silent when I appear at the top of the stairs, everyone turning to look at me. “Welcome home, boys,” I manage to say, the words sticking in my throat and my legs as heavy as cement. I notice James smile but, again, there is sadness behind it. “I’ll put the kettle on. What would you both like?”
Luke looks at Dillon, then James, then back to me. “Apple juice, please.” Beside him, James ruffles his hair.
Dillon fixes his eyes on me. “Thanks. I’ll have apple juice too, please, Callie.” To Emma and James, the boys are being polite and friendly, but I know what game they are playing. There is no apple juice in the fridge and all three of us know it.
But I won’t let them win. “No problem. I think it ran out, though, so I’ll just nip to the shop and get some. Back in a minute.” I brush past them and open the front door, noticing Dillon’s scowl as I step outside. Round two to me.
Outside, Mrs Simmons stands by her door, talking to a DHL delivery man. She stops mid-sentence when she sees me but says nothing. “Afternoon, Mrs Simmons,” I call as I walk past. She mumbles an incoherent reply, and I increase my pace to escape her heavy gaze.
Back at the house, everyone is gathered around the kitchen table, as if they are having a meeting.
“The boys were thirsty so they’re having orange instead,” Emma says, “and I’ve made tea for us.”
I take one of the three mugs on the table while James, Emma and the boys resume their conversation: something about Luke’s friend Harry, who I have met only briefly, when I’ve ferried Luke to or from his house. James tries to bring me into the conversation, but I struggle to contribute much.
“So you must have loads of coursework to do,” Emma says, peering over her glasses at me. She only needs them for driving so I’m not sure why they’re still perched on her nose. “I hope we’re not disturbing you.”
I shake my head and force a smile. “Not at all.”
“So what are you up to this evening?” James asks Emma.
Finally removing her glasses, she leans forward, closer to him. “Actually, do you fancy a quick pint? I wouldn’t mind talking to you about something. But don’t worry if you’re busy. It’s nothing urgent.”
James looks from me to the boys. “Okay,” he says after a moment, “maybe just a quick one. I don’t think I’m up for going into the village but why don’t we try The Dog and Fox round the corner?”
Emma rises to her feet. “No time like the present, eh?”
While the boys hug her goodbye, James comes over to me. “You don’t mind, do you? I won’t be long. The boys can do their homework.”
“Of course not. We’ll be fine.”
He looks uncertain, but follows Emma into the hallway. “Homework,” he says to Dillon and Luke. “And I’ll be checking it.”
“Aw, Dad!” Luke moans, but he follows his brother upstairs, not even glancing in my direction.
I hear nothing from the boys over the next hour, but their silence is disquieting. I have no idea what they’re doing: homework? Planning my demise? I walk past both their rooms several times, and although they must hear the floorboards creaking, there is no sound from either room.
Deciding to make the most of it – whatever they’re up to – I take my course book to the living room and settle down to study. It takes me a while to get into it this afternoon, and just as I finally begin to take in the words, Dillon appears in front of me, Luke standing behind him. “Oh, is everything okay?”
Dillon stares at the floor. “Um…we’ve done our homework now. And, er, Rhys said he bumped into you yesterday and asked if we’re enjoying our present. What’s he talking about?”
The PlayStation game. I had forgotten all about it. “Oh, well, yeah, I did get you something.”
Luke steps forward. “Really? What is it?”
I try not to feel angry. This is the most effort they’ve made to speak to me since I moved in. This is progress. Even if
Luke looks at Dillon, then James, then back to me. “Apple juice, please.” Beside him, James ruffles his hair.
Dillon fixes his eyes on me. “Thanks. I’ll have apple juice too, please, Callie.” To Emma and James, the boys are being polite and friendly, but I know what game they are playing. There is no apple juice in the fridge and all three of us know it.
But I won’t let them win. “No problem. I think it ran out, though, so I’ll just nip to the shop and get some. Back in a minute.” I brush past them and open the front door, noticing Dillon’s scowl as I step outside. Round two to me.
Outside, Mrs Simmons stands by her door, talking to a DHL delivery man. She stops mid-sentence when she sees me but says nothing. “Afternoon, Mrs Simmons,” I call as I walk past. She mumbles an incoherent reply, and I increase my pace to escape her heavy gaze.
Back at the house, everyone is gathered around the kitchen table, as if they are having a meeting.
“The boys were thirsty so they’re having orange instead,” Emma says, “and I’ve made tea for us.”
I take one of the three mugs on the table while James, Emma and the boys resume their conversation: something about Luke’s friend Harry, who I have met only briefly, when I’ve ferried Luke to or from his house. James tries to bring me into the conversation, but I struggle to contribute much.
“So you must have loads of coursework to do,” Emma says, peering over her glasses at me. She only needs them for driving so I’m not sure why they’re still perched on her nose. “I hope we’re not disturbing you.”
I shake my head and force a smile. “Not at all.”
“So what are you up to this evening?” James asks Emma.
Finally removing her glasses, she leans forward, closer to him. “Actually, do you fancy a quick pint? I wouldn’t mind talking to you about something. But don’t worry if you’re busy. It’s nothing urgent.”
James looks from me to the boys. “Okay,” he says after a moment, “maybe just a quick one. I don’t think I’m up for going into the village but why don’t we try The Dog and Fox round the corner?”
Emma rises to her feet. “No time like the present, eh?”
While the boys hug her goodbye, James comes over to me. “You don’t mind, do you? I won’t be long. The boys can do their homework.”
“Of course not. We’ll be fine.”
He looks uncertain, but follows Emma into the hallway. “Homework,” he says to Dillon and Luke. “And I’ll be checking it.”
“Aw, Dad!” Luke moans, but he follows his brother upstairs, not even glancing in my direction.
I hear nothing from the boys over the next hour, but their silence is disquieting. I have no idea what they’re doing: homework? Planning my demise? I walk past both their rooms several times, and although they must hear the floorboards creaking, there is no sound from either room.
Deciding to make the most of it – whatever they’re up to – I take my course book to the living room and settle down to study. It takes me a while to get into it this afternoon, and just as I finally begin to take in the words, Dillon appears in front of me, Luke standing behind him. “Oh, is everything okay?”
Dillon stares at the floor. “Um…we’ve done our homework now. And, er, Rhys said he bumped into you yesterday and asked if we’re enjoying our present. What’s he talking about?”
The PlayStation game. I had forgotten all about it. “Oh, well, yeah, I did get you something.”
Luke steps forward. “Really? What is it?”
I try not to feel angry. This is the most effort they’ve made to speak to me since I moved in. This is progress. Even if
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