Black Valley by Charlotte Williams Read Free Book Online

together, but I like her. She’s a nice girl.’ He checked himself. ‘I mean, woman. I think Rose would like her. And
Nella, too, if she’d countenance meeting her.’
    ‘I think that’s doubtful.’
    Since Bob had moved out, Nella had become quite hostile to her father. She seemed to have decided that the rift was all his fault, despite Jess being scrupulously fair towards Bob in discussing
it with her. She’d tried not to criticize Bob in the girls’ presence; she knew only too well, from dealing with her clients, just how destructive it could be for children to witness
continuous acrimony between their parents, and she was determined not to visit this particular misery on her own.
    Bob took a sip of his beer. Rather more than a sip, in fact. More like a gulp.
    ‘I can’t see a problem with it, Jess. Can you?’
    Jess gave a sigh. ‘No. Not if it’s a long-term relationship.’ There was a slight tremble in her voice as she spoke. She’d got so used to Bob loving her, wanting her, and
her pushing him away, that it was a shock to realize he’d given up and moved on to someone else. ‘But please, be discreet. Don’t throw the fact that you’re sleeping with
Tegan in Rose’s face. She’s at a very important point in her development. It could really upset her.’
    ‘Of course. I’ll—’
    Jess interrupted him. ‘I don’t want to know about your domestic arrangements. All I ask is that you make it easy for Rose. She loves you, you know.’ Jess could feel the beer
going to her head. ‘She misses you.’
    A look of anguish came over Bob’s face. Jess realized, for the first time, that he missed Rose more than he missed her. She wondered whether he’d only wanted them to stay together so
that he could be a father to Rose for a few more years before she grew up and left them, as Nella was close to doing. And she wondered whether, if she’d been a better mother, she would have
let that happen.
    ‘Right.’ Bob picked up the menu. He never stayed sad for long. He was a doer, not a brooder. That was one of the things Jess had loved about him.
    ‘How about a nice pud? Let’s see . . .’
    Jess looked at her watch. ‘I’ll just have an espresso. And then I’ll have to go.’

4
    Frank O’Grady’s funeral was a subdued affair. Frank was a former client of Jessica’s, who had come to her for help with what he called his ‘sex
addiction’, a condition that had come upon him late in life, after his diagnosis with advanced prostate cancer. He had been a difficult man: unfortunately, the sex addiction had extended to
his relationship with his therapist, and he’d spent most of the sessions with Jess staring at her breasts, ogling her legs, and making lascivious remarks. She’d found the sessions most
uncomfortable, and in the end had resorted to keeping a baggy cardigan in her consulting rooms, which she’d donned especially for his sessions. However, as his health deteriorated,
she’d stopped wearing it, realizing that she had become the last person left in the world who would put up with his behaviour and try to understand him. A month ago, he’d gone into a
hospice; she’d visited him there twice, and on each occasion, though he was painfully weak and thin, he’d found the strength to flirt with her, with a measure of affection, humour and
respect. She’d responded similarly, no longer feeling the need to maintain her detachment, as she’d always had to do in the sessions; and he’d clearly taken comfort from her
new-found warmth towards him. It had seemed like a small victory at the time, and she’d felt quite emotional when each of the visits was over; now that he was dead, she was glad she’d
been patient with him, especially at the end.
    The funeral was held at the Crem, as everyone in Cardiff called it. Jess had feared she might be the only person to attend; from what Frank had told her, she knew that he was on bad terms with
his family, had few friends, and didn’t