‘You’re looking very sexy today.’ It’s Ralph.
I sit up and exchange a look with Kerry, who puts his finger to his mouth, giving a wink as he does so.
Melissa’s giggle is followed by some murmurs, which I can only guess is the two of them kissing. I pull a face at Kerry.
‘Stop it, Ralph,’ comes Melissa’s giggling voice.
‘Can’t wait to get you back to the hotel room,’ replies Ralph. ‘Thank God we’re not staying at the flat with Erin. We’d end up sharing a room with old Ed.’
‘Sharing a room with Ed?’
‘Yes, didn’t you know? Erin won’t let him share a bed with her at her parents’ place.’ The sneer in Ralph’s voice is obvious. ‘How bloody old-fashioned is that?’
‘Ooh, I bet Ed’s not happy.’
‘No-fucking-way is he.’
I can feel the anger bubbling inside me. Ralph taking the mickey. It’s none of his business. Kerry’s hand holds firm on my shoulder, preventing me from moving. He slowly shakes his head.
‘I don’t know what he sees in her, if I’m honest.’ Melissa is talking again. ‘I mean, she’s nice enough on the surface, but there’s something about her I can’t quite put my finger on.’
‘Yeah, I know what you mean. We’ve all known her for about two or three years and, yet, we don’t know her at all.’ Ralph’s voice is clearer now, as if he’s forgotten they’re supposed to be whispering.
‘They say the quiet ones are the ones to watch. There’s definitely something she’s keeping a secret. I wonder if Ed knows what it is.’
‘If he does, he hasn’t said anything to me,’ says Ralph. ‘If I’m honest, I don’t think the two of them will last much longer. She was his little project.’
‘Project?’
‘You know the film My Fair Lady? Eliza Doolittle. That’s what Erin’s like.’ Ralph sniggers. ‘Ed’s project was to see if he could re-educate her. Turn her into a more sophisticated, classy sort of woman.’
Melissa lets out a laugh. ‘Oh, that sounds awful, but I can quite see what you mean. Trouble is, it’s all obviously an act for Erin. She can’t keep the sophisticated thing up. As soon as she’s back home, she’s gone all Mother Earth. Well, as far as you can without doing the mother bit.’
‘Speaking of which, wonder where she went?’
‘Come on, let’s see if Ed wants to leave yet. This is sooo fucking boring. My heels keep sinking into the grass and if I have to hear another word about motorbikes or babies with ridiculous names, I swear I’ll scream. Take me back to civilisation, Ralph, please, I’m begging you.’
Melissa’s voice trails off, indicating she’s already walking away.
‘You don’t need to ask me twice,’ Ralph calls back.
Then there’s silence.
I don’t want to look at Kerry. Humiliated doesn’t even begin to cover it.
‘Why do you stay with him?’ asks Kerry again.
‘That’s a bit of a direct question.’
‘I like direct. Everyone knows where they stand.’
‘Direct can be confrontational,’ I say, trying to steer the conversation away from his original question.
‘It depends if the other person doesn’t like what they’re hearing or are in denial,’ he says. There’s no challenge to his tone, just matter of fact. Still it prickles me.
‘Is that a jibe at me?’
‘No jibe, merely an observation.’
‘I’d like you to keep your observations to yourself.’ I try my best to keep my tone even. ‘Pour more wine instead.’
Kerry obliges, without taking his arm from me. He puts the bottle back down before speaking again.
‘I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours.’
‘Trust me, you don’t.’ I take a large sip of the wine.
‘You really think I’ll be shocked by something you’ve done? Any secrets are safe with me.’
‘Really? Is that because you have secrets of your own?’
‘Fighting talk, eh? Don’t usually get to keep anything secret around here. Most locals know about me. I’m not news any more. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed.’
I sit up and study him for a moment. His grey eyes have a blue tint to them, reflecting the cloudless sky above.
‘But you do have secrets. I can tell. You have that look about you,’ I say with a soft voice. There are things about Kerry Wright I don’t know, things nobody else in the village knows. Things he’s most definitely keeping a secret – and they hurt. They are buried deep, but they are still painful. It’s his understanding that convinces me. He seems to know what I’m feeling. He empathises with me because he’s felt the pain too.