‘She just popped in,’ he said.
Popped in. ‘Popped in? Did you invite her?’
‘No!’ He was affronted.
‘Why did she pop in? I was at work,’ Rachel said.
‘Well, I told her you’d probably be back before long.’
‘You told her to wait?’ she said.
‘Sort of.’
‘What the fuck for?’
He looked uneasy. ‘It’s what families do, Rachel.’
‘Not mine, not me. I don’t want her coming here. Not unless she’s expressly asked,’ she said.
‘You’re meant to be getting to know each other,’ he said.
‘Maybe. But I’m not having this. It’s too much, too soon. She pops round again, you don’t invite her in. Got it?’
‘OK.’ He didn’t try to argue though he didn’t look all that pleased about it.
Rachel went back to the living room. ‘I’ve got a really early start, Sean too, so…’
Sharon looked, nodded. ‘Course. I’ll get out from under your feet. Adios!’ She laughed. ‘I just wanted a quick word.’ She pulled on a cream leather jacket, tugged a cigarette out of her pack. She’d been at the fake tan, dark stains in the creases on her neck made her look like she hadn’t washed for weeks. She’d silver eye shadow on and thick black eyeliner and what looked like false lashes. Her hands were decked with rings and chains, mainly gold coloured. Rachel doubted there was any real gold in any of it. Her lipstick had bled into the fine lines around her lips. She wasn’t that old but she looked well worn and dressing like a teenager didn’t help. Rachel felt like a bitch. Wished she could switch off the critical commentary in her head. Accept that Sharon was doing her best, that it couldn’t be easy for her, the clumsiness of trying to rub along after all that had happened. But going at it like a bull at a gate, rushing it, was not helping.
Sean called Haydn and they disappeared.
‘Your hair’s nice,’ said Sharon, ‘you done something different?’
Oh, for fuck’s sake. ‘No,’ Rachel said. ‘Look, I’ll be working late a lot the next few weeks so I’ll get in touch, you know, when I’ve more time. Yeah? No point in you coming round and we’re all out. Wait to hear from us, yeah?’
‘Right.’ Sharon laughed again, fiddled with her lighter. ‘I’ll get off then. Just wondered if you could see your way to lending me a few bob, I wouldn’t ask but…’
Rachel’s heart sank.
‘… I don’t want to get into arrears and I can pay you back soon.’
Rachel just wanted to stop her talking, hated the bright anxiety in her voice, hated that she didn’t believe her. ‘Here.’ She took sixty quid from her purse.
‘You’re a star.’
Rachel smiled, edged Sharon towards the hall, the door, the outside. Willing her to go. Just go.