Eventually, we reach Hennie’s old Volkswagen and throw our things into the boot with a sigh of relief. For a second, getting into the car feels like a slipping into a time warp: to Thursday night when we arrived, so nervous and eager. It almost makes me feel as if no time has passed at all, like the whole weekend was something I imagined entirely.
Then I see the drumstick sticking out of the side of my backpack. Which serves very well as a reminder that it was all, indeed, real. My lips tug into a smile at the sight.
Hennie thumps down into the drivers seat with her oversized sunglasses in place, and we start our journey with her favourite rapper on blast. As we played Queen Ego for almost the entire journey here, I don’t make any requests. And for what feels like the first time in days, my entire body relaxes.
My phone buzzes in my pocket and I unlock it to see a message from Elliot. He’s sent a screenshot of his DM exchange with Teddy, showing Elliot’s address and Teddy acknowledging it with a thumbs up before replying, ‘they’re on their way to you.’
His message simply reads:
Drumsticks on their way, confirmed
I immediately reply.
Holy shit
Please tell me how your brother reacts
I will need it re-enacted like a play
Will do
I’ll tell you all about it on Friday x
As the morning sunlight settles on my face, I sit back with a contented smile and wait for the thoughts laced with doubt that he’ll even show on Friday, but they don’t come.
46
EPILOGUE
One year later
‘Iknow you’re really in love and everything,’ Hennie says, scrolling through Elliot’s phone. ‘And that’s all great and I’m very happy for you both, but do you have any songs in your playlists that aren’t a complete sop-fest? Where are the tunes, Walker? Have you ever listened to anything with an actual beat?’
To Elliot’s dismay, this year’s journey to Firecrest consists of Hennie sitting up front due to her travel sickness, with Josh and Owen travelling separately from London, as Hennie’s car was written off earlier this year due to a tragic case of excessive rust.
I smile to myself in the backseat. In all honesty, I could listen to them bicker all day. They have adopted a unique type of relationship: interacting like irritable siblings, both equally grateful that the other one exists for my sake and harbouring undeniable affection as a result, all the while Hennie tosses vague insults in his direction and Elliot receives them with rolling eyes.
‘You might have to define “tune” for me, Hennie,’ he says dryly.
‘Oh my God, your boyfriend is so tiresome, Nora,’ she moans, hitting her head back against the headrest. ‘How do you cope.’
I snort with laughter and pat her little head. ‘Just pop on some drum and bass, Hen,’ I suggest.
‘Oh, I couldn’t possibly,’ she snaps. ‘This is the Car ofHorrorswhere you can’t turn up the volume or eat any snacks in peace without receivingThe Glare.’
Even Elliot snickers at this, and our eyes catch in the rear view mirror.
‘I knew I should have ridden with Owen and Josh,’ she says, folding her arms and crossing one leg over her knee to rest it on the dashboard.
‘Shoes off the dash,’ Elliot deadpans.
She wails with frustration, the sound of it covered by my wheeze of laughter.
We finally pull into the tiny car park sitting in between a petrol station and a small, worn diner where we’re meeting the boys, and shrug on our jackets to protect us from the specks of rain that have started to fall. Sadly, it’s beginning to look like we won’t be as lucky with the weather as we were last year.
As Hennie launches herself out of the car like a small child that has spotted the gates of a zoo, I lean forward and wrap my arms around Elliot’s neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
‘She loves you, really,’ I say.
