Between the Lives - By Jessica Shirvington Page 0,6
casual up-do and the delicate showering of accessories.
‘Yes, Mom. Everyone knows how you feel about underage drinking.’ Which is why everyone who is drinking will be hanging out at the pool house just in case someone comes snooping.
She smiled and took a step forward, eyeing my outfit. ‘That’s a pretty skirt, darling. Plaid really has made a comeback this season.’ She brushed away non-existent lint from my shoulder and looked me up and down again thoughtfully.
‘But …?’
‘Oh, nothing, darling. It’s very sweet. You know me, I just love you in green – it brings out your eyes.’
‘Mom, I’m wearing green tonight. I don’t want to overdo it.’ I smiled to reassure her and didn’t take it to heart. Mom was the most insecure person I knew. It wasn’t just me; she was toughest on herself. I was sure she changed at least a dozen times each morning before she settled on an outfit, and she was rarely in the same one by the time I arrived home from school. She’s always been like that, but it’s been even worse since Dad left.
She nodded, looking contrite. ‘You’re right. You look beautiful. Like always. I’ll see you tonight, everything will be ready and perfect.’
I fiddled with my bag strap. ‘Ah … Mom, you know how we discussed …’
She looked at me for a moment, not getting it, but then she blinked, catching on. ‘Oh, darling. I know, I know … you’re eighteen now and I promised I’d give you some privacy. I’ll be going out with your Aunt Lyndal. She’s sworn to keep me away from the house. I just want to be here to see you in your dress and make sure everything is –’
‘Perfect,’ I finished for her.
‘Yes.’
I reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. ‘See you after school. I better get going.’
Mom watched me walk out the door. I closed it behind me so she wouldn’t see the next scene unfold. Just as I walked down the steps and Ryan sneered at me for having been made to wait so long, a white SUV came screaming up the gravel drive. Miriam, my best friend in this world, was behind the wheel. Perfect timing.
Ryan watched the SUV until it pulled to a halt and then looked back at me, eyes narrowed.
I smiled the special smile I reserved for him. ‘Oh.’ I batted my eyelids. ‘Sorry, Ry, did I forget to tell you that Miriam was giving me a lift to school?’
He returned the finger I’d delivered to him earlier and took off in his car, leaving a spray of gravel in his wake.
For a moment I felt bad. But then I reminded myself – this is me. This is who I am here. I’d tried other ways, but soon learned that if I wanted to function in each of my worlds then I had to really embrace them. Accept my place. The Sabine in this world had to deal with a twenty-two-year-old jerk of a brother called Ryan – a guy who, when I was eleven, once locked me in the garage for five hours while he had a bunch of friends over – and that was the only way to do it.
I slid into the passenger seat beside Miriam.
‘Your brother is hot,’ Miriam said, her eyes fixed on the dust storm Ryan’s car had left behind.
‘Yeah, well you see hot, I see pain in my ass. He’s just –’ A frustrated noise escaped my lips. ‘He’s so selfish. He never helps Mom out, never … anything. All he has to do is turn up at the house for a few days each month. Get this, he can’t stand to be without his drinking buddies for more than a day, so next month he’s bringing one of them with him.’
‘Ooh, is he cute?’ Miriam asked, her face lighting up at the thought of potential eye-candy.
I shrugged. ‘Don’t know, don’t care. All I know is that next month I’ll have to deal with two of them.’
As we drove through the village centre my mind suddenly flashed back to yesterday – well, my version of yesterday. ‘Hey, can you stop. I … I want to grab some fruit.’
Miriam didn’t slow down. ‘You can get fruit at school.’
Already my subconscious was niggling uncomfortably, but before I’d thought it through, my mouth was open again.
‘Yeah, but I want this fruit. Just stop. There. Just outside the fruit shop.’
Miriam looked at me like I was mad. I gave myself a mental check