‘If it’s nothing, why won’t you tell me?’
Lauren turned to face her.‘Okay, fine.He said you murdered Maddie Marshall.’
‘Lauren!’Cath exclaimed, shaking her head.
Lauren threw her hands up and let out an exasperated laugh.‘She made me tell her!’
Nel felt like she’d been winded.It was one thing for people who were there at the time to think these things about her—she was used to that—but the thought of her name being hurled around in the playground, weaponised against her nephew, made her feel sick.
Lauren looked at Nel.‘I told you that stirring up the past was a bad idea.What do you know?I was right.’She took the salad bowl from Nel’s hands.‘Lunch is ready!’she called, walking into the dining room.
Nel was speechless.Was Lauren implying it was her fault that Charlie hit Leo?
She was still standing in the kitchen, reeling, when there was a beep from her bag.A message from Poppy:
I got another one.
Nel swore under her breath, then she went into the dining room and sat down next to Cath as the boys barrelled into the room.A wave of shame came over her at the sight of Leo’s face.
Cath looked around.‘Where’s Poppy?’
‘In her room,’ Lauren said, cutting up Archie’s sausage.‘She’s grounded so she’s refusing to come out.’
‘Why’s she grounded?’Nel asked.
‘There you go.’Lauren passed the plate to Archie, then she looked back at Nel.‘She lied about where she was.Again.Has she mentioned anything to you about a boyfriend?’
Shit.The last thing Nel needed right now was for Lauren to know she’d spoken to Poppy about contraception.
She shook her head as Steve offered Lauren the platter.‘Lamb cutlet, Loz?’Nel was grateful for the interruption.
‘Well, this time next week we’ll be at the ballot box,’ Cath said, once everyone was served.
‘I’m organising the fundraiser at school,’ Lauren said.‘Barbecue and a cake stall.Can you make a big batch of your caramel slice, Mum?’
‘Sure,’ Cath said.
‘You can put me down for a shift on the barbecue,’ Steve offered.‘As long as everyone thinks my skills are up to scratch.’
‘Thanks, babe, you’re already down for a shift.’
Steve laughed.The discussion moved on to the relative merits of Geoff Marshall and Susan Elliot, who was the only candidate who stood a realistic chance of unseating him.
When the political debate started to wear thin, Nel cleared her throat.‘Any developments on the sale of the clinic, Steve?’
He gave them an update on a potential buyer who was currently doing due diligence on the business.He felt that an offer was imminent.
‘Thanks for all you’re doing, Steve,’ Cath said.‘I wouldn’t know what to do without you.’
Leo sighed loudly as though the conversation had officially passed his boredom threshold.‘Can we please leave the table?’
Steve gave them a nod and the boys disappeared.He reached for the wine bottle and topped up the glasses.
Remembering Poppy’s message, Nel reached for a couple of plates and stacked them on top of her own, then carried them to the kitchen and went to find her.
Poppy was lying on her bed looking at her phone.
‘Shuffle over,’ Nel said.They lay side by side in silence for a few minutes.
