Back on the main street of Kellyville, she pulled her bike to a stop in front of the florist shop. Betsy was still inside serving customers. There was no sign of Sam, who used to come after school every day, but who Charmaine hadn’t seen all week. The sun beat on her shoulders. Sweat dripped a trail down the middle of her spine. Watson immediately leapt from the basket as soon as the bike rolled to a halt and disappeared down the alley beside the shop.
“We’re going to have to talk about your attitude, mister,” she called after him. Absolutely no gratitude, she thought with a giggle.
She pushed the bike towards the alley, but one last glance down the street and she froze in place. There was a group of tourists milling about the doorway to Bea’s Coffee. The back of a brown haired man had caught her attention and sent a chill along her spine. She stared at his head even as it spun in her direction.
“Chaz!” A feminine voice called her name from the other direction.
She blanched and shrank back into the alley so she was hidden by the brick wall of the florist shop.
Directly opposite her, Evie raised a hand over her head, and Bea shot her a quizzical look. She waved discreetly at them both, then peeked out from behind the wall. The man she’d seen was staring in her direction. He’d heard her name called and scanned the street with purpose, then stepped through the crowd to see better.
She pushed the bike to the back of the building where the entrance to her flat was located. Footsteps pounded across the street. She turned the corner at the back of the shop and waited. Bea and Evie weren’t far behind.
Bea’s eyebrows drew low, her forehead creased. “Chaz, are you okay? You’ve turned very pale.”
“You look sick, sweetie. Maybe you should sit down.” Evie’s face was lined with concern.
“I’m fine, really.” She had to get rid of them, and that meant feigning good health. In that moment, she was lightheaded and had a pang of irritation and anxiety in her chest that grew more painful by the moment.
She was accustomed to panic attacks; she’d had them often enough over the past few years. What she needed was to get inside the flat, sit down and do some breathing exercises or a mediation. Instead, all she could think about was that man in the street and whether he’d followed the two women standing in front of her now.
“Let’s go upstairs,” she suggested, scanning the alleyway behind them.
Bea and Evie helped Charmaine carry her bike up the stairs. She unlocked the back door and went inside. Then she sat in the armchair, staring at the wall and working on her breathing.
Evie shut the door behind them.
“I get panic attacks sometimes. That’s all,” Charmaine said after a while.
Bea had already put the kettle on to boil, and Evie was searching the fridge for something for Charmaine to eat.
“I found half a camembert and some crackers,” she said, holding the fridge door open. “Will that do?”
“That would be great,” Charmaine said, although she really wasn’t hungry.
Before long, she was presented with a coffee by Bea and a plate of cheese and crackers by Evie. Then both women perched on the edge of the couch and watched as she took a sip.
“Who was that man?” Bea asked suddenly.
Charmaine’s heart skipped a beat. “What man?”
“The one you were looking at when all the blood left your face.”
She took another sip of coffee. “Oh, him? That’s my brother, Sean.”
Evie and Bea looked at each other in confusion.
“I thought your brother was missing.”
“He was… I guess he’s not any longer.” Charmaine took a bite of cracker, letting the flavour of the camembert linger in her mouth before swallowing.
“Why weren’t you happy to see him? He’s been missing, I thought you were concerned about him.”
“I was concerned. But I don’t really want to see him. It’s complicated.” The fact was, she didn’t know how to go about telling her new friends the truth. Nor did she want to. They’d caught her off guard, and she was lightheaded over having seen Sean outside her flat. Complicated didn’t begin to describe their situation, her family dynamics and the way she felt about her brother. It was so typical of him to show up like this and expect she’d want to see him.
“I don’t understand,” Bea replied, her voice warm with compassion. “But you don’t have to tell us anything you don’t want to. You should know that we’re here for you. Okay?”
Relief swamped Charmaine. Their friendship meant more to her than they could ever understand. “Thank you.”
