My eyes flick to his. “It was the mirror or your face. Besides, the next seven years can’t possibly be worse than how things are now.” I wipe my sniffling nose with my hand. “Please stop going on. I’m so tired, Cal.”
He stands and pulls the duvet down. “Sleep it off. I’ll see to everything.”
“I can’t. The kids will be home soon. Justin.”
“I can handle Justin.”
“Like you handled him last night? He hurt you.” The graze around his eye has almost disappeared, but there’s a purple hue on his temple.
“I let him have that, but if he starts anything again, he’ll fucking get it.” Cal wipes my tear-stained cheeks. “Get some sleep.”
Milk leaks from my painfully swollen breasts, and I open the cardigan to two wet patches. “I need my pump.”
“Where is it?” He rests his palms on the bed on either side of me, caging me in as he pushes himself up and stands. I point to the dressing table, and he strides over, collecting my pump and handing it to me.
He stands over me, watching me fumble with the bottle and connect the pump to the electric point behind the bedside table.
I glare at him. “Privacy? Or are you going to watch?” I already have my legs on display. He doesn’t need to see any more.
He huffs, rolling his eyes but walks out of the room, leaving me alone to take my wet bra off and secure the pump under my t-shirt. The pain from my swelled breast eases as it drains into the bottle attached to the pump, though it sickens me to know I’ll have to throw this milk away because of my alcohol consumption. What a waste.
The house phone rings. I lean over the bed, glimpsing the screen on my bedside table. It’s my mother. I wondered how long before Sam or Justin updated her. I can’t deal with her right now.
The ringing stops, and I relax listening to the sound of the pump, although she’ll only ring again, or turn up at the house at some point.
A minute later, Cal enters the bedroom, holding another handset with my mother on speaker. “Put her on this instant.”
I shake my head. My eyes plead with him to make an excuse for me.
“She isn’t feeling well,” he says into my handset, but narrows his eyes at me.
“I want to speak to her, not you.” There’s venom in her words. I always knew she disliked Callum, but I can really hear the hatred in her voice.
“She’s asleep, Sue.”
“Where is she?”
“In bed.”
“Who’s bed, hers or yours?”
He huffs. “She definitely isn’t in mine, I can assure you.”
“How dare you? You think you can turn her life upside down, then leave her like you always do. She’s going to see your true colours one of these days.”
“Bye Sue.” He cancels the call. “Your mum hasn’t changed then?”
It was actually refreshing to hear my mum in my corner. I didn’t know she cared. Was she actually sticking up for me? For me and not because it’s making her look bad at church or with her friends.
“There’s a text from Justin, too.” He hands me my mobile.
I snatch it from him and read the text.
‘I’ll pick the kids up from school, then drop off at yours.’
Cal’s body stiffens. I can tell he’s not happy, as he storms out of the room in a huff. A few minutes later, I hear the hoover downstairs. I swap the pump to the other side now I’ve deflated one boob. Justin will be here soon, and I really could do with a wash.
* * *