Thorn in the Flesh Read Online Free PDF Page A

help.’
    ‘There,’ Kate said, ‘I knew it was yours. Now, why don’t you draw another and then you’ll have two?’
    ‘Me! Me too!’ A voice piped up in her left ear, causing Kate to grimace. It was always a source of surprise how quickly Louise could get over a telling-off. Kate envied her that level of confidence.
    ‘Louise! I forget how loud you are. Yes, you can do one too, just as long as you don’t steal your sister’s. After all, that’s not right, is it?’
    As she said the words, she had to swallow hard and blink away the threat of tears that were making everything in front of her hazy. Some things could never be right, could they? Not now, and some things weren’t the black and white they ought to be either, though such a concept would be beyond a child’s comprehension. As she struggled to her feet, glad to leave the twins immersed in their new pictures, she almost fell but, thank goodness, strong hands supported her back to the kitchen chair.
    ‘Are you okay?’
    Above her, David frowned and she smiled and tried to nod. ‘Yes, thank you. I just … it doesn’t matter, I’m all right now.’
    ‘More coffee? You’ve hardly touched it. Wasn’t there enough milk?’
    These last questions were from Nicky, and Kate couldn’t help but smile, this time for real. ‘It was fine. I’m sorry I didn’t finish it, but really I’m all right at the moment.’
    ‘Okay,’ Nicky sat down again at the opposite side of the table, reached out and took both Kate’s hands in hers. At the same time, she gestured her husband to go. Kate however would have been happy for David to stay.
    ‘Nicky, I …’
    ‘Look,’ Nicky interrupted and squeezed her hand as if in apology. ‘You don’t have to say anything. Whatever you want to do will be fine by David and me. We’re glad you’re here and, as I’ve said, you can stay as long as you like. Whatever you want to do, let’s do it. Sleeping, walking, reading, shopping, staying in or going out. Or all and none of those. You let me know, Kate, and we’ll do it.’
    Without immediately answering, Kate extricated her hands from those of her friend and laid them square on the table in front of her. She could feel the cool grain of the wood patterning her skin. Looking up, she said, ‘I think there is one thing.’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Please. I’d like to have a bath.’
    Fifteen minutes later and the door was locked and the steam rising up over Kate’s skin. It wasn’t the first time she’d had a thorough wash since the attack but now, today, she wanted to start again. Away from the hospital, away from what had happened, and in a place which felt familiar. Leaning back into foaming, rose-scented water, she closed her eyes and tried to think of nothing. From downstairs, she could hear the faint murmur of voices and the occasional high-pitched giggle from the twins, but this didn’t matter. Kate knew she wouldn’t be disturbed for a while. If anyone needed the bathroom, they could use the downstairs toilet. She could stay here as long as she liked, letting the warmth of the water ease the tensions from her body, watching the bubbles sway and burst into milky white clouds on the water’s surface. She was glad of the chance to stretch out and almost to float, drifting with the swell and fall of her own breathing. More than anything she wanted to be clean.
    Shaking her head, she opened her eyes again to see the water droplets from her hair shower themselves across her arms. Almost in reverence, she touched the scars she wore there now and with a jerky movement covered them with the foam. It didn’t matter, did it? Whatever she did, what had happened wouldn’t go away, not with all the water or soap in the world. While the warmth and the water lulled her into a blessed emptiness, Kate knew she would still have to find some way to face what had been done. Not that she could name it at the moment. The word floated in her mind like the steam in the bathroom and then