Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

SIX WEEKS LATER

Josh sat on the window seat, staring out at the world below. It had rained for hours. Rivulets of water trickled down the glass, distorting his view.

Autumn was in full force. Soon it would be replaced by the dark days of winter. Each gust of wind robbed the trees of more of their leaves. They littered the pavements, turning them into a golden-brown mush.

Recently, Josh had spent far too long staring out at the world. He hadn't heard from Winston since he'd left the day after his bombshell announcement. Josh hadn't contacted him either. Winston had made it perfectly clear he wouldn't welcome that.

Instead, time had frozen. Josh stared into the room that he'd made his breakup headquarters. Takeaway cartons littered the table along with half-drunk glasses of wine and empty coffee mugs.

Another afternoon had begun darkening into evening, casting long shadows over the room. Soon the streetlamp would bathe it in an amber glow. If he were a prisoner, he would be marking the days off on a calendar. Instead, he found himself trapped in a cell of his own making and he had no clue as to how long his sentence was.

His eye was drawn to a figure approaching at an alarming pace. He squinted to see Madeline in a bright pink tracksuit. Even in exercise wear, every inch of her still exuded movie star. It must be exhausting.

She aimed straight for his front door. The expression on her face meant he was in for another of her pep talks.

Josh sighed and heaved himself up from the seat. His body ached even though he'd done nothing. As he ambled to the bottom of the stairs, there came a sharp knock on the door.

Madeline had been a constant presence over the last few weeks. Winston had always accused her of being a user. As a top fashion designer for twenty years, Josh found himself constantly being latched onto by people out to get cheap or free garments. It had made him wary of forming relationships. A button that Winston had never shied away from pressing.

"Hello," he said as he opened the door.

She frowned at him. "You had that T-shirt on yesterday."

"I haven't been to bed."

"Josh," she said. "How much longer is this going to go on?"

His lip quivered. "Until I feel better. I don't know, do I? Are you coming in? It's freezing out there."

Madeline shook her head. "I'm on my way to the gym. I called in to tell you that you're coming for drinks at my place tonight."

Josh stiffened. "I?—"

Madeline silenced him by holding up her hand. "There are to be no excuses, Josh. You've been holed up in this house ever since Winston left. It's gone on long enough. I'm staging an intervention."

Josh leant against the doorframe. Resistance would be futile. Madeline Morrison hadn't clawed her way to the top by taking no for an answer.

"Why don't you come here?" he suggested.

The last time he'd gone to her house it had ruined his life. Not that he blamed her. He had been a willing participant. He wasn't sure that he wanted to retrace his steps this soon.

"I don't think so," she replied. "You're becoming agoraphobic. Not on my watch. Seven p.m. sharp."

"Who else will be there?"

"Just Mercury and Nick. Nothing too scary."

"Fine. Seven o'clock?"

"And not a minute later. I have a key, remember. I will send my son and his hunky man to physically drag you if need be."

Josh shook his head. "Hunky man, is it? You weren't saying that when they first got together."

Madeline had been against their relationship and had resorted to underhand methods to try to enforce her will. As it turned out, Mercury and Nick's love was stronger.

To her credit, she shifted uncomfortably. "I'm woman enough to admit I may have got Nick wrong."

"Wow," he replied. "Shall I ring Hello magazine?"

She pouted. "This doesn't extend to your situation. I still know what's best most of the time."

Josh held his hands up in mock surrender. "As if there was ever any doubt. I know you've got my best interests at heart. Seriously, I do."

"Count on it," she said with a wink. "Now go and get in the shower. I'll see you later."

She jogged down the steps and onto the cobbled stones of the crescent. He watched her go before seeking the safety of his house again.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror. His stubble was turning into a beard and his head needed shaving.

"Maybe it is time," he said to his reflection.

It was seven fifteen when Josh walked up the steps to Madeline's front door. It seemed all so familiar yet different in a weird way. For the first time in weeks, he felt more alive.

He'd taken Madeline's advice and spent most of the day sorting his outer appearance. After a long bath, Josh had shaved his head. He usually kept his hair a close crop but it had grown in over the last few weeks. Now he'd fixed it, he recognised the person staring at him from the mirror.

While he'd been at it, he'd exfoliated, moisturised and even plucked his eyebrows. At first he'd been going through the motions but he soon got into it.

To carry on his good work, he spent the afternoon doing laundry, changing the bed and booking a cleaner. Madeline had lit a fire inside him.

The door opened before he got a chance to ring the bell.

It was Mercury.

"Hello, Josh," Mercury said. "Come on in."

"Were you watching out for me?"

"Me and Mum had a bet you wouldn't show. You just made me five hundred quid."

"So glad to be of service," Josh muttered.

He also noted that Mercury had given him more credit than Madeline. Following Mercury inside, he desperately tried to block out the moment six weeks earlier when his whole world had come crashing down.

Josh found it odd visiting neighbours. It was like walking into his own house if someone had redecorated. The layout of each mansion didn't really change. They had no room for crazy extensions. Some people had dug down to create fabulous basements. The rumour mill reported that the Formula One star Charles Worthington even had a pool in his.

They found Madeline and Nick, chatting in the sunroom. A bottle of champagne nestled in an ice bucket. If Madeline knew about one thing, it was champagne.

"Darling. You made it," she said, leaping up.

"More than you expected, I hear," Josh replied. "Sorry to cost you the bet."

Madeline scowled at Mercury who had taken a seat and draped himself over Nick.

"That is a family matter. You're right though. You've surprised me and in such a good way. Come. Sit down. Mercury, pour Josh a drink."

"Allow me," Nick said.

Josh hadn't spent much time with Mercury's partner but anyone that could cause Madeline to admit she was wrong was worth getting to know.

Nick handed Josh a glass.

"Thank you."

Josh settled on the couch next to Madeline while Mercury and Nick snuggled up on the chaise longue.

Oh to be so in love.

Not that he and Winston had ever been like that. Winston didn't really believe in physical contact outside of the bedroom. He called it needy.

"How's work?" Mercury asked.

Josh looked down.

"I've not been there since…"

"What do you do?" Nick asked.

"He's a fashion designer," Mercury replied on Josh's behalf. "Surely you've heard of Josh Winterton and Cut?"

Nick shrugged. "Sorry, Josh. Fashion isn't my strong point."

"Evidently," Madeline chimed in.

They all looked at her before she laughed.

"Mum!" Mercury said.

"What? For a handsome man, you don't show yourself off very well, Nick. Have no fear, you're in the right place."

Nonplussed, Nick took a gulp of champagne.

"I don't have your budget, Madeline. I'll be fine on my own."

"Pah," Madeline said, waving him off. "The richer you get, the less you pay. It's unfair yet it's true."

Mercury nodded sagely. "Since I put him on my insta, we've had loads of offers."

"For modelling," Nick reminded him. "Not my bag. The kids at work would never let me live it down."

Nick ran a youth project in South London. That was where he and Mercury had met when Mercury had been sentenced to community service for a crime he didn't commit.

"To be fair, that's true," Mercury said. "They can be pretty brutal."

Josh enjoyed watching the conversation. He had been out of circulation too long. He realised he'd been starved of this except for Madeline's regular visits. Even their nosy neighbour, Mrs Wimpole, had given up trying to get an answer from his door.

"So, Josh," Madeline said. "What have you been doing if not working?"

Again, the focus fell on him. Josh sat back on the sofa, willing it to swallow him up. He has news and he might as well tell them.

"Winston has filed for divorce."

Those words were loaded with pain.

"What?" Madeline cried. "Already?"

Josh nodded. "He didn't even contact me. I got a letter this week from his solicitors."

"Cold bastard," Nick said.

Madeline moved up the sofa and wrapped her arm around him. He flinched at first. Then leant into it, a lump forming in his throat.

"When?" she asked.

"Monday or Tuesday. I can't remember."

The time was merging into one for Josh now. Every day since Winston left had been the same.

"Oh, darling," Madeline soothed whilst rubbing his shoulder. "You should have said."

To Josh's amazement, his tears weren't forthcoming.

Maybe I've finally cried them all out.

"Perhaps it's for the best," he said. "I've not heard a thing from him since he left. He's clearly checked out of our marriage."

"Probably too busy terrorising the Cote D'Azur," Mercury added. "What a twat."

Suddenly, Madeline glanced at her watch and leapt up.

"Quick, Mercury. Where's the remote?"

"What's going on?" Josh asked.

Mercury reached under the chaise longue and handed the control to his mother, who stared at it.

"Which button?"

Mercury sighed and got up. While he wrestled the control off her, Nick leant forward.

"There's an interview with Madeline on The Archie Cook Show ."

"Wow," Josh said. "Very highbrow."

Archie Cook was the darling of the arts scene. He'd interviewed Winston a few years ago about one of his films.

"Don't sound so surprised," Madeline said, sitting next to him. "Remember that little film I did in April?"

"Oh yes," Josh replied. "Where you played a mermaid."

"In a dream sequence."

Mercury sat down. A pair of drag queens filled the screen.

"Gone a bit heavy on the makeup, Mother."

"Hush," she said. "I'll be on in a minute."

They all watched. The two figures on the screen were total opposites of each other. One was tall with a huge blonde wig and thick Australian accent. The other was shorter, brunette and had an Essex twang to their voice.

The premise was they were two housewives working in a call centre. Odd conversations with customers were peppered with jokes about their lives at home. The audience reaction was tepid at best. The camera panned across a sea of stony faces.

"Oh, this is Betty Didn't and Shirley Hedid," Mercury said. "I've seen them on the circuit. They usually go down better than this."

They carried on watching. Mercifully, the spot came to an end, receiving lacklustre applause.

"They're having a nightmare," Nick said.

"Poor sods," Madeline added.

The achingly cool Archie Cook came onto the stage. Before he could even ask them a question, a young audience member stepped forward. They appeared more than a little inebriated.

"That was fucking shit," he shouted. "Get back to the nineties where you belong."

Security soon swooped and yanked him out of the crowd. However, the damage had been done. Archie swiftly went to the commercial break as the camera focused on the confused faces of the two drag queens.

"Shit," Mercury said. "That was a bit savage."

"What about my interview?" Madeline wailed.

"That's my mother. Always thinking of others."

As the Morrisons squabbled, Josh sipped his champagne. For the first time in ages, he could see a tiny glimmer of hope that life would return to normal.

At least I'm not a drag act who's just seen their career implode on live television.