Unspoken: A story of secrets, love and revenge T. Belshaw (good books to read for beginners txt) 📖

man’s shirt that was draped across the arm of a chair. She fastened the customary two buttons and stepped away from the bed.

‘Where are you off to?’ asked Calvin.

‘I’m bursting for a pee if you want the sordid details,’ replied Tania.

‘Hurry up back,’ he said lasciviously. He pulled off the sheet to show her his erection.

‘Sort it out yourself,’ she said seriously. ‘I’m too sore.’

While she was in the bathroom, Calvin pulled on his black boxer shorts and studied himself critically in the full-length mirror that was fixed to the door of Tania’s wardrobe. He breathed in to expand his chest and pull in his already flat stomach. Satisfied that he hadn’t put on weight overnight. He walked over to the kitchenette, filled the kettle and switched it on. He picked two mugs from the branches of the mug tree and looked in the cupboard for coffee. Finding only cheap instant he pulled two tea bags from the half-full box of eighty, and dropped them into the mugs.

Tania came back as he was pouring boiling water over the tea bags.

‘You can have a job here if you like,’ said Tania. ‘I could use a Chai Wallah.’

‘A what?’

‘Chai Wallah. Ah, you’ve never been to India. They’re all over the place there. They make you a cup of tea on demand.’

‘Never been, never want to. It’s too hot, too sticky and the smell in the towns must be horrendous. The poverty there is appalling.’

‘It is, but it’s beautiful too,’ replied Tania. ‘I’m going back next summer. I’ve already booked. I want to see the—’

‘I’m going to the States when I can get the money together.’

‘You really can be quite ignorant at times you know.’ Tania stared at him, legs slightly apart, hands on hips.

‘Ignorant? I was about to tell you about my planned trip to the USA, that’s all.’ Calvin looked genuinely puzzled.

‘You cut me off, mid-sentence,’ said Tania. ‘Other people have hopes and dreams too, Calvin. You should listen to them sometimes. Don’t be so selfish. It can’t always be about you.’

‘I’m not selfish. I do things for people too,’ complained Calvin. ‘I just made you a cup of tea.’

Tania blew out her cheeks and slowly shook her head. ‘Thank you,’ she said, taking the proffered mug from him.

Calvin sat on the end of the bed and sipped at his tea. He pulled a face; it wasn’t the brand he liked.

‘I’ll bring you some decent coffee the next time I come,’ he said.

‘I like the instant in my cupboard,’ said Tania. ‘There’s nothing wrong with it.’

‘Wait until you try the Whittard’s,’ he replied. ‘Have you got a proper ground coffee maker?’

She shook her head. ‘No, it’s all too messy. I’ll stick with my instant thanks.’

‘Suit yourself, but you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s like the wine really. You get what you pay for.’

Tania leaned forward to look at her phone that sat on the bedside table and her tea spilled onto her shirt.

‘Damn,’ she said and walked over to the sink to try to wash out the stain before it set.

Calvin put down his tea and stood close behind her. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her back towards him.

‘So, how was it for you last night?’

She sighed.

‘It was fine, Calvin. What do you want, a score out of ten? Okay it was a seven point five. How’s that?’

‘Is that all? What was wrong? I thought you were really into it. How many blokes give you three sessions?’

‘It was fine, as I said, Calvin, and I’m already fed up with having to repeat this conversation.’

‘What was wrong?’ Calvin persisted.

‘All right, seeing as you asked.’ Tania dropped the wet cloth she’d been sponging her shirt with and turned to face him. ‘You’re not very… adventurous, are you?’

‘How do mean, adventurous?’ Calvin stepped away and looked at her quizzically.

‘Well, you seem to love the missionary position. When I tried to climb aboard you turned me over again and whilst I admire your endurance, there’s no variety; it’s missionary or doggy all the time. You always have to be in control. You should loosen up. I like to be boss sometimes.’

‘You didn’t complain last night,’ he said sulkily.

‘No, I didn’t, it was nice, as I said. Look, Calvin, I’m getting really bored with this. I told you before, I’m not into comparing lovers. I don’t hand out medals.’

‘You think I’m boring. I’ve never had any complaints.’

‘I’m not complaining, Calvin, just pointing something out.’ Tania walked towards the bathroom. ‘I’m going to shower now; I’ve got things to do this morning.’ She opened the bathroom door, looked back towards him and smiled a half smile. ‘Let yourself out.’

Chapter 41

Jess

‘When my father left, I wasn’t too upset at all as I remember, Nana. I hardly missed him to be honest. He often worked away and when he came home it was only for a few fleeting hours. I used to think he worked twenty-four hours a day at times, but after listening to your story, I now know that he was only coming home to get himself smartened up for whichever gambling joint he was visiting that night.

‘I never had much in the way of treats when I was growing up, not from my parents at least. There were no day trips, no holidays, the only time I got out of my own street was when I was allowed to come and stay with you for a weekend, or a whole week in the school holidays. You can’t even begin to guess how much I looked forward to those visits. Looking back, they always seemed to happen at a time when Mum and Dad had been arguing a lot. I used to lie in bed listening to their raised voices from the room below. I only picked up a few words and none of them made sense to me. Many was the time I’d go to sleep and dream that they had died suddenly and you had claimed custody of