The Guilty Party

It was always easy to manipulate Cassie into taking the blame – but things have changed

ICAN’T believe I’m hearing this!” exclaimed Rachel, staring at me in amazement. “You actually shouted at someone?” “I’m afraid so. Oh dear. I don’t know what came over me.” Mortified, I sank into the nearest chair. “I’m not usually the shouting kind.”

“Too right!” Rachel handed me a mug of coffee. “Honestly Cassie, I’ve never heard you utter a cross word. Still, I reckon you were entitled to snap, considering the guy had just run you over on his bike.”

“He didn’t exactly run me over,” I pointed out. “It was more of a very near miss.” I lapsed into silence, still wobbly from the fall. It had all happened so quickly.

I’d been strolling through the village when this figure on a bike had come zooming round a sharp bend. Thankfully, I’d jumped out of the way in time. But I ended up sprawled on the ground, my dignity in tatters.

“I hope he said he was sorry!” Rachel muttered.

“Oh, he did, about 20 times. But I was so flustered I just screeched at him and flounced off.”

“Well, I’m impressed. Knowing your track record, I’m surprised you didn’t end up apologising to him!” She nudged me playfully. “You’re so soft-hearted people walk all over you. Like a certain ex-fiancé.”

“Oh, let’s not bring Aidan into this!” I groaned. “He’s history, remember?”

“I wish I could believe that. But how many times have you broken off the engagement and then taken him back within a fortnight?” Rachel’s voice darkened.

“He’s so good at manipulating you, Cassie. No matter how badly he lets you down, he always manages to convince you that you’re in the wrong.” She sighed. “You’re just too nice for your own good.”

“I bet that cyclist doesn’t think so after the way I behaved just now!”

“See what I mean? You’re actually feeling guilty about it, even though it was all his fault!”

She was right. And when I set off for home, retracing my steps past the fateful blackberry bush, I kept picturing the sheer alarm in that poor man’s kind blue eyes as I’d bitten his head off. The memory made me blush.

Especially as there was one small detail of the story that I hadn’t shared with Rachel.

Gingerly, I took out my cellphone. Yes, there it was: the SMS I’d been reading just seconds before I fell. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Biting my lip, I scrolled through Aidan’s message. Cassie, please don’t throw everything away just because of some silly tiff. Can’t we meet and talk?

Ha! I knew only too well what would happen if I agreed to that! Aidan would find a way of shifting the blame for the latest “silly tiff ” onto me, and before I knew it he’d be back in my life. “Hello!” I turned round, startled. A tall figure was waving to me from beside the florist’s stall across the street. Clutching a bunch of roses, he hurried towards me.

“I’ve been waiting here for ages, hoping you’d walk past this way again,” he said earnestly, pressing the bouquet into my hands.

“Er, thanks,” I replied, recognising those kind blue eyes at once.

“I’m James. Could I buy you lunch, by way of an apology?” He nodded towards the little bistro on the corner.

I hesitated. It was a place I knew well;

Aidan and I had often met there after work. But I was newly single, wasn’t I? Why shouldn’t I accept a harmless invitation from a pleasant, good-looking man?

AND the final straw came when I caught Aidan kissing his assistant,” I confided. “He even tried to blame me for that!” “Really?” James gasped. “How?” “Oh, apparently I’d driven him into her arms because I’d been working hard, neglecting him.”

“Wow! No wonder you gave this guy the boot!”

“Yes. Even I’m not gullible enough to swallow a pathetic excuse like that!” My cheeks flamed. “Oh, he was always so clever. He had this knack of twisting everything, convincing me he was innocent and I was guilty. That’s why I kept giving him chances, putting up with his flirting. I just believe in thinking the best of people. Stupid, eh?”

“Not stupid. Just too nice for your own good.” “That’s what my friend said!” “Well, it’s good to have faith in human nature. We could do with more people like you at the Community Project.” “What’s that?” “I volunteer at the youth centre, working with local teenagers who’ve been in trouble,” he explained. “My role is to bring out the good in them to get them interested in sport, music, drama. It’s incredibly rewarding.” His face shone. “Anyway, getting back to your predicament: sounds like you’re well rid of this Aidan.”

“Absolutely. As of now I’m officially moving on.”

“So, would this be a good moment to ask you out on a proper date? How does Saturday night sound?”

“Umm. Thanks, but I’m not ready to cross the line into thinking about dates, romance, attraction. It’s just too soon.”

“Okay. Let’s not mention the D-word again, then. And I could tell you I’m not remotely attracted to you, if that would make you feel more comfortable?” “Er . . . right.” “I could say it.” A perfectly-timed comic pause. “It wouldn’t be true, though.” Relieved, I burst into laughter. “Well, just give me the nod whenever you’re ready to cross that line.” Breezily, he headed for the cloakroom.

And then I froze, as the door opened and a familiar face appeared. Oh no. Aidan. I knew coming here was a bad idea. “Cassie!” He smiled delightedly as he spotted me. And then he noticed the leather jacket on James’ chair, and his face clouded. “You’re here with a man?” “Well . . .” “How long has this been going on?” “What kind of a question is that?” I retorted indignantly. “Nothing’s been ‘going on’! You and I split up last week, remember?”

“That’s my point. You seem to have got over it rather quickly.”

I caught my breath, astounded. “What are you implying?”

“Just, this proves what I thought all along. I always suspected you were never really into our relationship. Maybe that’s why I sometimes felt compelled to seek attention elsewhere.”

“What?” I stared at him. “You’re trying to blame me for our relationship ending, on the grounds that I’m seeing someone several days after the breakup? You, may I remind you, were seeing someone else several days before the breakup!”

“I’m just saying, the fact that you’ve replaced me so fast, maybe that proves you never really loved me at all.”

Sad-eyed, he swept melodramatically out into the street.

Oh, I knew exactly what he was trying to do. True to form, he was using his old manipulation tricks to ease his own guilt about cheating on me and heap the responsibility onto my head instead.

Just like he always did.

SUDDENLY the room felt overwhelmingly hot; impulsively I hurried outside for some fresh air. “Are you okay, dear?” asked a friendly voice. I turned quickly; the elderly flower seller was looking at me anxiously. “I’m fine, thanks. Just a bit shaken.” “Ah, yes. I saw what happened earlier.” She pointed towards the blackberry bush. “Kids, eh? They shouldn’t be allowed on bikes if they can’t ride responsibly!”

“Kids?” I echoed, puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“That young boy who nearly crashed into you. He couldn’t have been older than about 14, the scamp. Thank goodness that nice young man was around to come and rescue you.” She winked meaningfully. “Handsome, wasn’t he?” “Umm. Yes.” Scratching my head, I went back into the bistro.

Purposefully I sat down just as James returned to the table. “I’ve had a rather interesting conversation with someone who witnessed my little accident.”

“Ah.” He winced sheepishly. “Look, I didn’t actually say I was the culprit. I was just cycling past when I saw it happen and came to help. When you sat up and saw me, you assumed I was the guilty party.”

“And you just took the blame? You let me rant away at you like a demented fishwife? Why?”

“Well, it was hard to stop you,” he replied logically. “And besides I recognised the boy who sent you flying; he’s one of the kids from the community project. Don’t get me wrong. I haven’t let him off the hook,” he added quickly. “He’ll be getting a very stern talking-to. But he genuinely hadn’t seen you and I didn’t want him to get into trouble. Taking the blame seemed like the best way of protecting him . . . and getting to meet you.”

“Wow.” I blinked hard. “I don’t know whether I should be cross with you for deceiving me, or give you a hug for being so caring.” “I vote for the hug.” “It’s ironic, when you think about it,” I mused. “My ex won’t even accept responsibility for things that are his own fault. You’ve just taken the rap for something that was someone else’s!”

“Well, I guess you’re not the only person around here who’s too nice for their own good.” The kind blue eyes twinkled warmly. “In fact, we’ve got so much in common, we’re obviously made for each other. So if you should change your mind about that question I asked you earlier-”

“You know what?” I smiled up at him, suddenly glowing as I realised I was ready to cross that line after all.

“Now that I think about it, Saturday night sounds absolutely perfect.”

‘You’re not the only person around here who’s too nice for their own good’