Knowing Me Knowing You by Mandy Baggot Page A

fault their end or that she had missed a bank holiday or something. But there was no explanation and there was no fault with her account. The money from Matthew hadn’t been received and there was nothing stuck in the electronic system.
    She didn’t know what to do. She really needed the money , b ut that meant phoning Matthew. She couldn’t phone him. She hadn’t spoken to him since just after he left. He had phoned about a week after his departure, while she was still moping at home in front of CBeebies , cornflakes in her hair and an undressed Bethan on her lap. He’d given her his address and phone number and told her he had set up the standing order. He hadn’t asked about Bethan , in fact he hadn’t even mentioned her name. The entire correspondence since had been through their solicitors and very quickly the divorce had come through. There had seemed little reason to interact at all after that.
    Kate took out her address book from the drawer of the dresser, found the entry and stared at it. Matthew Baxter. Her husband’s name in her address book in her handwriting, just like every other entry. It was just his details but seeing his name conjured up so many images. Maybe she was overreacting; it was obviously just an oversight. M aybe the money would be there tomorrow or in the week. She didn’t want to phone him, she didn’t want to hear his voice. She was afraid of what hearing it would do to her.
    She picked up the phone. She put it down. She took a deep breath and composed herself. Why did thinking of him still do this to her? She was divorced from him; he had left her and Bethan . He was part of her past and nothing more. He had abandoned them. She snatched up the phone and dialled in the number. It rang and she waited, holding her breath.
    ‘ Hello. ’
    The sound of a woman’s voice shocked her and she didn’t know what to do. Should she hang up? Who was this woman? Should she speak? What should she say? She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself.
    ‘ Oh hello is, er , Matthew there please? ’
    ‘ Who’s calling? ’ the woman asked in secretarial tones.
    ‘ It’s Kate. ’
    There was complete silence at the other end after she had said her name and she could tell the mood of the woman had changed. It was an almost hostile silence until she eventually spoke.
    ‘ Matt, it’s her . ’
    Her ?! Kate had never been referred to as a ‘her’ before. A ‘her’ was someone despised; ‘her’ was a reference you would use if you were speaking about someone playing the part of a mistress to your adulterous spouse. But she wasn’t a mistress, she was an ex-wife and she was the injured party here. Kate cringed and felt angry and upset at the same time, tears pricking her eyes. She didn’t want to be doing this but she had to , for Bethan .
    ‘ Hello, ’ Matthew’s voice spoke.
    Kate’s heart flipped just hearing him and she was mad at herself for feeling that way. He had a nice voice, soft and low, sultry even. And she used to love the way he laughed, a mellow, deep laugh like his vocal chords had been soaked in honey. She hadn’t spoken and she needed to .
    ‘ Oh hello Matthew, I was just online checking my bank account and your standing order hasn’t gone through this week, ’ Kate spoke hurriedly, pushing the words out as fast as she could.
    ‘ No, ’ Matthew replied not sounding surprised.
    ‘ Oh, you knew? Was there a problem with your bank? ’ Kate enquired .
    ‘ No. ’
    ‘ Oh, well what’s happened? I mean … ’ Kate began , sensing a flatness in his voice that she barely recognised.
    ‘ I can’t pay you any more Kate, I don’t have the money, ’ Matthew answered.
    His voice definitely wasn’t sultry now; it was matter of fact and cool.
    Kate felt like she had been shot. What had he said? He couldn’t pay her any more ? No, he can’t have said that, they had a long-standing agreement.
    ‘ I - I don’t understand, ’ Kate replied meekly her chest