Daisy Hardy lay in the dark of her bedroom, listening to the slightly muffled chatter from the kitchen below. It was late, too late really for even a newly eleven year old girl to be awake but she had been disturbed from birthday cake dreams by the sharp ring of a phone followed by the sliver of light creeping into her room behind her father. He'd leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead with a whispered good night , the fall of his tie on her arm letting her know he was heading out to work.
That had been, accordingly to the digital alarm clock, well over an hour ago and from the sounds floating through the floorboards her mother and Auntie Felicity had opened at least one more bottle of wine since then. Their conversation, initially a comforting mumble, had turned louder and whilst punctuated with giggles made Daisy unreasonably nervous. Her dad always said you should never have serious conversations with drunk people and she could tell that her Aunt was decidedly serious and definitely squiffy.
"When was the last time you went out together anyway" the question was loud and accusing,
"Oh don't be silly Flic," her mothers tone was dismissive, "we see each other all the time at work and getting Alec out of there is tough enough for a family dinner together let alone for one on one time with me."
"You need to work at it you know. Marriages take effort and investment. Making googly eyes across the desks at work isn't enough. Take him out. Get dressed up. It'll do you the world of good."
Daisy heard her mum laugh. It wasn't a nice sound.
"Googly eyes! Don't be daft! It's like you've never met him. Once he pulls on his suit and puts his warrant card in his pocket I could dance the Macarena naked and he wouldn't notice! The man is obsessive, and I got to tell you, not in a good way."
"That's as maybe, but he's the one you picked and he's the father of your child. A bloody good father to boot. Take him out for dinner for goodness sake. See what happens when you relax together – surely the obsessive thing is good for something hey?" Felicity giggled.
"What is the point? He's gone and put himself on this boring healthy diet. He won't drink. He barely wants to have a conversation that isn't about work or Daisy. And the bedroom. Zero interest there."
"Zero interest hey. You or him?"
Daisy felt her cheeks warm. She didn't want to hear her mum sound so sulky and angry at her dad, and she certainly didn't want to hear any more about what she thought they might be talking about so she pulled the covers over her head, scrunched her eyes up and tried to slow down her breathing and get back to sleep.
Daisy woke suddenly. She lay disoriented trying to establish what had disturbed her but could hear nothing unusual. No noise from the kitchen and just the hint of the television on in the front room. She got out of bed and slipped her feet into her slippers. She crept silently down the hallway to the bathroom and shut the door behind her. As the door clicked shut she realised that a door downstairs had also opened and closed.
She reached to flush the toilet but stilled her hand as she heard her mother, talking very quietly at the bottom of the stairs,
"No – not tomorrow. I can't I have to pick Daisy up from her dance class," a pause, "well yes of course I want to see you but I can't, not tomorrow. What about Friday morning – I'm not scheduled on until 11 ?"
Daisy felt her heart rate pick up and her chest tightened uncomfortably as she heard her mother laugh softly,
"Yes I know – but you really shouldn't be calling at this time of night. What am I supposed to say? I think you like this bit more than you should. Well yes, ok, I said yes. See you then."
There was a pause and Daisy heard her mum take a deep breath. The tv got briefly louder as the door to the front room opened and then shut. Daisy sat in the darkness of the bathroom and shook.
Daisy was exhausted. She knows she is more sociable than her father but having the house full of family and work colleagues of her parents has been tiring and all she really wants to do is curl up in bed with a book and enjoy the relative peace and quiet now she isn't being interrogated on her summer plans or having to deal with small children wanting to play.
Outside in the garden she can hear her mum and Auntie chatting as they tidy away plates, glasses and the party paraphernalia.
"Sit down a second please Tess," her Aunt sounds serious and it pulls Daisy's attention away from her book, "Months ago now you laughed at me when I accused you of making googly eyes at work."
"Not this again Flic – you need to keep your nose out of my marriage." Daisy thought her mum sounded cross. The sounds of cleaning up continued and Daisy stood up and sneaked a quick look into the garden.
"I saw what I saw Tess." Felicity lowered her voice and reached out to touch her sister's arm, "You and…"
"You saw nothing Felicity. Don't fuss."
"Theresa, look at me. Please. You need to sort this and you need to sort it quickly. How long has this been going on now?"
"There is no this. Nothing's going on."
"Don't take me for a fool Tess, I'm not and your husband is certainly not one. This is going to end in tears. Trust someone who knows."
Daisy heard the back-gate open and the sounds of her father jangling his car keys,
"Henchard ladies," he called out, "I return from ferrying your mother." She heard a kiss being placed on her mum's cheek. "Go put your feet up I'll finish off out here."
"Alec," Daisy saw her mum reach out and place a hand on his chest, "you've been on the go all day maybe you should be the one to sit down and take it easy."
"I'm fine, much prefer being kept busy than making small talk. There's only a bit left to do here. I'll be done in no time."
Daisy heard the back door bang as her mum and Aunt came back into the house,
"We aren't finished on this Tess."
"Hush… keep your voice down please. And yes we are finished on this. We really are. Now," Tess's voice was raised as she shouted up the stairs, "Daisy do you want a snack before bed?"
Daisy was enjoying a relaxing soak in the bath. She really should have been in bed but it was getting towards the end of the school year and lessons had disintegrated into sports days and skit afternoons and any way neither of her parents were in to nag her about bed times.
Dinner had been a fun affair, her Auntie Flic was in charge and served up what she called 'bitza' – a random selection of leftovers, nibbles and party food unearthed from the bottom of the freezer drawers and they had sat on the back patio chatting about school, tv and boys. It had been a light-hearted evening full of jokes and laughter and Daisy felt more relaxed than she at home in weeks.
She was drawn from her pondering by the sound of a key in the front door.
"Tess?" her father's voice could be heard from the hallway, "I'm sorry I 'm so late paperwork on the thing up in Matlock took ages. Their gov'nor is a stickler."
Her Aunt's response was muffled as she moved around in the living room,
"Tess had to nip out Alec, I'm here. Sorry you've had a crap night, Daiz and I have had a lovely time." A pause as the Tv muted and the living room door opened, "She's in the bath… I know.. I know she should be in bed but she was so like the old Daisy this evening all giggles and gossip and I know you've been worried. I figured a nice relaxing bath would be better than dull Aunt Flic haranguing about bed!"
There was a pause. Daisy imagined her dad didn't know which point to go after first. His voice was soft and tired when he spoke, heading in to the kitchen,
"I'm glad you ladies had fun. Did she give you any hint of what's been wrong? I can tell there is something but she's not talking. Did Tess tell you the school are worried as well?"
Daisy strained to hear but couldn't catch her Aunt's response. If there was one. She felt momentarily guilty, she didn't like to hear her dad sound so defeated, especially when it was her fault. When he started talking again though his voice was firmer. More police-ey,
"Anyway where is Tess? You said she nipped out but then you implied you'd been here all night?." The ping of the peddle bin opening was sharp and metallic, "and this dinner looks like your kind of thing. Hey?"
"Don't interrogate me Alec," but Flic's voice was light and not as harsh as her words implied. Daisy felt nervous and grabbed a towel stepping out of the bath. She wasn't sure where her mum was and didn't want to think too much about it,
"Hey dad is that you? I'm just getting ready for bed. Will you pop up and say goodnight in a bit please?"
"What time to do you call this?" Daisy wasn't sure she had ever heard her mum sound more angry and she felt sorry for her dad who hadn't even managed to shut the front door behind him.
"I'm …." He wasn't allowed to finish.
"You left for a two thirty doctors appointment, weren't back by the time I got a shout at after four and do not appear to have been home since. It's nearly eleven o clock at night Alec. Where the hell have you been?"
"Keep your voice down Tess," her dad sounded drained, "Its not a big deal."
"Not a big deal? Not a big deal? You're an idiot. I've been worried sick. I had to lie and tell Daisy you'd got called onto a job." Daisy couldn't help but smile. He mother's untruth had been easy to spot over dinner eaten at the kitchen table. Her mum had seemed much more interested in a text conversation than where her husband was.
"I went to see the doctor. It took a bit longer than I thought. After I stopped by to check on the Hewitts and then headed back to the office. I lost track of time." Daisy heard her dad walk into the kitchen and open the fridge.
"The Hewitts?" Her mum's frustration was obvious through just her tone of voice. Daisy imagined she could see her, shoulders high and tense, "We'll get back to that in a minute. How did it go at the doctors? What did they say?"
There was a pause. The sound of a chair moving.
"No improvement but not getting any worse either. No need to inform work, no need for a medical at this point. So all good I think."
"All good?" Tess's voice had risen dangerously, "you have a problem with your heart that is not getting better and all you care about it that you don't need to tell the Chief Super. You're nuts. What about me hey? What about your daughter?"
There was a bang which Daisy surmised was a hand hitting the table. When he continued it was in a fast, low tone,
"Don't do that please. It's not fair. My priority is to our family. We have a mortgage that needs paying as well you know. Me being invalided out is not going to keep Daisy in dance gear and you in smart suits and bags. It's not going to let us do a week at centre parcs and a fortnight on the Algarve. It's not going to make everything ok again." He sounded tired, "I'll have the surgery at some point, but I don't need it now. What I need now is to be able to get on with my life without the threat of everything unravelling. I needed to see the Hewitt's let them know we're with them next week when the case starts." He paused and took what sounded like a shaking, deep breath, "That I'll be about to see the bastard rot for what he's put them through."
The anger had drained from her mum's voice and Daisy couldn't help but think she sounded old and tired,
"this isn't good for us Alec. We can't carry on like this."
Daisy shivered. It sounded ominous.