asked to be relieved from duty.’ Hailey burst out laughing again.

‘I don’t know why I bothered. It was you he fancied anyway,’ Caroline said. ‘He couldn’t take his eyes off you.’

Hailey tossed her head exaggeratedly.

‘And me a happily married woman,’ she said, a note of scorn in her voice.

‘How are things at the moment?’ Caroline wanted to know.

Hailey shrugged.

‘We keep going,’ she said a little sadly. ‘It isn’t easy, and we usually have a row most nights, but we’re trying, Caroline.’

‘Is Rob trying?’

‘He wants it to work as much as I do. I’m sure of that. He wouldn’t have agreed to come to the Relate sessions otherwise.’

‘I hope you’re right, Hailey.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘It just seems to be you who’s doing all the work. You fixed up the meetings with Relate. You had to talk him into going. Tell me to mind my own business if you like, but he doesn’t seem to be very sorry for what he did.’

‘I can’t expect him to walk around in a hair-shirt for the rest of his life.’

‘Perhaps you should have done what I did when I found out my old man was messing around behind my back.’

‘Which one?’

‘Very funny. Either of them. You should have kicked him out.’

‘It’s not as easy as that, Caroline.’

‘It is when they shit on you from a great height.’

‘You didn’t have kids.’

‘Don’t use Becky as an excuse. What Rob did was wrong. He betrayed her as much as he betrayed you. You should have told him to get on his bike for her sake, too.’

‘Becky doesn’t know what happened, and if I have my way she never will.’

‘That still doesn’t excuse what he did.’

‘I know that, I’m not making excuses for him; I’m giving him another chance. Is there anything so wrong about that?’

‘Leopards don’t change their spots.’

‘Maybe not, but perhaps some of them can learn a lesson.’

‘You should have an affair.’

Hailey looked at her blankly.

‘That would teach him: give him a taste of his own medicine. See how he likes that.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘Why not? He doesn’t have to find out about it, but at least you’d know you were getting some revenge.’

‘It’s not about revenge, Caroline. It’s about saving my marriage.’

‘You didn’t wreck it in the first place.’

‘So, I go out and fuck some bloke and that makes everything all right, does it?’

‘No, but it evens the score.’

Hailey shook her head and smiled wanly.

‘Come on,’ Caroline said, taking a step closer to her friend. ‘Don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it?’

‘I haven’t thought about it,’ Hailey said flatly.

‘Then perhaps you should.’

‘You could, Caroline. I couldn’t.’

‘You’re bloody right I could, and I did when I caught the second one at it. Then I made sure he knew I was screwing someone, too.’

‘And it finished your marriage.’

‘It was finished anyway.’

‘Well, mine isn’t.’

‘I hope you’re right.’

Hailey sighed. ‘I still feel so bloody angry with him,’ she admitted.

‘And why shouldn’t you? Don’t feel guilty about it. Rob’s the one who should feel guilty – not you. I still say you should have left him.’

‘It’s not that easy. I have to think about Becky.’

‘Then it looks like my other idea is favourite: have an affair yourself. What is it they say: “Don’t get mad, get even”?’ She raised an eyebrow.

Hailey ran a hand through her hair and sighed.

‘As a matter of fact,’ she said, ‘I was thinking of going back to work.’

‘What kind of work?’ Caroline wanted to know.

‘My old job. Jim Marsh rang me a couple of days ago and asked me if I’d go back part-time. We’ve kept in touch since I left them. I just thought it would give me less time to sit around wondering about what Rob’s been up to.’

‘So, do it,’ Caroline urged. ‘You loved that job.’

‘I told him I’d think about it.’

‘Hailey, you owe it to yourself. Call him and say you’ll do it.’

‘You know what it was like: the hours were irregular. I might not always be here when Becky needs me, and . . .’

Caroline cut her short. ‘Stop putting obstacles in the way,’ she said. ‘I’ll pick Becky up from school if you can’t manage it. Do it, Hailey. Go back and work for him.’

‘I haven’t talked about it with Rob yet.’

‘You know what he’s going to say anyway. He’ll try to put you off. He never liked you doing that job in the first place, did he?’

Hailey shook her head.

‘Well, sod him,’ Caroline said, touching her friend’s arm. ‘Do what you want to do. That’s your trouble, you don’t think about yourself enough.’

Hailey shrugged.

‘Perhaps you’re right,’ she conceded.

‘I know I am. Besides, if you go away on business somewhere, you might meet some good-looking bloke in one of these posh hotels Marsh books you into and, if you do, who knows what might happen.’

‘Caroline, stop trying to push me into an affair, will you?’ Hailey smiled.

‘What’s good for the goose,’ Caroline said quietly.

The doorbell rang.

Hailey hesitated a moment, her arms full of shopping items.

‘I’ll put these away,’ said Caroline. ‘You answer that.’

Hailey wandered through the hall, thoughts tumbling around inside her head.

Leave Rob?

She glanced at the coat-rack and saw one of his jackets hanging there. As she reached the door, she touched the sleeve of the jacket lightly.

Yes, go back to work for Jim Marsh. To hell with what Rob thinks.

She opened the front door.

Adam Walker stood smiling at her.