She pulled the rag free and the curls fell round her face as she nodded. "It's not good to remain seated all day. Have you ever had to deal with a bedsore? No? Good. We do not want that. So, I said she could have it back, once we'd walked round the garden."
“She walked around the garden?”
Matty nodded. “Complaining the entire time, yes.”
"And...you're coming back? Tomorrow, I mean?" Sloan asked, still in shock at the things she'd just heard.
Matty stopped laughing and held Sloan's gaze. "Are you still paying me?"
"Yes."
"Good, then I'll see you in the morning."
Sloan watched as Matty skated down the path and out onto the pavement, turning once to wave before she was out of sight. Closing the door, Sloan leant against it and replayed the conversation in her head.
"Joan?"
Her mother calling brought her out of her thoughts, and she slowly walked back up the hall to the doorway of the lounge.
"It's still Sloan," she said and leant against the frame.
"Is she gone?" Gloria asked. Before Sloan could reply, she said, "Bloody hippie, she's got to go."
And there it was. Of course.
"Why?"
"She's away with the fairies." Gloria shook her head and turned back to the TV. "And she's a tyrant."
"Uh-huh," Sloan said, stepping into the room. Everything looked normal, tidy.
"She moved everything out of reach and tormented me all day about it."
"Starved, beaten,andtortured?" Sloan couldn't help the smile that began to curve on her lips. "Is that what you're telling me?"
"No, she's clever, that one." Gloria pointed a finger towards an imaginary Matty before she turned back to the TV. It was the conundrum. Sloan followed her gaze and watched as the letters were revealed.
CCRSTIANMEUC.
"Circumstance," Gloria said instantly. She didn’t even hesitate.
They watched as the time ran out and both contestants failed to answer, the blocks spinning over to reveal CIRCUMSTANCE as the answer.
Sloan turned slowly and looked at her mother. She couldn’t remember the last time her mother had engaged with anything on that screen.
"I'll get dinner sorted."
As she walked out of the room, she heard, "Make sure she's not poisoned us."
For the first time in days, Sloan laughed.
Chapter twelve
Matty arrived for her second day just as she had the first—coffee in hand, smile on her face, skates off at the door.
“Beautiful day today,” she said, grinning at Sloan.
“Is it?” Sloan asked.
