Deep Wate - Sarah Epstein Page 0,11

Min,’ Sabeen says absently, her attention on the window. A Subaru wagon is pulling up outside at the same time Raf is driving away. Early 2000s model, dark blue with silver bumpers and black roof racks. I recognise it straightaway.

Tom stiffens. ‘I didn’t know you’d invited them.’

I glance at him, curious. Sabeen frowns slightly. ‘Of course I did,’ she says. ‘Why wouldn’t I?’

In Sabeen’s mind we’re the same close-knit circle of friends we’ve been for over a decade. In truth, even before Henry disappeared, the cracks were starting to show. The incident at the reservoir on Boxing Day left us all divided, and Sabeen refuses to acknowledge the group’s dynamic might be changing. She thinks of us all as family and would clutch us in a group hug forever if she could.

As soon as the Subaru’s engine cuts out, we hear raised voices. Angry words puncture the still evening.

‘… enough …’

‘… hate this …’

‘… not fair!’

Mason’s in the driver’s seat, one hand gripping the steering wheel, his head tipped back to stare at the ceiling. On the passenger side, Rina is gesturing wildly with her hands.

‘That’s why,’ Tom says to Sabeen, making a point of turning away from the glass. He rubs a palm across his chest, a pained expression on his face. He’s always hated confrontation. Tom has long been our peacemaker, the levelheaded one we all listen to. With any of our childhood games or squabbles we’d turn to Tom for adjudication because he’s always fair and impartial. But as soon as things get too heated, he’s the first one to locate an escape route.

‘What do you think they’re arguing about?’ I ask, wondering if I should tell them about the motel window and Mason’s lie about his injured hands. But Sabeen might get snippy with me – she doesn’t like it when I criticise Mason – and Tom’s already looking uncomfortable. I decide to file it away for later.

Rina opens the car door and the voices grow louder. Even Tom’s drawn back to the window as she swears and slams the door before stalking off up the road.

‘Oh no,’ Sabeen murmurs. She bites her bottom lip and shifts beside me like she might dash outside to see if Rina’s okay. Mason remains in the car for a while with his head down, and I sense Sabeen’s concern shifting to him. She doesn’t know who to help; she’s immobilised by indecision, like a stressed-out mum who just wants us all to get along.

The Subaru’s engine roars to life and the car reverses quickly into the road, tearing off in the opposite direction to Rina.

‘They’re always doing this,’ Sabeen says, managing an uncertain smile. ‘I’m sure everything will be okay in the morning.’

Tom’s expression is one I can’t quite read, but I get the feeling he thinks Sabeen’s hope might be misplaced. Mason is his best mate; he might know something we don’t.

It’s not long before Liv returns to the table with two piping hot pizzas. She manages to eat a couple of slices with us before a small run of phone orders has her back in the kitchen. Raf is in and out three more times before things slow enough for him to eat dinner himself. He doesn’t sit with us, instead choosing to perch on a stool behind the counter, taking quick bites between sweeping and helping his mum clean up.

‘Hey, Your Highness,’ he says to his sister. ‘You wanna actually do some work around here?’ He holds up a full garbage bag in each hand, indicating for Sabeen to grab another to take out to the dumpster. A look passes between them and Sabeen’s eyes dart to me, then away just as quickly. Raf murmurs something urgent to her on their way out the back door.

‘I’d better get going,’ I tell Tom. ‘It’s almost dark and Dad will worry if I’m not back soon.’ He hugs me farewell and I thank Liv for dinner. ‘I’ll leave the back way to say bye to Raf and Sabeen.’

Ensuring the screen door doesn’t bang behind me, I keep my footsteps light across the pavers in the courtyard. The sun is now low in the sky, long shadows providing me cover as I edge towards the back fence. With only a few wooden palings between us, Sabeen and Raf ’s voices are clearly audible on the other side. A gap near the gate provides me with a view of the two rusty dumpsters in the rear laneway.

‘I know you,’ Raf