Cold as Ice (Willis/Carter #2)(66)

‘She said Ebony likes chocolate a lot.’

‘Damn – she must have caught me. Kids are so sneaky.’

‘Yeah, I’ve been told off at the nursery for Christa’s swearing. She says shit when something goes wrong. You forget they suddenly become little mimics. She’s very fond of you, Ebb.’

Ebony didn’t answer – she knew what Jeanie was doing. Jeanie wanted Ebony to get on with finding a boyfriend. After the boyfriend would come the child. Jeanie was a bit of a surrogate mother to Ebony.

Ebony doubted that she would ever have kids. Her own fractured childhood was not a good template. If she did have them they would definitely never be meeting their grandmother. Ebony’s mother was in a secure mental hospital after being convicted of murder. All Ebony’s childhood had been spent watching her back, watching her mother’s moods. Ebony’s happiest times had been when she went to stay with foster parents. Even the children’s homes were better than staying with her mum. But that brought a crushing guilt – not to love your own mother seemed to be a terrible crime.

She turned the pages of the album.

‘She was really pretty,’ said Jeanie, looking over Ebony’s shoulder. ‘Red hair. I always wanted red hair.’

‘Individual-looking rather than sweet,’ answered Ebony as she continued turning the pages of the album. ‘Quirky almost: face like a pixie.’

‘We didn’t get a lot of useful info from Elaine. It’s hard to see how Emily lived when it’s all been boxed up. You can see her style though. I would say both girls were not that big on the new porno look for women or wearing kids’ clothes.’

Ebony turned the pages in the album thoughtfully.

‘Yeah, I don’t know much about fashion.’

‘What do you wear if you and Tina are hitting the town?’

‘Jeans and a top.’

‘Would you wear the kind of thing Emily’s got on?’

Ebony shook her head. ‘It’s a dress. I never wear dresses or skirts. But I guess it was summer in this picture.’ She showed Jeanie. ‘It’s a long sundress type of thing. It’s a bit hippy maybe?’

Jeanie shook her head. ‘Those long skirts were in fashion last summer.’

Ebony turned the pages. ‘Fashionable hippy then?’

‘Have you got Danielle’s iPod?’ asked Jeanie.

‘Here.’ Ebony took it out of the bag containing the personal items they’d taken from Danielle’s flat.

‘Let’s put it through the system here and listen to it.’

Ebony connected it up.

‘Oasis. Arctic Monkeys. Old-fashioned type of rock chick,’ said Jeanie. Ebony skipped forward along the tracks. ‘Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Black Keys, Florence and the Machine.’ Jeanie reeled off the names of the artists whilst drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.

‘How do you know so much about music?’ asked Ebony.

Jeanie shrugged. ‘Always loved it. All kinds. You have to be brought up with music to know about people like Bob Dylan. Danielle loves acoustic, poetical lyrics.’ They parked up and walked into the centre, stopping outside H&M.

‘Let’s start here.’

Jeanie led the way, going around the shop collecting clothes whilst Ebony trailed behind her carrying them. Within twenty minutes they were in the changing room.

‘Try these baggy trousers with these five different tops and we’ll decide a look for you.’ Jeanie separated the different styles of clothes onto separate hanging space in the changing room. Ebony slipped out of her work clothes and waited to be handed the first pair of combat-style trousers. ‘I reckon we go for practical, not too bright, with a hint of feminine about it. Let your hair down, Ebb.’ Ebony undid the ponytail at the back of her head and untwisted the knot. Her hair ballooned out over her shoulders. ‘So pretty, your hair, like soft, black candyfloss.’

‘Legacy from my Jamaican dad.’ She waited whilst Jeanie chose a top and took the hanger out of an embroidered peasant-style cotton blouse in green.

‘Ebb, why have you got a sports bra on?’

Ebony shrugged. ‘I always wear them.’

‘They make you look much flatter than you are.’ Ebony didn’t answer. She pulled the blouse over her head. The sports bra was visible as an off-white cloth bar across the gape where the buttons did up. ‘We’ll have to get you a few bras. I reckon you’re a thirty-four B. Christ, I wish I was that. Mine are huge since I had Christa. It’s taking me forever to get my figure back. I’m going to go to the gym, Ebb. I’ll have to stop making excuses and just do it.’

‘Don’t beat yourself up about it. Christa’s a pretty good excuse, Jeanie.’

‘I know but I’ll have to think of something; I’m sick of not being able to get back into my clothes.’

‘I wouldn’t worry about it,’ Ebony said as she held out her hand, waiting to exchange another top.

‘That’s all right for you to say. If I had your figure I’d show it off, wear some short skirts sometimes – your legs are fab. I wouldn’t worry about it either.’

‘I’m shapeless.’ Ebony put the clothes neatly back on their hangers.

‘No you’re not. Who told you that? Whoever it was is not seeing what I see in that mirror. Just jealous, I expect.’