PRESENT DAY
The knock took her by surprise, but Blake snuggled deeper under the covers. She didn’t care if old Mrs Carter across the hall needed milk, or the guy downstairs needed to use her wi-fi; for once in her life, she was just fine with being selfish. Because not being selfish? It would mean having to emerge from her cocoon, and she had no intention of doing that.
‘Blake?’
She buried herself deeper as she heard her sister hesitantly call her name.
‘Blake? We’re coming in.’
We?She groaned, wrapping the duvet even more thoroughly around her head.
She’d cancelled Sunday night dinner and told both Abby and Tom that she was unavailable. She’d tried to make it as devoid of emotion or details as possible so that no one guessed she was hiding in her bedroom with a box of Kleenex watching ’90s romcoms, but clearly Abby had seen through it.
‘You really think you can cancel family dinner night without me coming to check up on you?’
‘Please, Abby, just leave me.’
‘Did you leave me when I slammed the door on you and hid in my room as a teenager?’
Blake sighed.No, was the answer.
She felt Abby’s weight as she sat on the bed. ‘You fed me, stroked my hair and promised me that everything would be all right. And even though you must have wondered how many boys could possibly break my heart, you were always there for me.’
‘I don’t need anyone to look after me. I’m fine.’
Abby’s hand landed on the duvet, and the simple motion made fresh tears fill Blake’s eyes.
‘You’ve always looked after us, Blake. Please let us look after you for once.’
She didn’t reply.
‘You can stay in here if you like, but I need to warn you that we’ll just come and join you.’ Abby laughed. ‘And we’ve got takeaway, so you’re going to end up with foodallover your bed.’
Blake released her ironclad grip on the duvet and slowly lifted her head. ‘You brought takeaway?’
‘Well, we would have cooked, but it turns out you’ve always done the cooking and we’re not actually capable of making anything decent.’
Blake sniffed and slowly sat up.
‘You don’t have to tell me what happened, but please, for the love of God, can I open a window and light a candle? It’s like you’ve been living in here for days.’
‘I have.’
‘Well, I rest my case. I just wish you’d called me sooner.’
‘I didn’t call you at all,’ Blake muttered.
‘And while we’re talking about things to do, how about we get you up and into the shower? I’ll help Tom heat up dinner, and you can wash your hair. You look like death.’
‘I’m pretty sure I never told you that you looked like death when I was caring for you,’ Blake said.
‘You’re welcome,’ Abby said, rising and going to open the blinds. ‘Now get in the shower. I’m starving hungry, and it would be rude to start without you.’
Blake didn’t move, preparing to go back under the covers and defy her sister’s orders, but Abby was having none of it.
‘You know something else I remember from being a teenager?’ She pulled the covers back a little and took Blake’s hand in hers this time. ‘It was that I was a right pain in the arse, and I never said thank you for all the times you cared for me. So, this is me thanking you the only way I know how.’
‘I don’t want to get up,’ Blake muttered.
