“I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“In the flesh,” he said, waving both hands up and down his body as if revealing a magic trick.
“You wanted to talk, so let’s talk.” The sooner this conversation was over, the sooner she could get back to her life. Seeing Sean again like this stirred up a lot of emotions — he was her brother, she loved him, she’d missed him more than she’d realised.
The expression on his face, the way he spoke to her—she could recall all the good times they’d had as siblings during their tumultuous childhood. The times they’d stuck together, when he’d defended her against bullies or climbed the pantry shelves to get the porridge down that she loved for breakfast. Memories piled up around her like soiled crockery.
He tipped his head to one side. “I’m starved. You hungry?”
She shrugged. “I could eat.”
“Where can we go?”
She pointed at the Coral Island Bakery. “They’ve got sausage rolls, but they’re pretty ordinary. Plus, you’ve got to ring the bell to find anyone.”
“That’s a no. I’m not big into pastries.”
She hadn’t wanted to introduce him to her new friends, but there was really nowhere else to recommend at that time of day. “How about Bea’s Coffee? It’s attached to a great bookshop, and they have amazing baked goods.”
“Sounds like a winner.”
They walked side by side over the street to the café. She locked her bike to railing, then went inside. She glanced around the café and was glad to see that Bea wasn’t there. At least she wouldn’t have to answer questions about her brother immediately, although no doubt the news of their meeting would get back to Bea in short order.
A table near the back of the café was free, so they sat across from one another. Charmaine ordered a caramel slice and cappuccino, and Sean opted for a slice of black forest cake and a long black. They made idle chitchat while they waited for the food and coffee, then sat in silence as the waitress placed the items on their table.
After she was gone, Charmaine spoke first. “What are you doing here, Sean?”
He stirred sugar into his coffee. “I wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
“There are things we need to discuss.”
“Such as?”
“Haven’t you missed me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, of course I have. But…”
“But what?”
“You know what.” She shook her head, slowly savouring a bite of caramel slice.
“Whatever you think I did, you’re wrong.”
“Mum was going to live—that’s what the doctors said. She was supposed to recover.”
“But she didn’t. It was a stroke. Sometimes people die from them.”
“Yes, but you were there. You saw her last. You visited her in the rehabilitation facility.”
“So did you.”
She took another bite, thinking carefully about what words to use. She didn’t want to accuse her brother of anything falsely, but there were so many things that hadn’t made sense to her at the time. Now that she was seated in front of him, her words sounded silly, hollow.
“That’s true. I did.”
“What are you saying, Chaz? You think I had something to do with her death?”
