‘It’s okay to be a little bit scared, Verity. I see this a lot, a natural reaction. Especially in this mistrustful world of ours, I understand. But I promise you that I have never and will never tell you a lie.’
‘What is it you want exactly?’ she gripped the brolly, doing her best to steady the tremble to her hands.
‘I want you to listen to what I have to say. Five minutes of your time – that’s all – and then I will go, and you’ll never see me again. Can you do that?’
‘Right here.’ She stood her ground, banging the tip of the brolly onto the path, happy that James was inside the building and would make an appearance soon enough. ‘You can talk to me right here.’
‘Thank you,’ Chen smiled, ‘thank you.’
The bus wended its usual route. Verity sat by the steamed-up window, a little lost to her thoughts. The man, Chen, was mad, no doubt, but even she, a woman of science, could see how easy it would be to fall for such a story. There was seduction in it, no denying. It was deeply attractive, the thought of having fifteen minutes with someone she’d lost. Of course she would choose Gracie, ofcourseshe would.
Her sister had been just three years older than her when she died, yet the difference in life experience between fourteen years of age and seventeen was a gulf. It would forever be hard to reconcile that Gracie was now nearly twenty years younger than Verity, her baby sister. An age gap that would only grow as one of them grew older and the other did not. Verity would love just a glimpse of the girl she was, carefree, funny and clever, before she was made famous by that ugly black and white picture.
‘Shit!’ The bus stopped, and it was only the sight of her local coffee shop through the open door that made her realise it was her stop. Standing on the pavement, she took a minute,breathing deeply, trying and failing to make sense of it all. How had he known about her penguin? How had he known about any of it? That was the question.
***
Saturday night, and Patrick pulled his waxed jacket over his scrubs, before bending down to kiss her, ‘ships that pass in the night!’
‘See you in the morning.’ Reaching up, she ran her palm over the side of his handsome face, thankful for this man of hers.
‘See you in the morning, my love.’
‘Be safe, rest if you can.’
‘Huh, fat chance of any rest, but I’ll certainly keep safe.’ He kissed her again and headed out.
Dottie whined her disapproval.
‘I know, Dots, but your dad’s got to go to work. He needs to make all those people better who turn up pished and injured in the A&E! But next week – I promise you – it will be fun. We’re off to the beach, in the rain, we’ll get chips.’
Megan had called earlier, suggesting they meet for a drink or slump on a sofa and eat greasy noodles. Verity had politely made her excuses.
‘I’m just not feeling it, Megs. It’s been quite the week. I need ma bed! Please don’t hate me.’
‘Too late for that, I’ve hated you for years!’
They’d both laughed, theirs the kind of friendship that went far beyond feeling aggrieved by a declined invitation.
With Dottie snoring loudly in her basket in the kitchen, Verity switched off the lamp in the sitting room and went to grab her Kindle. It was almost impossible for her to sleep without reading something.
The screen glowed. Her eyes were drawn to the clock in the corner. It was nearly eleven. Standing in front of the windowwith the pretty view of honey glow streetlamps and chimney pots, she threw her head back and closed her eyes.
‘Whatareyou doing, Verity?’ She shook her head, allowing a small burst of laughter to escape her lips at the utter absurdity of the situation. ‘I will never tell a living soul about this!’ she chuckled, as she slumped down on the rug by the window and, with her legs folded beneath her, closed her eyes. Doing her best to relax, it was hard not to blush with sheer embarrassment that she was giving this any credence at all!
Her memories of the weekend Gracie died were vague; anything that had occurred in the run up to her sister’s body being discovered had been hijacked by the horror of the event. Her mother on her knees screaming, her dad with his hand on his heart, as if he might topple over and die too. Numerous police officers in the hallway and the kitchen. The blue flashing lights of their vehicles, quite unnecessary on their wide sweep of driveway, they filled the hallway with their cool tone. It reminded her of being at the bottom of a swimming pool, something she’d liked to do when the weather allowed, trying to see how long she could hold her breath, as she battled to stay submerged in her floral swimming hat and matching costume. Her auntie Nesta running in and grabbing her mother around the waist, the two women falling to the floor in the sitting room, a jumble of arms and legs and then her aunt’s screams matching those of her mother. Her sweet cousin Darius sitting on the end of her bed. They’d sat in silence as the house grew dark and no one came upstairs to offer them food or drink or check in. It felt like everyone for themselves and about as scary.
Verity liked the sudden warmth that coated her skin, it felt like, like sunshine! She opened her eyes, fighting to take a steady breath… and there she was in her parents’ carefully tended back garden, laying on a tartan blanket in her cut-offs and vest. It was a miracle, it was magic! Beautiful, beautiful magic because rightthere next to her, in a denim bikini, was her stunning big sister,Gracie!Reaching out, she ran her fingertips over her sister’s arm, confirming she was real.
‘You trying to tickle me?’
Verity shook her head, stunned! How was this possible? Aware then of her long hair, forgetting how it had felt, the swish of locks around her face, the weight of it on her shoulders. She looked down at her striped T-shirt, her arms skinny, chest only starting to bud.
Gracie’s skin was covered in freckles that gave her a burnished hue. Her auburn hair caught the sunlight, and her pale blue eyes were laughing. She looked happy, so happy, as she propped her head on her hand, her elbow planted on the blanket.
‘You look really pretty.’ It was the truth. Her voice riven with emotion. Gracie was striking and lovely, with a youthful roundness to her face and limbs. A young woman with the whole wide world at her feet. A million miles away from that rotten photo.
‘Why are you being so nice to me?’
