Blink(47)

Evie glanced at the framed photograph on my desk and her face broke into a wide grin. She was a sucker for compliments.

My mouth fell open. Bryony was the closest thing I’d ever seen to a person with a split personality. The fire-breathing dragon was gone and in her place was this sweet, good-natured woman who had instantly put Evie at ease.

‘Hello, Evie.’ Dale smiled. ‘Have you come in to help us sell some houses today?’

Evie shook her head solemnly. ‘Just to say hello to Mummy’s work friends.’

‘Ahh, I see,’ Dale said, winking at me. I noticed he looked far more casual than I’d seen him before, wearing black jeans and a striped polo shirt. He mustn’t be taking any clients on viewings today, although I felt sure we had some booked in.

‘Shall I make a drink?’ Jo stood up from her desk and walked across to us. I felt bad, like we’d been ignoring her. ‘Evie, I’m Jo. Would you like some orange squash and maybe a biscuit?’

Evie looked at me and I nodded.

‘Yes, please,’ she said.

Jo held out her hand. ‘Come and have a look then and you can choose which sort you’d like.’

To my surprise, Evie took Jo’s hand and disappeared through the back without displaying an ounce of clinginess.

‘Toni, she’s adorable,’ Bryony gushed. ‘I don’t know how you manage to come to work, I’d want to be with her constantly.’

‘Well, she’s at school now,’ I said, wondering if she was having a dig. ‘So it fits in really well with the job.’

‘I wouldn’t let her out of my sight,’ Bryony said dramatically. ‘Little angel, she is. I could eat her!’

Five minutes later, Evie walked back into the room, gingerly carrying a plate full of assorted biscuits.

‘You’re doing a marvellous job there, Evie,’ Bryony praised her.

‘Mummy, Jo took some photos of me in the kitchen.’

‘Oh, you spoilsport.’ Jo grinned, carrying in a tray of drinks. ‘It was supposed to be a surprise, remember?’

I frowned, not sure what she meant.

‘We were going to surprise you with a screensaver of Evie on your computer for Monday.’ Jo rolled her eyes. ‘But now Evie’s gone and spilled the beans.’

‘Ooh, can I have an Evie screensaver?’ Bryony beamed.

I smiled and nudged Evie but she didn’t smile back.

I hoped one of her tantrums wasn’t looming. She didn’t appear to need a good reason lately.





41





Three Years Earlier





Toni





Sunday morning at ten, Mum called round to take Evie to the park as planned.

‘Do you want to come in for a cuppa?’ I asked her as she told Evie to get her coat from the front door step.

It wasn’t much of an invite, I admit.

‘No, I’ll get straight off, I think,’ she said, in the wounded tone she liked to use when I’d done something wrong but she didn’t want to discuss it.

‘What’s the matter?’ I said, unwilling to let it go. ‘I can’t say a thing lately without you getting the hump.’

She gave me a rueful smile and shook her head.

‘You know, Toni, I’d like to live in your world. Where nothing you ever do is wrong and you very conveniently forget about the needs of others.’

I didn’t have a clue what she was getting at.

‘Anyway, it’s not me I’m worried about.’ She scowled and discreetly tipped her head towards Evie.

‘She’s fine,’ I sighed. ‘Or she will be, if you’d stop trying to give her a complex.’

‘She’s retreating into a shell.’ Mum’s face darkened. ‘She’s nervy and uncharacteristically quiet, Toni. Surely you can see that?’

It felt like something had loosened inside of me, something that wanted to shut Mum up.

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ I snapped. ‘There’s nothing wrong with her. Lots of kids have a problem adjusting to a new school.’

‘I’m not just talking about school,’ Mum said quietly. ‘She’s not sleeping properly, she’s losing weight. Look at her.’

Evie shrugged on her light jacket and beamed up at me. ‘Bye, Mummy,’ she sang. ‘See you later.’

There didn’t look much wrong with her to me.

‘Fine,’ I said. ‘We can talk about this later.’

But I had no intention of doing so.

I bent to kiss the top of Evie’s head. ‘See you soon, poppet. Have fun.’

Mum took her hand and I moved to close the door behind them.

‘You might want to clear that mess up while we’re out,’ she said, nodding towards the corner. I followed her line of sight but the chair was in the way of whatever she was looking at. ‘I’ll bring her back after she’s had her tea.’

And with that, they were gone.

I clicked the front door closed, leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. Peace at last. A few hours where I had no responsibilities, expectations or a paranoid mother to contend with. There were a thousand and one jobs that needed doing in the house but I pushed all thoughts of hard work out of my head.