Her One Mistake(95)
“Where’s Danny?” he yelled, as another flash of lightning lit up the sky, making both Bonnie and me jump. I counted, too quickly, only reaching two before thunder roared overhead. The storm was creeping closer. My brother trailed behind Mum, shrouded in a shapeless black coat that hung over his bulky body, reaching the ground.
Bonnie started shouting again, gesturing at the sea as it rose and dipped, higher and lower than I’d ever seen it go. Another loud crack filled the air and I yelped as the branch of one of the pines fell to the ground beside me. I jumped out of its way as the wind carelessly tossed it along the quay.
For a brief moment, Dad stopped yelling and stared at the branch. My tears were already bleeding into the rainwater that soaked my face, but my heart broke every time at the thought of leaving my beloved island. All I wished was that Dad would realize that whatever we were doing, it wasn’t worth it.
“I do think we should wait, David.” Mum’s voice was high-pitched, her eyes wide as she looked from him to the water. “It wouldn’t hurt to stay another night. We could leave first thing . . .”
We held a collective breath as we waited for Dad to answer. He took his eyes off the broken tree and glared back at her. “No, Maria. We go now.”
“I don’t understand,” I cried. Dad was the easygoing parent. The one who allowed another half hour of playtime or a bite of chocolate even if we’d just brushed our teeth.
“Mum?” I cried, turning to face her. Why wasn’t she doing more to stop him? Mum understood more than anyone how much this island was a part of me, that I wouldn’t be able to survive without it. She loved Evergreen as much as I did.
She stared back at me, the fear I’d seen only moments ago now replaced by a blankness. “Mum—” My voice trembled as I waited for her to demand we go back to the house, but instead she placed a hand against my back and started moving me toward the steps of the boat. I hesitated at the bottom, but she pushed harder until I eventually had no choice but to get on, ignoring Dad’s outstretched hand as I scurried to one of the few benches that sat undercover.
Danny silently followed, sitting behind me, turning his back to stare out of the window. He wouldn’t look at any of us, though there was nothing unusual in that.
“I don’t want to go,” I cried, searching each of their faces in turn. Only Bonnie looked at me as she settled beside me. Her legs shook against mine, and I couldn’t remember a time when we had been so close.
Removing my hood, I looked back at the island through the scratched glass of the boat where the rain still lashed against it. I could have drawn a line right through my heart where it was splitting in two.
Tears continued to trickle down my cheeks as the wind rocked the boat heavily to one side, making Bonnie yelp. I reached out my hands to steady myself, letting go of Gray Bear. Maybe Bonnie was right and we wouldn’t make it to the mainland, but for some reason, Dad was determined to try. Maybe I no longer particularly cared if the sea swallowed me up.
At eleven, I wasn’t prepared to accept our parents’ hurried reasons for leaving the island. I couldn’t believe that this was for good and I couldn’t understand one bit why they were dragging us away in the middle of a storm. “Will we come back?” I whispered to my sister.
Bonnie’s hand shook as it reached for mine under my mac. “No,” she said. “I don’t think we ever will.”
NOW
Chapter One
My clients sit on the sofa opposite me. Her arms are crossed tightly in front of her chest; he is leaning forward, his hands clasped between his widely stretched legs. I could easily fit in the gap between the two of them, and in each of their sessions they are moving farther apart.
Her jaw is so tense I can almost see it pulsing as she stares at me. I’m surprised she hasn’t cried today; she has in every other session. Her husband keeps glancing over at her, but she won’t look at him. Each time he does, his eyebrows twitch as if he’s either wondering where it all went so wrong or what he should do about it.
“I don’t know what more to say,” he mumbles, and she laughs and shakes her head, mouthing something so quietly I can’t work out what it is. “I’m sorry,” he continues.
“God!” she cries, and looks up to the ceiling. Her determination is so resolute I can see her willing the tears not to fall.
I hate this time of the session, but already the minute hand has ticked past six. Tanya will be waiting for me to leave so she can close up behind me. Manning reception means she is always the last one out the door.
“I’m afraid—” I start, but my client interrupts me as she pulls herself out of the chair and grabs the cardigan that hangs limply on the arm.
“I know,” she says. “Our time is up.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “Before you go, is there anything else you want to mention?” I don’t like leaving them like this. I would take them both to the pub and let them carry on talking if it was etiquette.
“I think he’s said enough today, don’t you?”
Her husband chews on the corner of his lip but doesn’t look up at her as he stands, turning the other way to reach for his jacket.
“Do you ever wish you’d never asked a question in the first place?” she says quietly as she follows me to the door.