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I blink and tears fall down my face.
‘Do you think she knows?’
‘Without a doubt.’
Bridget crosses her arms. ‘At least you found out before things went any further.’
I look over at her. ‘Why do you always sit so far away from me? What do you think will happen if we accidentally touch?’
She shifts in her seat. ‘I don’t always sit far away from you.’
‘Yes you do. You do it in the kitchen too. If I’m at the sink, you’ll wait by the fridge. Will you combust into flames if our arms brush as you’re getting a glass of water?’
She blinks. ‘Don’t lash out at me because you’re angry at them.’
‘It’s a genuine question.’ I turn to face her properly. ‘Your sister’s sitting before you in tears, and you’re ensuring there’s three feet between us at all times.’
She stares at me, not speaking.
I start to cry again. ‘What did I do?’
Nothing.
I turn to her. ‘What did I do? I didn’t move out. I didn’t leave. You did that.’
Her eyes turn shiny. ‘I had to.’
‘I know why you left the religion, the town, our home, your horse, Mum. I just can’t for the life of me figure out what I did wrong.’
Bridget stands up. ‘Well, you’re not exactly the world’s most affectionate sister either.’
‘Travelling to Brisbane and sifting the city to find you wasn’t enough of a gesture?’
She looks so wounded. ‘Stop.’
I swallow and drop my head into my hands. ‘I’m sorry.’
Bridget watches me a moment, then slowly returns to her end of the sofa, picking up the TV remote. ‘Do you want to watch a Christmas movie? They’re supposed to cheer people up.’
I look up, nodding. ‘Okay.’
She flicks through the channels until she finds one, then reaches for her handbag, pulling out a large bottle wrapped with cellophane and ribbon. ‘Someone gave me a bottle of Baileys at the party tonight. Want some?’
I nod. ‘I’ll get the ice.’
We sit with five feet and a bottle of Baileys between us, watching Jingle All the Way. As it’s coming to an end, my phone rings. Tamsin’s name glows on the screen. I pick it up and wander out to the terrace in hope of a breeze, but everything’s still.
‘Hey,’ I say.
‘Hey.’ She sounds flat. ‘I’m going to assume you know about Maggie.’
‘Yeah.’ I glance back at my sister, who’s now tidying up. ‘Hunter told me… right before he cut me from his life for a second time.’
Tamsin sighs. ‘He’s not in a good way. Probably doesn’t help that his dad’s the most hated man in Chirnside right now. His injuries haven’t won him much sympathy.’
The tinkle of dishes drifts out through the open door.
‘I just spoke to Sammy,’ she continues. ‘He was on his way to collect Hunter from the police station. Apparently he punched Keith from the service station in the face and broke his nose.’
