My Brother's Keeper - By Donna Malane Page 0,19

in charge of this. That’s the deal. I give you my word.’

The seconds ticked away while she stayed frozen and stiff with indecision. Then the hand closed over the foot again with a comforting squeeze and the tension deflated.

‘Okay.’ She shrugged as if she didn’t care. ‘Whatever,’ she added bleakly.

Suddenly the door clattered opened. Anton stepped back to allow Salena entry. ‘So you’re the person Karen sent.’ She dismissed me in a single eye movement.

There was no reason to respond and she didn’t seem to expect a reply. Neo slunk in behind her, iPad swinging casually in one hand. He perched on the sofa next to Sunny and continued his game. Anton remained in the open doorway, displaying his bulk. He was looking at Sunny in a way that made me uneasy. It was a relief when she put her feet on the floor.

‘Justin didn’t want Sunny to talk to you but I said she should. She has to come to terms with what her mother did.’ Salena didn’t even glance in Sunny’s direction.

Sunny reacted. ‘Hell-ooo,’ she called, waving her arms above her head. ‘I am actually here in the room, you know.’

Salena kept her eyes averted. ‘I know you are, darling.’

An uncomfortable silence followed; well, uncomfortable for me anyway. Sunny glared at Salena with undisguised distaste. Salena shifted papers on the desk, ignoring her. No love lost or otherwise between these two. Neo edged closer to Sunny. His attention appeared to be focused entirely on his game, but I had my doubts.

‘Are you alright, love?’ Justin pushed past Anton, looking from me to Sunny.

‘Why is everyone suddenly so interested if I’m alright. Of course I’m alright. What did you think she’d do — kill me?’

An odd boing from Neo’s iPad game was the only sound in the room. Salena threw Justin a ‘this is what I have to deal with’ gesture. He didn’t respond. My knees clicked from sitting rigid for too long. In full view of Justin, I handed Sunny my business card.

‘All my contact details are on there, Sunny. You can ring me any time you want.’

She studied the card intently, forcing the tears back. I resisted the urge to hug her goodbye. Salena called a sarcastic ‘Bye now,’ as I reached the door. Anton held it open for me. I was already anticipating the very deep breath I’d let out once my feet hit the pavement.

‘I want to meet my mother,’ Sunny said, addressing her father. I paused in the doorway, Anton’s arm hovering above my head.

‘No way, Sunny,’ he said. ‘I won’t allow it.’

‘You can’t stop me, you know,’ she said, without conviction. ‘I have a right to see her.’

Justin looked to Salena for advice. She feigned interest in the wall. Anton stared at Sunny; he seemed fascinated by her. No one looked at me, frozen in the doorway, craving a cigarette for the first time in twenty months.

‘I have to, you know, confront her,’ Sunny said. ‘Tell her how much I hate her,’ she added, unconvincingly. Justin struggled to contain some emotion, his repertoire of emotions so limited I was guessing the emotion was anger. ‘You have to let me do this, Dad. Please.’

Even the iPad had stopped boinging.

‘Okay,’ he said. We all breathed again. ‘But I have to be there. I won’t let you do this on your own.’

Sunny immediately got down to practicals. ‘Not you, Dad. It would be impossible with you there. You’d just get totally angry and stuff.’ There was no heat in it. She was stating a fact. Surprisingly, Justin nodded in agreement. I saw a thought take hold.

‘You’re right, honey,’ he said, a barely repressed smile developing. ‘It should be another female with you. Someone you trust.’ Thrilled with the possibility, he looked the question at Salena. She offered a complex range of gestures in response, which I interpreted as meaning she would do it, but unwillingly.

‘I want her to come with me,’ Sunny said. Justin released the smile. He assumed she meant Salena. We all did. ‘I want Diane to come with me,’ she declared, studying the card in her hand, probably making sure she had my name right. Justin was speechless. So was I. ‘I trust her,’ she added. She might as well have said: Suck on that, Salena.

The iPad boinged.

Maybe Sunny chose me just to piss Salena off. Salena thought so, though she refused to give her stepdaughter the satisfaction of showing it. Whatever her intention, once Sunny had set the idea in motion she