‘All the software’s changed since I did my training.’
‘There would be an online course you could do if you wanted to get back into it.’
Sophie gave a non-committal shrug.
‘We could probably give you some work doing accounts for the clinic,’ Nel offered.It felt important that Sophie knew there were options, if she wanted them.
‘That’s kind of you, but …’ she dropped her voice, ‘… I don’t think so.’
Nel swallowed.‘Because of Ryan?’
Another shrug.Sophie gave her a smile that reminded Nel of a country and western song.Beautiful and sad.Full of regret.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of footsteps.Lauren entered and slumped onto the stool next to Nel, resting her head on the benchtop theatrically.
‘It’s like Lord of the Flies out there.Whose idea was a Nerf gun party?’she asked ironically.
Nel suspected her sister had a whole Pinterest board dedicated to battleground props and bullseye cakes.They laughed, the tension of their conversation slipping away.
Lauren sat up and looked around.‘Any sign of Poppy?’
‘No.I was wondering where she was,’ Nel said.‘I thought she must have fled the war zone completely.’
‘She’ll be hiding in her room,’ Lauren said.‘I agreed to pay her twenty dollars an hour to help out with the party, but she’s having a tantrum.She’s gone on strike.’
‘Oh god, teenage girls terrify me a little bit,’ Sophie said.
‘Yeah, well, brace yourself,’ Lauren said.
‘What’s she upset about?’Nel asked.
‘She wasn’t where she was meant to be last night.She was supposed to be at a friend’s place, but her friend’s mum knew nothing about it, and she’d switched off location tracking on her phone so I couldn’t see where she was.I’m not sure what she was up to, but it was definitely something shifty.’
Nel frowned.‘You track her location?’It struck her as a breach of privacy.
‘Of course I do.Everyone does!’Lauren huffed.‘Anyway.I haven’t been able to get a straight answer out of her.Then she had the nerve to ask if she can go camping with her friends next weekend.I said no, obviously.I’m not letting my fifteen-year-olddaughter have an orgy in the bush.Does she think I was born yesterday?’
Nel laughed, assuming Lauren was being ironic.‘Do you think I was born yesterday?’was one of their mother’s favourite lines.Lauren shot her a sharp look as Sophie gasped.
‘Is that the right time?’she asked, pointing to the oven clock.
Lauren nodded and jumped up.‘I better do the cake!’
‘I didn’t mean to stay so long.’Sophie rummaged through her bag, flustered.When she found her phone, she murmured, ‘Shit, it was on silent.’
She chewed her lip as she typed something, then put the phone down on the bench.Immediately it flashed with a notification and she typed another message.
‘Everything okay?’Nel asked.
Sophie looked up.‘Yeah, I just … I forgot to tell him I was going to stay.’She looked back at the phone.‘There’s not much point going home now.’
‘Knock knock,’ a voice called down the hall.A moment later a woman appeared.‘Hello, I’m Zach’s mum.’
‘Come on in!’Lauren said.
As the boys shouted happy birthday at Leo, Sophie’s phone flashed again.She moved away to answer the call, listening with a furrowed brow, murmuring responses.‘Okay … I’m sorry … I know … okay …’
When she ended the call, she took a shaky breath then looked up with a tense smile.She walked around to where Charlie stood and tapped his shoulder, gesturing for him to come.
