CHAPTER FOUR
Marcus's Plan
The next day Suzie took Marcus home and left him while she went to get Fiona from the hospital. He was just tidying the kitchen, as Suzie had told him to do, when he saw a note on the kitchen table. He picked it up and sat down.
Dear Marcus,
A big part of me knows that I'm doing a wrong, stupid, selfish, unkind thing. But unfortunately that's not the part that has control of me now.
None of this is about you. I've loved being your mum, always, although I've found it difficult sometimes. And I don't know why it isn't enough for me, but it isn't. I just feel very tired, and there doesn't seem to be anything to look forward to. Things will be better for you than they were before. Really. You can go to your dad's, or Suzie has always said she'd look after you.
Love you,
Mum
Marcus was still sitting at the kitchen table when his mum came back from the hospital with Suzie and Megan. She could see immediately what he'd found.
'I'm sorry, Marcus. I'd forgotten about the note.' 'You forgot? You forgot you wrote a letter about killing yourself?'
'Well, I didn't think I'd ever have to remember it, did I?' She laughed at that. She actually laughed. That was his mother. When she wasn't crying at breakfast, she was laughing about killing herself.
'It was stupid of me to leave Marcus here before I went to get you,' said Suzie.
'I wasn't thinking.'
'Suzie, none of this is your fault. But maybe Marcus and I ought to have a little talk alone.'
'Of course,' said Suzie. She gave Marcus a kiss. 'She's fine,' she whispered, loud enough for his mum to hear. 'Don't worry about her.'
When Suzie had gone, Fiona made tea and sat down at the table with Marcus. 'Are you angry with me?'
'What do you think?'
'Because of the letter?'
'Because of the letter, because of what you did, everything.'
'I can understand that. I don't feel the same as I did on Saturday, if that's any help.'