As we pull into Hilary’s street, I send a load of silent prayers to God.
Please let Hilary be home. Please let Hilary be home.
I park Nigella opposite number 43 and look up at the little terraced house. My heart has started to pound away inside my chest, and all the saliva in my mouth has evaporated.
For a few seconds, I grip the steering wheel and close my eyes. ‘Believe, Nelly,’ I whisper. ‘Believe.’
I flick my eyes open and clamber out. I help Aunt Polly out of the back seat. She casts me a look of terror. ‘I can’t do this.’
I stroke her face, and as she’s trembling, I put my arms around her. There is a flash of light and when it clears, I see the hand with the silver padlock bracelet. The world goes quiet as my vision passes and Aunt Polly looks up at Hilary’s house. When the sound of the wind rustling the trees and a distant police siren returns, I look at my aunt. ‘When I touch you, I see a hand holding yours. The owner of the hand is wearing a silver bracelet with a padlock charm.’
She smiles at me. ‘I bought it for Hilary many years ago. I have the same one but from mine hangs a tiny key.’ To my surprise she pulls up her jumper sleeve and there it is.
‘Wow.’
‘It’s not a curse that you have, Nelly. It’s a wonderful gift.’
As we walk up the path, someone clears their throat in the garden opposite. I turn to see an older man pruning his roses. ‘Hilary’s out. She left early this morning.’
My stomach takes a nosedive. Driving all this way without checking to see whether Hilary was home was a stupid idea.
I feel Aunt Polly’s hand on my shoulder. ‘Let’s go home. She could be anywhere.’
We walk back to the car. ‘I think we should wait for a bit.’
‘It wasn’t meant to be.’
I glance at her bracelet, which is still on show. I remember Alice talking about signs. ‘We should wait. Your bracelet is a sign.’
I climb into Nigella and watch my aunt through the rearview mirror. She’s staring up at Hilary’s house, and her cheeks are damp. The sight makes my heart ache. Silently I urge her to be patient.
‘Let’s go back to Tide-Leigh,’ she says. ‘Maybe I’ll contact her when I’m better.’
Oliver’s face flashes up inside my mind. ‘We need to give love a chance.’
45
His voice echoes inside my head.Give love a chance.
I glance in the rearview mirror at my aunt. She’s dabbing her eyes. I need to believe. Hilary – where are you? We need you. I need you and my dear Aunt Polly needs you.
A screech of wheels makes me look up. A white Golf races into the street and pulls up in the space opposite me. I stare at the driver taking off their dark shades.
‘Hilary.’
My aunt lets out a shocked yelp.
Hilary is staring at me through her windscreen.
Relief floods through me. I open the car door as she clambers out. ‘Nelly?’
Hilary still has her signature brown bobbed hair, and even though there are a few more laughter lines on her face, she looks the same as she did ten years ago.
I turn to the back of the car. ‘I have someone who wants to see you.’
Hilary lets out a gasp as Aunt Polly gets out. They both rush past me and towards each other. The sight of both hugging and crying on the pavement makes me emotional. The images of them both go blurry.
I wipe away tears as I can hear my aunt sobbing and Hilary saying how sorry she is for walking away and that she loves her so much.
