‘Truth.’ Beth was unwilling to risk a nudie run down the street.
‘Hmm, let’s see.’ Ellie tapped her chin. ‘What do you really think of Noah? Or, should I say, how do youfeelabout him?’
‘Next question.’
‘Nope, that’s not how the game works.’
‘Right, well, you asked two questions, so I’ll answer the first. Noah is a very talented renovator.’
Ellie pouted. ‘Party pooper.’
‘My turn. Truth or dare? No, scratch that, I can’t think of a dare, so you’ll have to take truth.’
‘You’re really not good at this game.’
‘Yeah, well, you wanted to play. Now, tell me, where have you been hiding that voice of yours? How did I not know you could sing?’
‘That’s two questions, so I’ll answer the first.’ Ellie poked her tongue out, then shrugged. ‘I’m more of a sing-in-the-shower kinda gal.’
‘Why, though? If I had a voice like yours, I’d be singing from the rooftops like Gina.’
Ellie shot her a doubtful look.
‘Okay, maybe I wouldn’t. But I’m me and you’re you. You have all the confidence I lack.’
‘You’d be surprised,’ Ellie answered dryly. ‘Now, moving on. Truth or dare?’
‘In the interest of saving time, you should know my answer will always be truth.’
‘Noted. Now, I’m dying to know, have you ever felt so different from everyone around you that you’ve seriously wondered, on more than one occasion, whether you’re an alien from another planet who crash-landed here as a baby only to end up being raised by people who never really wanted to be parents but were brainwashed into caring for you by the government?’
Beth blinked. ‘Um … I wish I could say no, but—’
‘Really? What a fluke! Me, too!’
‘I mean, maybe not the part about my folks not wanting to be parents, but the rest? Absolutely.’
Ellie fell back against the cushions. ‘Lucky you. My parents never made me a priority in their lives. I’ve always felt like more of a burden than their daughter.’
‘I’m sorry, Elle. That sucks.’
‘Huh. Speaking of sucking, they once told me I was doing just that, sucking the life out of them because I was—’ she formed bunny ears with her fingers, putting her words in inverted commas, ‘—“too much”.’
‘They did not!’
‘They absolutely did. I mean, sure, they at least had the decency to make it sound like they were joking, but I know they meant it. To be fair, though, I practically bounced off the walls as a kid, so maybe they had a point.’
Ellie’s acceptance of her parents’ unkind words made Beth want to cry. If your own parents weren’t your biggest cheerleaders, what chance did you have of ever growing into the best version of yourself?
‘Well, for what it’s worth,’ she told Ellie, ‘Idon’t think you’re too much. I think you’re just the right amount.’
Ellie sniffed and her chin trembled when she said, ‘I think that’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.’
Beth shrugged. ‘It’s the truth. I wish I could be more like you. You’re not scared to be noticed, whereas I hide from my own shadow. In fact, I’d gotten so good at hiding that I was practically invisible at my job in Townsville. I doubt most people at the company even knew my name.’
Ellie reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. ‘Their loss, Bethie. And for what it’s worth—’ she leaned closer and smiled encouragingly, ‘—Isee you.’
‘Oh.’ Beth threw her arms around Ellie, and Ellie hugged her back until they were both laughing through their tears.
