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‘Charlotte and Aiden helped me,’ I say. ‘But it was my idea.’
I sound like a one-hundred-and-ten-year-old smoker. It’s weird and kind of funny but Mam and Dad are all super serious so I can’t laugh right now.
‘Oh, Kayla,’ Mam says. ‘Oh, you’re awake. You’re awake. God you scared me.’
‘Hey there, kiddo,’ Dad says.
‘Drink…’ I croak. Okay that noise deserves at least a giggle, I decide.
But Mam and Dad don’t make a sound.
My eyes flutter open and the room is horribly bright. I close them again. I count backwards from three in my head and try again.
‘There she is,’ Dad says, looking at me. ‘Hey you. Hey.’
‘Hey,’ I crackle back, blinking a lot. ‘What time is it?’
‘How about what day is it?’ Mam says.
‘Dad?’ I ask, confused.
‘You’ve been out of it for a couple of days, Kay,’ Dad explains as he pours some water. ‘You hit the stage like your mother hit the Barcadi Breezers after you were born. Hard.’
‘Hey,’ Mam says, semi-giggling, semi-offended.
It’s so good to hear her laugh. Dad always makes her laugh.
‘What?’ Dad says, carrying a glass of water over to my bed. ‘Don’t you think it’s time Kayla knew the truth? I snuck a couple of Barcadi Breezers into the hospital the night you were born, Kay, and your mam and I celebrated like a couple of teenage rebels.’
‘Except I couldn’t actually drink mine because I was breastfeeding,’ Mam says as she slides her arm behind my back and helps me to sit up.
‘Oh yeah,’ Dad says smiling as he passes Mam the glass of water that she helps me sip. ‘That’s right. I drank them all, didn’t I?’
Mam and Dad laugh and try so hard to keep the atmosphere light. It works, and I love that they have so much history together. But a horrible feeling grips me as I listen to them reminisce and tease each other the way old friends do.
‘You’ll stay friends forever, won’t you?’ I say, suddenly very short of air.
‘Hmm, sweetie?’ Mam says, and their giggling stops instantly as she gives me her full attention.
‘You and Dad. You’ll stay friends, won’t you?’ I puff out. ‘Even when I’m gone?’
‘Kay. C’mon,’ Mam says, shaking her head.
Dad looks at me. I can see his eyes glistening. ‘You’re mother and I will always be friends. Always, Kay. That’s not something you have to worry about, okay?’
‘It’s just, you guys have stayed in touch all these years because of me.’ My eyes are so heavy. ‘And when I’m not here anymore…’
‘Kayla please,’ Mam says, the same way she does every time I start to talk about the future. A future without me. ‘Let’s talk about something else, okay?’
‘Okay,’ I say, ‘you can’t be cross with Aiden and Charlotte.’
‘Kayla I’m not cross,’ Mam says.
‘Yes, you are,’ I say, licking my stinging lips. ‘I know you. You’re all embarrassed. I’m sorry.’
‘I’m not,’ Mam says, and her ‘I’m trying to be all cool and breezy because you’re sick’ voice comes out and I’ve learned that this voice really is her ‘if you weren’t sick you’d be in so much trouble right now’ voice.
‘I put Charlotte in a mad awkward position. I asked her for help. I told her not to tell Dad. Or anyone.’
