The Shiver Stone by Sharon Tregenza

together.’
    She clapped her hand over her mouth in horror. ‘Oh God, I wasn’t supposed to tell you that. Dai wanted to tell you himself. He…’
    Without thinking I hurled the trifle at her. Some of it hit the wall but most landed right on target.
    I don’t know who was more shocked, Linette or me. She stood rigid, as clumps of green jelly, sponge and custard slid slowly down her face and hair, slipped onto to her shoulders and rolled down her new pink dress.
    â€˜I … I…’ I began.
    Linette was quick to retaliate – out of nowhere a dollop of cold cheese dip landed on my head. I inhaled sharply. Grabbing the bowl of peanuts, I chucked them just as Linette ducked down behind the sofa. They pinged off the walls and scattered over the furniture and floor like hailstones.
    She came up laughing and rushed to the table. I reached it first and got her in the eye with a fresh cream doughnut. I was laughing too now.
    I ducked a ham sandwich. ‘Ha, missed!’ A pepperoni pizza came hurtling through the air like a frisbee.
    Food flew back and forth and we were both laughing so hysterically we didn’t hear the key in the front door.
    Dad was wearing his best suit.
    Linette and I stopped and stood to attention, eyes wide, like naughty school kids.
    He walked into the lounge, looked around in astonishment, and said, ‘What the hell...’
    We looked guiltily at each other.
    â€˜We thought we’d throw a party for you,’ Linette said, sheepishly.
    â€˜Well, you didn’t have to throw it all over the house,’ Dad said.
    And that did it – we collapsed with laughter. Linette fell into the sofa shrieking and holding her stomach. I was laughing so hard I thought my legs would give out, so I dropped onto the floor where I rocked and rocked, unable to stop.
    When I managed to control myself, I saw Dad hadn’t moved an inch. He looked even more bewildered.
    He shook his head. ‘I just don’t get you two,’ he said. He stepped across to where Linette lay gulping for breath on the sofa. He stuck a finger in the green and yellow goop in her hair, put it in his mouth and sucked. ‘Nice birthday trifle, Carys,’ he said, and that started us off again.
    This time Dad joined in. I can’t remember the last time I’d heard him laugh like that.
    We cleaned up the mess together, scraping food off the wall and the carpet and the window and door. We searched for peanuts, making it into a contest to see who could find the most. Linette won. Then there was a race for the shower – I won. I riffled through Linette’s shower gels and shampoos and picked the nicest smelling ones.
    When I came out, Linette was waiting outside the door.
    â€˜If you don’t tell your Dad I spilled the beans about the house we’re buying, I won’t tell him you slept in the shed with Tia. Deal?’ she whispered.
    â€˜You know about that?’ I whispered back.
    â€˜Did the same thing when I was your age, ’cept it was a guinea pig. Deal?’ she said again.
    She held up her hand for a high five. I slapped it. ‘Deal,’ I said.
    Before she slipped past me into the bathroom, I whispered, ‘So if you were like my older sister, would that mean I could use your stuff anytime I wanted?’
    â€˜Don’t push your luck,’ Linette said.
    I thought for a minute.
    â€˜S’pose we could give it a try,’ I said.
    Later, we sat down to what was left of the food – a bowl of crisps, two small pasties and some chicken drumsticks.
    Linette gave Dad a new jumper that was way too trendy for him, and I gave him a Country and Western CD I knew he wanted.
    We did the cake and Happy Birthday singing bit. After Dad had blown out the candles, Linette took the cake back into the kitchen to cut it into slices. And also, it was pretty obvious, to give Dad a chance to talk to me.
    He began a spluttering, coughing, red-faced