Emily gave her a sideways glance and checked her watch.
‘It could mean this was near a blacksmiths,’ said Rhys, straightening up and surveying the garden.
‘There’d probably be a lot more nails and horseshoes if it was,’ said Lottie. Rhys seemed buoyed by the prospect: he replaced his headphones and carried on. Lottie and Emily huddled together. Lottie hoped Rhys would give up soon so they could go back inside.
‘I don’t want to speak out of turn, but …’ Emily paused.
‘But?’ said Lottie, encouraging her to finish the sentence.
‘Earlier, when I mentioned Melissa. You kind of implied by your reaction that maybe she wasn’t entirely perfect. Or have I misread that?’ Emily was watching her intently.
‘Umm.’ Lottie felt cornered.
‘You see, from what I’ve heard about Melissa, she makes Snow White look like Miley Cyrus.’
Lottie chuckled and it faded as she remembered Melissa. They had been such close friends. ‘She was a good person but, you know, none of us are perfect.’ As soon as she’d said it, she wished she hadn’t – Emily’s reaction was like a hound picking up the scent of a fox.
‘What did she do?’ Emily was walking even closer to Lottie. ‘I won’t breathe a word to anyone. I promise.’
‘I can’t tell you that, Emily. I shouldn’t have said anything.’ This was something even Zach didn’t know about Melissa – she could hardly divulge the secret she held to his girlfriend.
‘That’s a shame, because Zach’s never going to tell me.’ She was staring at Lottie. Lottie tried to look anywhere but at Emily. The silence between them lengthened. Lottie concentrated on Rhys, who had stopped again and was scraping at a patch of ground. ‘Zach doesn’t know thatMelissa wasn’t Snow White. Does he?’ Emily wasn’t going to let this go.
Lottie eventually shook her head, half afraid of where this was leading, but at the same time thinking how good it would feel to share her burden with someone. ‘I should have told Zach a long time ago. But I can’t now.’ She looked at Emily, waiting with bated breath.
‘Why not? No time like the present and all that.’
‘Because this secret will tear him apart.’But keeping it locked inside has been tearing me apart for years, thought Lottie.
Chapter Thirty-One
27 December
Lottie headed downstairs, letting out a noisy, Chewbacca-like yawn to match her onesie. She was slowly turning into a wookie. She’d made it to the twenty-seventh – everyone was going home today. Something caught her eye as she passed the landing window. It was still early and dark, but something made her reverse and take a good look.
Lottie blinked repeatedly at the scene outside. Everything was white. It was still windy, but it was now also very snowy. She rubbed at the glass with her sleeve in a vain attempt to change the picture.
‘Bugger!’
She hurried downstairs, skidded into the hallway and pulled open the front door. A blast of icy air momentarily stopped her in her tracks. She watched as the snow drift which had been leaning against the front door toppled towards her in slow motion, covering her from the thighs down. For a moment, stunned, she stood still: a human snowman. She shook her frozen legs free and leaned with all her weight against the back of the door, trying to pushthe snow back outside with the door but, with the wind fighting back, it was almost impossible.
‘Need a hand?’ Zach appeared in the hallway and added his weight to her efforts. With a resentful creak the door finally closed.
‘Thanks,’ she said, looking in dismay at her sodden bottom half. Her Chewbacca onesie was suddenly a lot heavier. ‘I can’t believe how much snow there’s been overnight.’
‘I know.’ His eyes glinted like a child’s. ‘It’s awesome. I can’t wait for Jessie to wake up.’
‘But everyone is meant to be going home today.’ She couldn’t hide her despair at the thought that they might not be leaving. It had been lovely to have them all together, but it was definitely time for them to depart.
‘Cheer up, Lottie. Today has to be the day Dave poos out the ring. And, anyway, snow is fun.’
Lottie shook her head at her brother. ‘It’s not fun when you’ve got to feed a warring family with a few crumbs.’
‘If Jesus could feed the five thousand I’m sure we can rustle something up.’
‘I don’t have five loaves, and the vegans wouldn’t eat fish even if I had any.’
‘Come on, Chewie. Let’s see what you’ve got.’ He marched off towards the kitchen as Lottie stifled another yawn.
