Warhol's Prophecy

51

‘HE SAID HE was waiting for you,’ Caroline Hacket said as they sat in her kitchen.

She watched Hailey sip her coffee, then look towards the door, which was half open. In the sitting room beyond, Becky was watching TV. Hailey crossed to the door and pushed it shut.

‘Did he say why?’ Hailey wanted to know.

‘He didn’t have to,’ Caroline told her. ‘Listen, I told Adam and I’m telling you, Hailey, whatever’s going on between you two is your business.’

‘Did he say we were having an affair?’

‘He said there was nothing going on.’

‘But you didn’t believe him?’

‘I just thought that you’d tell me if you were sleeping with him.’

‘I’m not,’ Hailey insisted.

Caroline eyed her friend impassively.

‘Oh, Christ,’ Hailey groaned. ‘Listen, Caroline, what I’m telling you is the truth. I had lunch with him a couple of days ago. We ended up going back to his house . . .’ She allowed the sentence to trail off.

‘And nothing happened?’ Caroline said quickly.

‘I’d suggested showing some of his work to Waterhole, to see if they were interested in using it on their album covers, that kind of thing,’ Hailey murmured. ‘Things got out of hand. I was mad with Rob. I wanted to get back at him because of his affair with that slut.’

‘So you did have sex with Adam?’

‘I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I told him I wanted him. We started – but I couldn’t go through with it.’ She explained more fully, slowly. She told Caroline everything. Like some kind of confession. As if it was difficult to speak the words.

Truth hurts, doesn’t it?

‘You led him on,’ Caroline said flatly.

‘No,’ Hailey snapped angrily. ‘It wasn’t like that.’

Wasn’t it?

‘Hailey, you let the guy go down on you. I think he could be forgiven for thinking you wanted to be a little more than just friends.’

The two women regarded each other silently for a moment.

‘Why did you want him to stop?’ Caroline said finally.

Hailey shrugged.

‘Maybe I wasn’t as mad at Rob as I thought I was,’ she muttered.

‘So where does that leave Adam?’

‘Who cares? I’m just grateful nothing happened. I shouldn’t even have had lunch with him. I suppose I got carried away. I wanted to show him how grateful I was for him finding Becky. It got out of hand.’

‘You can’t blame him, Hailey.’

‘I didn’t ask him to send me flowers – or ring me at work.’

‘You bitch,’ Caroline said, smiling. ‘You led him on and now you just want to drop him.’

‘I thought you would have understood,’ Hailey retorted, snatching up her coat.

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Look, if I sent out the wrong signals, then I’m sorry, but it’s too late now.’

‘Don’t you think you should be telling Adam this, not me?’

Hailey pulled on her coat.

‘I don’t want to speak to him again, Caroline. It’s as simple as that.’

‘You mean, as long as you can’t see him, you can’t be tempted.’

Hailey headed for the sitting room.

Caroline heard her calling to Becky.

‘Just because Rob was stupid doesn’t mean I have to be too,’ Hailey announced.

‘At least have the decency to return his calls, Hailey. Put the poor sod out of his misery. He only wants to speak to you. Where’s the harm in that?’

Hailey didn’t answer.

‘Thanks for picking Becky up,’ she said brusquely, ushering her daughter towards the front door.

‘’Bye, Auntie Caroline,’ Becky called as she left the house, wandering towards the waiting Astra.

‘See you soon, darling,’ Caroline called after her. Then, to Hailey: ‘Speak to him. You owe him that, at least.’

Hailey hesitated a moment, then headed towards the car.

Caroline stood at the door as the Astra pulled away.