any chance he gets. It’s become a regular
pastime for him to jump on it at a weekend and head off. Usually, he ends up at
our mum’s on a Sunday afternoon. Secretly, I think he worries about her being
alone, and he does try to see her as much as he can, as do I.
Josh
soon notices who our surprise visitor is and runs over to greet him.
“Uncle
Ryan!” he shouts, throwing his school backpack to the ground. He runs towards
him, raising his arms as he reaches my brother.
“Is
Liam with you?” Josh asks, looking around as if Ryan has hidden his cousin
somewhere.
“Hey
Josh,” Ryan says, smiling. He picks Josh up and pops him straight onto his
leather clad shoulders as if he weighs no more than a feather. “No, sorry
Liam’s at home, but you’ll see him soon, I promise.”
“Aww.
Can I have a ride on your motorbike?” Josh asks, looking behind Ryan at the
bike expectantly, clinging tightly around Ryan’s neck.
“Maybe
when you’re eighteen,” Ryan replies. He pops Josh down next to me on the
doorstep, as I frantically search my handbag for my door keys. I can’t bring
myself to look up at Ryan; I can already tell by a brief look at his face that
he isn’t happy with me. His intense stare doesn’t leave my face. I can feel an
embarrassed flush creeping up my cheeks as I eventually fish out my keys from
my bag and unlock the door.
I
rush to turn off the burglar alarm. Ryan follows me in, still not saying
anything, and closes the door behind him as I punch in the four-digit code to
silence the noise. I go into the lounge and take off my coat, throwing it on
the sofa, then swiftly turn to face him. He glares at me hard and sighs loudly
as Josh runs in behind him, grabbing hold of his leg playfully. Ryan looks down
at his nephew and rubs his head affectionately.
“Josh
darling, why don’t you go and play in your room for a little bit, while Mum and
Uncle Ryan talk, okay?” I ask, quietly.
Josh
promptly lets go of Ryan’s leg and heads upstairs, without any protest against
my request. Even at his young age, I think he can sense the atmosphere
developing in the room. I know fine well that Matt has been in touch with Ryan,
and that’s his reason for being here now.
Ryan
passes where I stand and sits down on the chair opposite me.
“What
were you thinking Nat?” He sounds slightly disgusted. I feel like a little girl
who has done something naughty, waiting for punishment. I stand still in front
of him, unable to meet his stare as he continues.
“Don’t
you think Matt has already been through enough lately? Without you bringing
even more shit to his door?” he asks, raising his eyebrows and folding his
arms, waiting for an answer. I eventually pluck up the courage to look at him.
“He called me when I was on my way home from work, asking me to meet him
because he wanted to talk. He was really upset, so I went straight along to his
apartment. Little did I know that it was you who had him in such a state, and
for what, Nat? A stupid fucking dream?” His voice is still quiet, but he’s
clearly outraged. I can’t remember the last time my brother swore at me. It’s
not a pleasant feeling at all.
“It’s
not stupid, Ryan,” I snap back at him, unable to hide the emotion from my
voice.“You know I’ve been having these dreams for a while, but this one was
different, then... I saw her.”
Ryan’s
head snaps up. “You didn’t mention that part to Matt,” he says, looking at me
like I’m crazy, and suddenly I feel crazy too.
I
shake my head. “I didn’t think he’d believe me. I saw her face, she was in the
mirror, in the hallway. It was dark and... it was her Ryan, I swear it was
her.”
Ryan
looks bewildered, “Okay, let me get this straight. So you’re telling me you believe
in ghosts now, and that our dead sister is trying to tell you that her husband
was up at Milton Point with her the night she died?” He sighs, tilting his head
towards the ceiling, then looks back at me,
pastime for him to jump on it at a weekend and head off. Usually, he ends up at
our mum’s on a Sunday afternoon. Secretly, I think he worries about her being
alone, and he does try to see her as much as he can, as do I.
Josh
soon notices who our surprise visitor is and runs over to greet him.
“Uncle
Ryan!” he shouts, throwing his school backpack to the ground. He runs towards
him, raising his arms as he reaches my brother.
“Is
Liam with you?” Josh asks, looking around as if Ryan has hidden his cousin
somewhere.
“Hey
Josh,” Ryan says, smiling. He picks Josh up and pops him straight onto his
leather clad shoulders as if he weighs no more than a feather. “No, sorry
Liam’s at home, but you’ll see him soon, I promise.”
“Aww.
Can I have a ride on your motorbike?” Josh asks, looking behind Ryan at the
bike expectantly, clinging tightly around Ryan’s neck.
“Maybe
when you’re eighteen,” Ryan replies. He pops Josh down next to me on the
doorstep, as I frantically search my handbag for my door keys. I can’t bring
myself to look up at Ryan; I can already tell by a brief look at his face that
he isn’t happy with me. His intense stare doesn’t leave my face. I can feel an
embarrassed flush creeping up my cheeks as I eventually fish out my keys from
my bag and unlock the door.
I
rush to turn off the burglar alarm. Ryan follows me in, still not saying
anything, and closes the door behind him as I punch in the four-digit code to
silence the noise. I go into the lounge and take off my coat, throwing it on
the sofa, then swiftly turn to face him. He glares at me hard and sighs loudly
as Josh runs in behind him, grabbing hold of his leg playfully. Ryan looks down
at his nephew and rubs his head affectionately.
“Josh
darling, why don’t you go and play in your room for a little bit, while Mum and
Uncle Ryan talk, okay?” I ask, quietly.
Josh
promptly lets go of Ryan’s leg and heads upstairs, without any protest against
my request. Even at his young age, I think he can sense the atmosphere
developing in the room. I know fine well that Matt has been in touch with Ryan,
and that’s his reason for being here now.
Ryan
passes where I stand and sits down on the chair opposite me.
“What
were you thinking Nat?” He sounds slightly disgusted. I feel like a little girl
who has done something naughty, waiting for punishment. I stand still in front
of him, unable to meet his stare as he continues.
“Don’t
you think Matt has already been through enough lately? Without you bringing
even more shit to his door?” he asks, raising his eyebrows and folding his
arms, waiting for an answer. I eventually pluck up the courage to look at him.
“He called me when I was on my way home from work, asking me to meet him
because he wanted to talk. He was really upset, so I went straight along to his
apartment. Little did I know that it was you who had him in such a state, and
for what, Nat? A stupid fucking dream?” His voice is still quiet, but he’s
clearly outraged. I can’t remember the last time my brother swore at me. It’s
not a pleasant feeling at all.
“It’s
not stupid, Ryan,” I snap back at him, unable to hide the emotion from my
voice.“You know I’ve been having these dreams for a while, but this one was
different, then... I saw her.”
Ryan’s
head snaps up. “You didn’t mention that part to Matt,” he says, looking at me
like I’m crazy, and suddenly I feel crazy too.
I
shake my head. “I didn’t think he’d believe me. I saw her face, she was in the
mirror, in the hallway. It was dark and... it was her Ryan, I swear it was
her.”
Ryan
looks bewildered, “Okay, let me get this straight. So you’re telling me you believe
in ghosts now, and that our dead sister is trying to tell you that her husband
was up at Milton Point with her the night she died?” He sighs, tilting his head
towards the ceiling, then looks back at me,
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