Minding Frankie - Maeve Binchy [48]
“Did you have a row at home?”
“No.”
“And what about your friend Anton, whom you talk so much about?”
“I’ve been there. He doesn’t want to see me.”
“And I’m your last hope—is that it?”
“That’s it,” she said bleakly.
“All right,” he said.
“What?”
“I said all right. You can stay. I don’t have any women’s clothes to lend you. I can’t give you my bed—Frankie’s crib is in there and she’s due a feed in a couple of hours. We’ll all be up pretty early in the morning. It’s no picnic being here.”
“I’d be very grateful, Noel.”
“Sure, then have your tea and go to bed. There’s a folded blanket over there and use one of the cushions as a pillow.”
“Do you not want to know what it is about?” she asked.
“No, Lisa, I don’t. I haven’t got the energy for it. Oh, and if you’re up before I am, Emily, that’s my cousin, will be getting Frankie ready to take her to the health center.”
“Well, I’ll sort of explain to her then.”
“No need.”
“What a wonderful way to be,” Lisa said in genuine admiration.
She didn’t think she would sleep at all, but she did, stirring slightly a couple of times when she thought she heard a baby crying. Through a half-opened eye she saw Noel moving about with an infant in his arms. She didn’t even have time to think about what kind of mind games Anton was playing with her or whether her father was even remotely embarrassed by the incident in their home. She was fast asleep again and didn’t wake until she heard someone leave a mug of tea beside her.
Cousin Emily, of course. The wonder woman who had stepped in just when needed. She in turn didn’t seem remotely surprised to see a woman in a black and red lace-trimmed dress waking up on the sofa.
“Do you have to be anywhere for work or anything?” the woman asked.
“No. No, I don’t. I’ll just wait until my parents have left home, then I’ll go back and pick up my things and … find myself somewhere else to stay. I’m Lisa, by the way.”
Emily looked at her.
“I know. We met at Stella’s funeral. And I’m Emily. What time will your parents be gone?” she asked.
“By nine—on a normal morning, anyway.”
“But this might not be a normal morning?” Emily guessed.
“No, it might not. You see …”
“Noel left half an hour ago. It’s eight o’clock now. I have to go to the clinic with Frankie via the charity shop fairly soon … and I’m not quite sure what’s the best thing to do.”
“I’m a friend of Noel’s, from college …” Lisa began.
“Oh, I know that too.”
“So you wouldn’t have to worry about leaving me here when you go out, but then you might not want to.…”
Emily shook her head as if to get rid of any evidence of such deep thinking on her part. “No, I was thinking of breakfast, actually. Noel made a banana sandwich for himself and then he’ll have coffee on his way to work. I’m going to open up the thrift shop when I’ve given Frankie her bottle; I’ll have some fruit and cereal there. I thought you might like to come with me. Would that suit?”
“That would be great, Emily. I’ll just go and give myself a quick wash.”
Lisa hopped up and ran to the bathroom. She looked quite terrible. All her makeup was smeared across her face. She looked like a tart down on her luck.
No wonder the woman didn’t want to leave her in charge of the apartment. Nobody would let anyone who looked like Lisa did be in charge of anything at all. Maybe Lisa would be able to buy something at the thrift shop to take away the wild look of her. She cleaned her face and gave herself a splash wash, then put on over her dress a sweater Emily had given her.
Emily was ready to leave: she was dressed in a fitted green wool dress and she carried a huge tote bag. The baby in the pram was tiny—barely a month old—looking up trustfully at the two women.
Lisa felt a great wave of warmth towards the small, defenseless baby relying on what were after all two strangers, Emily and Lisa, to get her through this day. She wondered if anyone had looked out for her like this when she was tiny and defenseless. Possibly not, she thought bleakly.
It was the most unreal day Lisa had ever