Page 58 of The Time of My Afterlife

He outstretches his hand. ‘Shake on it?’

Reluctantly, I slip my hand into his. It feels surprisingly nice. His large hand is soft and warm. I stare at our hands still locked together. There’s another sensation it’s giving me. It’s not something I have felt before. I can’t work out what it is.

Ah, I know. It makes me feel… safe.

Holding Clark’s hand makes me feel safe. This is unsettling.

22

CLARK

Something weird has happened. I shook Florence’s hand and all my tension, frustration and anger dissolved. The feel of her soft fingers wrapped around mine made me feel lighter, like something had been released.

We’ve both pulled back our hands. Everything feels awkward. She’s trying not to look at me. Maybe she felt something, too? I doubt it.

‘Right,’ I say, needing some distraction from the handshake. ‘What do we do?’

‘I think we should speak to Pearl,’ she says. ‘We can tell her about Mr Beaver and somehow persuade her to reunite with him.’

‘That could be tricky.’

She looks panicky. ‘Clark, this could be our last day of the test.’

I feel my shoulders drop a little. ‘Yes, it could be.’

‘Earlier, I gave Laura an emotional hug, and I phoned my mum to tell her how I think she’s been an amazing mother. From the looks on both their faces, I can tell they think I’m losing my marbles.’

‘You should have heard me phoning in sick. I nearly made my manager cry.’

She looks towards my back window. ‘Did you know I finally planted some courgette seeds yesterday? If we die tonight at least Mum knows I finally started my vegetable patch.’

‘Didn’t you vow to do that at your dad’s funeral?’

‘Three years of intense planning.’ She smiles. ‘When I was leaving the café earlier, I thought about decorating upstairs if we’re given a second chance. That’s another thing I’ve been putting off.’

‘It reminds you of your dad, that’s why you talk yourself out of doing it. I’m not surprised as he was a legend.’

She holds my gaze. ‘You might be right.’

Staring into her eyes, which today look like they’ve been dipped in honey, gives me a fluttering sensation. I dismiss it and run my hand through my hair. ‘Do you think we helped Jane?’

‘A little bit, perhaps? We did show her that we enjoy arguing with each other. That will be our legacy – we’ll be remembered as the two quarrelling neighbours.’

That familiar, uncomfortable feeling crawls over me. ‘If we didn’t pass with Jane then that means our fate rests with Pearl. It’s nearly five. We’re not going to reunite them tonight – are we?’

Florence shakes her head and says softly, ‘No, Clark.’

‘This could be our last night.’

She looks at me with watery eyes. ‘Yes.’

The urge to put my arm around her is strong but I remind myself that Florence and I annoy each other and she would probably shout at me.

Panic sets in, and my heart starts to thrum with urgency. ‘What are we going to do, Florence?’

She puts on her denim jacket. ‘All these bleak thoughts are making me feel cold. We can’t give up, I know that.’ I watch as she fiddles with a few loose threads on the sleeve and traces along a line of loose stitching with her finger. Something flickers across her face, and she gasps. ‘Maybe the test isn’t a single act?’

‘What do you mean?’