Jamie was up the stepladder, changing a light bulb in the dining room, when his sister walked in, deflating his cheery mood immediately.
‘I see she’s got you working.’ Shannon slid onto a table and stared up at him.
‘Can you not sit on the table?’
‘I’m comfy. How about you?’
He glanced at the ceiling. ‘I’m busy.’
‘I’ve only come in to say goodbye. I’m off home tomorrow.’
Jamie remembered when the B&B used to be their home. It felt strange all of a sudden, even though not much had changed since his grandmother owned the place. Even the Christmas decorations were the same.
‘I can’t believe you want to hang around here,’ she added, examining her fingernail.
‘Not all the memories are bad.’ He thought of Alice. His nan.
Shannon wrinkled her nose as she scoffed. ‘Not sure what you remember, but I only have to set foot in this place and I smell Dad, reeking of stale booze.’ She shuddered, touching her chest. ‘Seriously, Jamie, leave it behind. Don’t you think you’ve been through enough?’
‘It’s different here now.’
‘What, because of Miss Goody-goody?’
He ignored her, hoping she would leave, but no such luck.
‘I know I can’t do anything about getting the B&B back. But I did wonder if Dipple would feel sorry for me and toss a few quid my way if I laid it on thick.’
Jamie shook his head, not surprised at all. ‘Guess she’s not as soft as you think.’
Shannon gazed at the floor. ‘I still wish Nan had left this place to me.’
‘You hate it here.’
‘I would have sold to property developers. Made sure it was turned into flats or something. Anything but this.’
Jamie climbed down the ladder and pointed at the doorway. ‘You live on the other side of the world, Shan. Don’t let it bother you what happens here. It’s not as though you have to pass by every day.’
‘Just knowing it stands irritates me.’
‘Yeah, well, that’s probably why Nan sold it to Alice. She sure as hell wasn’t about to leave any of it to you in her will.’
Shannon scowled. ‘She was being spiteful to us, hope you know.’
‘I don’t believe that. Nan was just moving on with her life. You should try taking a leaf out of her book.’
‘In case you haven’t noticed, I am the one who moved on. Look at you, little bro. How far have you gone?’
He hated when she called him that, like she was somehow wiser and held more authority because she was a few minutes older. ‘Change isn’t just about scenery. I’ve gone through many personalities to find me, and I now like myself. So, to answer your question, I’ve come a long way.’
Shannon sighed as she stood. ‘Good for you.’ She scanned the room, and he couldn’t tell if she was reminiscing or perhapssaying a silent final farewell. ‘If you ever want to come over to see me, you can.’
Jamie quirked an eyebrow at her casual offer. ‘Thanks.’
‘I won’t be back,’ she told him bluntly.
‘I figured that much.’
Shannon stopped in the foyer. ‘And it’s not because I couldn’t get any of Nan’s money.’ She checked the time on her phone, then slipped it into her pink handbag. ‘This was no home, just someone’s business, a place for our father to sleep, and somewhere our mum left us.’
