But here in this world, Cesca would have come alone. The space she should occupy in my life throbs like a phantom limb. I want to talk to her. I need to find her and start to rebuild our relationship. She’s the only part of the plan that really matters.
Amina messages as I weave through the crowds on the sea front, wind whipping my hair from my face.
Earth to Bethany? How did it go?
Shame flares across my cheeks. I should have messaged her straight after I left Tyler.
He had an idea, but I don’t think it will work. Meet me this afternoon and I’ll tell you everything?
How about three in the café across from the Trust?
Sounds like a plan.
And then I have an idea.
I’m trying to contact my sister, Cesca. Did your Bethany ever say where she was and what happened between them?
Three dots appear as Amina starts typing a reply and I mentally cross my fingers that she has some information. The dots stop but no message follows. I squint at the screen as the dots appear again. Then disappear. Then appear.
What is she doing?
Eventually a message arrives.
You don’t know?
Know what?I reply.
Umm. Look, meet me earlier, OK? Where are you?
Brighton.
I’ll pick you up from Redhill in an hour.
What’s going on?
But she doesn’t answer. What’s going on? What don’t I know?
A cold hand reaches into my chest. What happened to Cesca?
Amina is waiting on the platform as my train pulls into Redhill station. She looks serious.
‘Tell me,’ I demand as I walk up to her, not even bothering with the barest of pleasantries.
‘Let’s go and get a drink and I’ll explain everything,’ she says hooking her arm through mine to steer me towards the exit.
I pull away from her. ‘Tell me. Now.’ The handful of other passengers on the platform turn to look at us.
‘Please, Bethany. Not here. Okay?’
Something in her tone shatters the last vestiges of the brave face I’ve worn on the journey back from the coast. I nod meekly and allow her to lead me out of the station and up the hill towards a pub on the corner.
A glass of wine appears in front of me and then Amina slides onto the seat opposite.
‘Please just tell me,’ I whisper.
She clears her throat. ‘Back in your world, what happened on the day after Nick proposed?’
I think back to the morning after, when I’d bumped into the person I thought was Tyler with the coffees and he’d blanked me and then I’d vowed to never speak to him again. ‘I decreed Tyler my enemy,’ I tell Amina. But that has nothing to do with Cesca.
