AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I take a deep breath, wondering how much to say. “We’ve not had a chance to speak; there’s been a lot going on.”
There have been conversations with the police, in the UK and here. In the next few days, statements need to be confirmed. And journalists have been sniffing around, a tragic story circulating about the De Vries family. And I’ve been internalising, deep in thought about lots of things.
We follow the gentle decline to the pond. Oval-shaped, it’s roughly seventy metres long by thirty metres wide. A bank of holly trees runs along the rear perimeter, the ice sounding solid when Nils tests it out on booted feet.
“Careful, Dad!” Sabine calls.
To one side, there’s a pale blue summer house flanked by benches. Inside, deck chairs are propped up in a corner, floatation devices and towels stacked on a large table.
I take a seat next to Ellis on one of the benches and change into my boots.
“When did you last skate?” he asks.
“Last winter. I went with a friend—Josie. My sister was pregnant so couldn’t.”
“You’re an auntie?”
Thinking of Isla brings a fond smile to my face. “My niece is as cute as a button.”
“I can’t wait to be an uncle. I’m just not sure who’ll make me one first—Max or Sabine.”
I study my boots, taking ages to lace them up as I tackle Ellis’s statement. In the end, I say, “You’ll make a great uncle. Or dad.”
He offers a sardonic smile. “Hold your horses. I’ve got a few years yet before I take that on.”
Confidently, Max walks towards me in a pair of battered, off-white skates. Earlier, he told me he’s had them since he was seventeen, and I really like that about him. He sits on the very end of the bench which is right at the water’s edge, some type of matting embedded into the ground to make it easier to move around. He straightens my bobble hat and adjusts the scarf he loves so much at my neck. His eyes ping between Ellis and me. “He’s not bothering you, is he?”
I smile, shaking my head while Ellis chuckles beside me. These two love to tease each other.
"Ready?”
In answer, I reach for his outstretched hand as we carefully step onto the ice.
“Dad’s Chief Ice Safety Officer, and he says it’s as good as it’s ever been. Don’t be worried.”
Gingerly, I scoot away from the edge, looking out across the opaque white surface. “I’ve only ever skated on artificial rinks.”
“It’s way better on natural ice,” Max assures me, his gliding steps smooth and easy. With our gloved hands clasped, I’m tugged along, our pace gradually increasing as we complete our first circuit.
For what feels like the first time in ages, I smile. And Max looks happy which makes me happy too. “This is so fun!”
Our skates scrape against the surface, the ice shifting and creaking. Sometimes it appears to sing, the pitch high and disconcerting. Max assures me it’s normal, but I hold onto his hand more tightly.
“Wanna race?” Ellis asks as he catches us up.
“No,” I laugh out.
“Come on, bro. You can try and take me, but you know I’ll win.”
With an exasperated look, Max tells me, “Ellis plays for a local Canadian team at the weekend. He lives on skates.”
They can all skate, though Ben looks less confident and I’m by far the worst. “I thought you looked good out there,” I compliment Ellis.
Gleefully, he chuckles, while Max raises a brow in my direction. “Well, now I need to prove myself and race this tool,” he tells me. “His gloating will be insufferable otherwise.”
“Won’t it be worse if he wins?” I ask.
Max’s eyes widen. “Jesus, Ava. Whose side are you on?”
