‘She did.’ Madison, who’s recovered, grins broadly. ‘Let’ssee what happens next time she’s late getting ready for school. Will it stillbe all smiles, do you think?’
We laugh and I say, ‘That’s just normal family life, though.Which is exactly what Maisie was yearning for.’
‘Very true,’ admits Madison. ‘Ooh.’ She looks over myshoulder and frowns. ‘I think you’re wanted.’
I swing round and Aidan’s standing there. He looks a littleawkward, but there’s a trace of a smile on his lips, which – in my vulnerablestate – I grasp at, hoping it might be a good sign.
He steps forward. ‘Can I have a word?’
‘Oh. Yes. Yes, of course.’ I smile at Katja and Madison andthey murmur their goodbyes and melt away, and I stand there, my heart racing,not knowing if I’m strong enough to hear what he wants to say.
He clears his throat, looking quite nervous. ‘Listen,Kenzie, I’d like to apologise for the way I spoke to you last time. I wasshocked to find out you were driving the car that day... butI shouldn’t have blasted you the way I did. Knowing you as I do, I’m sure youhad good reasons for doing what you did. I get that it’s not a black and whitesituation. You had your friends to think of.’
‘It was a horrible situation,’ I admit, feeling my heartpounding in my chest. ‘But I can totally understand why you’re angry with me.You were so close to Peg.’
Is he forgiving me?
Aidan stares at me bleakly. ‘I couldn’t get my head aroundthe fact that you hadn’t told me. I’d thought we had something...that you and I could...’ He breaks off with a sad shrug. ‘Butmaybe some things are just not meant to be.’
‘Maybe.’ I try to sound upbeat, even though I feel like he’sjust plunged a knife into my heart. ‘I guess you live and learn,’ I addmiserably.
‘Indeed.’ He presses his lips together, as if he’sreconsidering. ‘But listen, there’s something I need to say to you.’
‘Oh?’ I gaze up at him, trying not to hope.
He rubs a weary hand over his face. ‘I let you think thatyou were somehow partly to blame for Peg’s death. But you weren’t. Not really.’
I stare at him, my heart beating fast. ‘What do you mean? Ihate that I didn’t stay a while... that if I’d phoned for anambulance, maybe... just maybe... she’dhave been all right.’
He shakes his head. ‘Kenzie, she was a dying woman. She hadcancer that had travelled to her brain and she didn’t know what she was doingthat day. Her old friend, Agnes, was looking after her for a few days, to givemy mum a break. Agnes was brilliant with Peg, keeping a close watch on her. Butshe was hanging out washing in the back garden and Peg wandered out and...well, you know the rest.’ He sighs. ‘Poor Agnes can’t forgive herself forletting Peg out of her sight. But she wasn’t to blame. And neither were you.’
‘Peg wasill?’ I’m trying to process all of this.
He nods. ‘The doctor had given her weeks to live. I shouldhave told you that night outside the restaurant. But I was just so taken abackby your admission that you were there that day, I wasn’t thinking straight.’
‘You were bound to be shocked.’
‘I was. But... friends? Can we be friends?’
I nod, hardly trusting myself to speak.
‘Good.’
I’m mesmerised by those gorgeous blue eyes as he looks intomine.Maybe, just maybe, we could get back to where we were?
He smiles. ‘I’m glad we had this chance to talk. See you,Kenzie.’ Turning, he walks away, looking down, his hands in his pockets.
I stare after him, a huge lump in my throat. Then I turn andstart making my way home, trying but failing to keep the tears from falling.
A huge sob bursts out, just as I’m passing an elderly couplewalking by, and they both look at me in horror and walk on.
By the time I get home, all I’m fit for is sinking onto thesofa and bawling my eyes out. Hope is a treacherous thing. And when you finallyloseall hope, the feeling of despair is unbearable...
CHAPTERTHIRTY-FOUR
Later, I’m climbing into bed, exhausted, when there’sa ring at the doorbell.
I sit there, clutching the duvet to me in fright.Whowould call round at ten-thirty without at least phoning first?Going to thewindow, I pull back the curtain an inch or two to see who it is.
