Free The Calling by Alison Bruce Page B

shouting, and then expecting me to respect you as an adult.’ She shook a tea cloth at her daughter. ‘You’re not mature enough to be in love, and you’re going to come unstuck big time. And then it’ll be me picking up the pieces. You’ll be glad of this sodding house then, I can tell you.’
    Paulette stormed back into her bedroom, but carried on yelling. ‘You’re right, I’m stupid, because I actually believed you would be pleased I’d met someone special.’ The pitch of her voice escalated. ‘But, oh no, you realize I’m growing up and you can’t stand it, can you? You’re jealous, aren’t you?’
    Her mother trudged up the stairs, lowering her voice to try and diffuse Paulette’s tantrum. ‘For pity’s sake, Paulette, I know you came home crying again last night. You’re not happy, so why do you keep seeing him?’
    Paulette appeared in the doorway, holding a box of Tampax inone hand and a can of deodorant in the other. ‘I am happy , but you don’t understand anything, do you? What would you know? We’ve had a few rows, but we’re getting it sorted out.’ Fury glinted in her eyes. ‘And I’ll tell you about them, they start because I get possessive, and that’s your fault because that’s just how you are, and that’s how you’ve made me.’
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t like him, I never have, but I’m not jealous .’ Mrs Coleman then goaded Paulette with the word. ‘Jealous?’ she repeated with venom. ‘You’re jealous because it’s you who’s doing all the chasing. You’re bound to feel insecure, because he just isn’t that interested.’
    ‘Of course he’s interested,’ Paulette retaliated. ‘We have a fantastic sex life, if you really want to know.’
    ‘You make it so easy for him,’ Mrs Coleman snorted, ‘he just clicks his fingers and you go running. And where do you get that from? I never brought you up to be that stupid.’
    Paulette threw some toiletries into a shoulder bag. ‘No, you brought me up to walk all over people, and that’s not how I want to be. I’ve never been as happy as I am now. I love him.’
    Mrs Coleman crossed her arms over her bosom, and clicked her tongue behind clenched teeth. ‘And I suppose he loves you, too?’
    ‘As a matter of fact, yes, he does.’ Paulette snatched a black blouse from the end of the bed and barged past her mother and into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut and rammed the bolt into place.
    Her mother turned her head as Paulette passed, but didn’t move. ‘Well, it doesn’t cost him anything to say that, whatever he really thinks.’
    Inside the bathroom, Paulette stood with her back pressed to the door. ‘I can’t hear you.’
    ‘Of course you can’t. But you’ll hear him when he hoots his horn, won’t you? You’ll be trotting out there quick enough, then.’
    Paulette chose not to answer. She pulled off her jumper and T-shirt to reveal a black bra trimmed with hot-pink lace. Paulette pulled it down at the sides and scooped each breast fully into its cup. She piled up her hair and held it on top of her head. She turned sideways and checked out her reflection. Satisfied, she started on hermake-up. She squirted too much foundation from the tube, then applied it in a heavy swathe across her forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. As it smeared, she cursed her mother and rubbed the excess into her neck. Her fingers fumbled with the mascara and she counted out five strokes on each side, top and bottom, to ensure it was even. She chose a shade of pink lipstick called Hot Candy and began to apply it, just as she heard the familiar double-beep of Pete’s car’s hooter.
    She paused, listening for a car door to slam. After a few seconds he hooted again, so she rushed back to her room to collect her bags.
    As she passed the hall mirror, she caught a glimpse of her unblotted lipstick and single-tone skin, and paused just long enough to press her fingertips on to her lips and dab some lipstick on to