some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Was this because she dreaded having to talk one-to-one with her again? Or was she afraid of not getting an answer?
Hannah decided it was probably a combination of the two, although the latter was of particular concern in light of Mia not being able to reach her. It was strange they’d not heard anything yet about when she was coming back for Mia.
God, what if something had happened to her? What would they do then?
No sooner had she decided to stop dithering and call the number than her mobile began to ring of its own accord.
‘Hello?’ Hannah said, answering the phone in a clipped tone, as if Mark had caught her in the middle of something. ‘Is everything all right?’
‘Hi,’ he replied. ‘Yes, I’m fine, thanks. What about you? You sound busy.’
‘Oh? I’m not really.’
‘How’s everything going with Mia? Are you finding it okay on your own with her?’
Hannah brought Mark up to date about Mia sleeping in, their stilted breakfast chat, and lastly her niece’s claim to have period pains.
‘I see,’ he replied, glad not to have had that particular conversation with their guest. He knew it would have embarrassed him, even though modern men were supposed to be able to talk comfortably about the time of the month. Dads in particular, he thought, feeling the knot in his stomach tighten. The knot that had been there since he’d read Diane’s letter.
But it was Hannah’s next comment that really got Mark’s attention. Lowering her voice, she said: ‘I think the real reason Mia’s feeling off this morning is because of her mum. Diane’s not been replying to her calls or messages, apparently.’
‘What? Not at all?’
‘She sent her one message on Saturday to say she’d got home; nothing since.’
This surprised Mark, who’d assumed mother and daughter had been in regular contact. He’d certainly seen Mia typing and receiving various messages on her phone while she’d been staying with them. These must have been to and from her friends at home.
Unbeknown to Hannah or Mia, he’d also tried and failed to get hold of Diane several times yesterday.
He’d grabbed her number from Hannah’s mobile. When Diane hadn’t answered, his mind had gone into overdrive, reading all kinds of potential meanings into this. Now he had a new perspective on the situation.
‘That’s a bit odd,’ he said into his phone, which was tucked between his chin and right shoulder as he made a brew for himself and a handful of colleagues in the kitchen at work. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done this, but judging by the shocked looks on his co-workers’ faces when he’d offered, it was long overdue. In truth, he’d wanted an excuse to make this call away from prying ears in the open-plan office, since all the meeting rooms were occupied. Mark wasn’t one for sharing personal information with colleagues; the last thing he wanted this morning was to face nosy queries about who Mia was and why she was staying with them.
At times like this he’d have appreciated having his own private office, but that was far too traditional to fit in with the firm’s modern, open ethos.
‘What’s that noise?’ Hannah asked.
‘I’m brewing up. It’s probably the kettle you can hear.’
‘What? I thought you said you never had time for that. Are you feeling all right?’
‘Very funny. So where’s Mia now?’
‘In her bedroom, reading. I mentioned the art galleries and museums, but she said she didn’t feel up to going.’
‘Look on the bright side: at least you might get the chance to do some writing.’ Mark bent down to get the milk out of the fridge as he spoke, cricking his neck in the process, forcing him to switch the phone back into his hand with a groan.
‘What was that?’ Hannah asked. ‘Are you all right?’
‘It’s nothing. I’m just trying to do too many things at once. So what do you think is going on with Diane?’
He heard the sound of his wife sighing down the line. ‘Who knows?’
‘It certainly seems strange for her to go silent like this … assuming Mia’s telling the truth.’
‘What do you mean?’
Yes, good point. What did he mean? The idea that Mia might be fibbing had only occurred to Mark as he’d said it. It was based solely on a paranoid, unsupported fear that she might be working against him – in cahoots with her mother.
‘Never mind,’ he said. ‘Ignore me. I’m, er, just thinking out loud.’
‘Why would she make such a thing up? You weren’t here. You didn’t see how upset she was. I felt so sorry for her that I even let her check her mobile at the breakfast table.’
‘You what?’ Mark replied, grinning in spite of the guilt and fear that had been eating him up ever since Diane’s flabbergasting revelation. ‘That can’t be right. You must be going soft in your old age. You’ll be answering a call in the cinema next.’
Hannah had long had a bee in her bonnet about people using mobiles at mealtimes. She found it the height of rudeness and, although Mark wasn’t quite as offended by it as she was, over the years she’d converted him to the cause. He hadn’t spotted Mia doing it so far, perhaps because Diane had similar feelings to Hannah, which she’d instilled in her daughter.
That didn’t sound like the Diane he remembered, who’d always been far better at breaking rules than following them. Maybe motherhood had changed her. She’d confiscated Mia’s mobile for some reason when they’d first arrived, so there were obviously boundaries in place.
‘And you’ve still not heard anything from Diane either?’ Mark asked.
‘No. I told Mia I’d try to get hold of her. She wants to know when her mum is coming back for her.’
‘That’s understandable. She is only fourteen. She’s probably homesick. So are you going to try calling Diane yourself?’
She cleared her throat. ‘I guess so.’
Hearing reluctance in Hannah’s strained tone of voice, Mark spotted an opportunity. ‘You, er, don’t sound very keen.’ He held his breath for a moment before adding: ‘Would you rather I tried to get hold of her instead?’
‘You’d do that?’ she asked, already sounding happier.
‘Of course, if it makes life easier for you.’
‘That would be amazing. You’re the best.’
Mark winced at this, wishing it was true, before forcing himself to add: ‘Could you text me her phone number?’
