Poppet

Stewart and the Wandering Star

MELANIE IS STILL loaded down with food and slow moving. The sex she and AJ have that night is the sort that belongs on a desert island, lazy and leisurely and un-showoffy. It takes for ever; it’s speechless. Afterwards she amazes him by curling up next to him, holding him tightly, as if she’s clinging on to a life raft. He drifts off to sleep in the middle of studying her – mapping every detail of her face. He’s in the same position, on his back, arm pushed out to the side, when he wakes.

She’s still lying on his arm but she’s wide awake, prodding him.

‘AJ? AJ?’

‘Yeah? What?’ He rubs his eyes, props himself up on his elbows and looks around groggily. His first thought is Isaac Handel, but the curtains are closed. ‘What’s up?’

Mel kisses his ear. She smells of warm orange and shampoo. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, sweetheart. Don’t think I’m being rude, but would you ask Stewart to go out on to the landing?’

Stewart is in his usual place next to the door, lying down. He’s wide awake too – eyes fixed on AJ and Melanie. ‘Stewart? Why? What’s he done?’

‘Nothing.’ She gives a little shiver. Dabs her nose with a tissue. Sniffs. ‘Maybe he’s been out in the grass – I don’t know – it’s just my allergy’s kicking in.’

Even through the pall of sleep AJ knows her sniffs are fake. He sits up now, peers seriously at her. ‘Melanie? Allergy? Are you sure? It’s autumn.’

‘Yes – I’m sorry, I think it’s dear old Stewart and I …’

AJ looks from Stewart to Melanie and back again, perplexed. But he gets up anyway and takes Stewart out on to the landing, closes the door and returns to bed.

‘Thank you.’ She cuddles into him. She’s cold and covered in goosebumps. From her breathing he knows her nose isn’t bunged up at all. ‘Thank you.’

‘What’s really the matter?’ he asks. ‘You haven’t got an allergy.’

She stops her wriggling and goes still like an animal caught in a trap. He can feel her ribcage rising and falling very gently.

‘Melanie? What is it? Did you see something?’

‘No – I promise. It’s an allergy.’

‘Please. I’m honest with you.’

There’s a long silence. Then she shakes her head. ‘No. You’ll think I’m crazy.’

‘Try me.’

‘I couldn’t sleep—’

‘Not surprising. And with everything you ate last night too.’

‘No – every time I opened my eyes Stewart was awake. I just kept thinking what you said about how something happened – how he …’ She swallows. ‘How he disappeared. AJ? What do you think he saw?’

AJ frowns, looks down at her to see if she’s serious. Melanie Arrow, the hard-headed, no-nonsense workaholic. It’s actually getting to her.

‘Hey.’ He kisses her on her forehead. ‘You’re safe here. I promise.’

She gives a weak smile. ‘Promise, promise, pinkie promise?’

‘Pinkie promise, cross my heart. Now go to sleep.’

Eventually she does go back to sleep. AJ does too. It’s a dreamless, deep sleep – and they are both so tired that they snooze on through the alarm. It’s only Stewart scratching at the door and whimpering that wakes them. They jump up hurriedly, and race around trying to organize themselves. Patience is still asleep but she’s been up in the night and has left coffee brewing for them on the stove. AJ pours a cup for Melanie and drinks his mug standing in the doorway watching Stewart doing his thing in the fields.

He wonders what on earth is going on with the dog. Mel’s right, something is really askew. When Stewart’s had a pee, instead of trotting back to the cottage for his breakfast, he turns and looks in the direction of the woods.

‘No.’ AJ shakes his head. ‘No, Stewart, not again. Come on, come here. Now.’

Stewart can’t make up his mind whether to obey. He gives the woods a longing look, then glances back at AJ.

‘I said now, Stewart.’

Finally Stewart’s stomach gets the better of him and he trots obligingly back inside. If he resents being thrown out of the bedroom last night it doesn’t show as he tucks into his breakfast. AJ watches him thoughtfully for a few moments, then he washes his coffee mug and heads back upstairs.

Melanie has showered and is already dressed and sitting in the chair next to his bedroom window, delving into her handbag. She’s wearing a white blouse with a sailor collar and little black bow and silver earrings dangling around her jawline. When he comes in she hurriedly takes her hands out of the handbag. But not so quickly that he hasn’t seen what she was doing.

He looks at the bag. ‘Still haven’t found your bracelet?’

‘Oh,’ she shrugs. ‘No – no, I … Never mind, it’s not the end of the world.’

‘It’s hard, when you lose something that precious to you.’

Melanie blinks and continues smiling at him. But he can tell it’s an effort. She’s fighting to stop something under the surface cracking open.

‘Melanie?’

‘Yes,’ she says brightly. She jumps up and turns her back on him, begins shovelling things into her bag. ‘Gotta get going, AJ, we’ve gotta get going – people to see, hospitals to run. Come on.’ She holds up her hand and clicks her fingers, still not looking at him. ‘Vamos, vamos, vamos, babbbeeeee!’