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‘What now?’ she asks, lighting the candle.
‘Now you carry it out. Be sure to shield the flame with one hand on the walk. Start singing when you enter, and everyone will join in.’
She picks up the cake. ‘Can you start the song?’
I normally hide at the back, not singing, but I nod. ‘Sure.’
It’s an awkward cake moment. Bridget’s like a deer in headlights as we step out onto the terrace. Annie forgets both the tune and lyrics of the world’s most unforgettable song and ends up standing there silent for the entire thing. Plus I forgot to tell her about the ‘hip hip hooray’, and that has her looking around in a state of confusion and panic. Then Bridget forgets that she’s supposed to blow the candle out. Everyone’s shouting at her to make a wish, and you can tell she just wants this to be over.
Finally, everyone’s eating cake—except Annie and Bridget, who are pushing it around their paper plates.
My phone rings, and I sneak off into the kitchen to answer it. It’s Pete asking a question about the water pump. When I hang up, I turn to see Annie standing in the doorway, eyes on the phone in my hand.
‘You have a mobile phone?’ she asks.
I nod. ‘Yeah.’
Her eyes meet mine, and I see the anger in them. ‘You didn’t think to call your dad and let him know you’re okay?’
I’m a little taken aback by her reaction. ‘I know he’s still drinking and that nothing’s changed. Sammy keeps me up to date.’
She turns the tap on and starts angry-washing the dishes.
I watch her a moment. ‘Something you want to say?’
She turns the water to full hot. ‘Nope.’
‘Wilson.’
She doesn’t look at me.
‘Annie.’
‘What?’ She’s still not looking at me.
Her hands are turning red under the water. Walking over, I turn the tap to cold. ‘Are you pissed at me for not calling Dad or pissed at me for not calling you?’
She’s focused on the plate in her hand. ‘You left without even saying goodbye. I’d be an idiot to expect a courtesy phone call from you.’ She turns the tap back to hot. ‘You should go socialise.’
I draw a breath for patience. ‘I don’t want to talk to them. I want to talk to you.’
‘Well, you’re a year too late.’
I turn the tap off completely. ‘And I don’t play these fucking games. You should know that about me by now.’
She turns to me, eyes like two flames. ‘I don’t know you at all. You’re just a boy I liked for a minute in high school who ran away.’ She leans in. ‘I don’t play games either. I don’t have the headspace for it. You want to be friends with my sister? That’s fine. I’ll tolerate your company for her sake. But to be clear, she’s the only thing we have in common now.’
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and Annie turns back to the sink.
‘You should answer that,’ she says. ‘It might be important.’
And that’s my patience used up. ‘Tell your sister goodbye.’
Annie continues washing. ‘Maybe you should send her a text message. It’s so easy to keep in touch with those things.’
I press my teeth together. ‘All right, Wilson. You win.’
My fist hits the kitchen cupboard on my way out.
