room and tiptoes down the stairs. The heating went off hours ago and the house is icy cold. She goes into the living room, quietly shutting the door behind her before turning on the light. The sudden brightness stings her tired eyes, making her blink at the surroundings. She knows this room extremely well, but it doesn’t feel at all welcoming. Curling into an armchair, she tucks her legs under her bottom and pulls the thin gown across her chest.
She takes out the phone, checking her text feed first to see if Seth has sent a last-minute reply. He hasn’t. She sighs. Oh well … It’s just gone three o’clock. If her call wakes him, then so be it. She finds his number, disguised in her contacts as ‘Physio’, presses the icon and waits for the line to connect. After two rings, it goes straight to voicemail. She hears Seth’s smooth, calm tone as he apologises for not being available and asks her to leave a message.
‘What’s going on?’ she says, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. ‘Why won’t you speak to me? I’m sorry I couldn’t call. Please don’t be cross. Reply to my text at least. I need to tell you something important and—’
She breaks off at the sound of somebody coming down the stairs. Ending the call abruptly, she shoves the handset back in her pocket just as the door opens. It’s George.
‘What are you doing?’ he says. ‘I woke up and you weren’t there.’
‘Sorry. I couldn’t sleep.’
‘I thought I heard talking.’
‘No.’
‘I’m sure I did.’
‘Oh, um … I was looking at stuff on my phone and a clip started playing by accident,’ she bluffs. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.’
He rubs the sleeves of his pyjamas. ‘It’s bloody freezing down here. Come back to bed.’
‘Yeah, in a bit,’ she says.
‘Please? I need to have you next to me. It scared me when I realised you weren’t there. It felt like I’d lost you too.’
‘Don’t be silly. I was here.’
George brushes aside his tousled hair. ‘It’s absolute hell, but at least we have each other. I couldn’t do this on my own, I’d collapse.’
‘No you wouldn’t. You’re much stronger than me.’ She untucks her legs and lets him pull her to her feet. He folds his arms around her and she inhales the familiar sleepy smell of him. ‘I love you,’ she says, her voice breaking with emotion.
‘Love you too,’ he murmurs.
‘I’m so sorry.’
‘For what?’
She hesitates, then says, ‘For leaving Mabel with Ruby.’
‘You have to talk to her. Make her tell you the truth.’
‘Yes … I’ll text her, ask her to come over.’
‘That’s all I want – the truth, no matter how bad it is. I just have to know.’
The following morning, the same weird routine starts up again. The media gather outside the house with their insulated coffee mugs, setting up equipment and chatting easily to each other. There is a brief flurry of excitement as Sally arrives shortly after eight o’clock, then it calms down again. Vicky makes tea and toast. Amber and George shower and dress, then go downstairs for their first update of the day. They are prisoners, scared to step outside for fear of being ambushed, reluctant to do anything normal like go for a walk or buy a pint of milk in case it’s construed as uncaring or even guilty.
‘There are lilac ribbons all the way down the street,’ Sally says as she slips off her coat. ‘I’ve seen them elsewhere, too.’
Amber pulls a face. ‘I wish people wouldn’t.’
‘They want to show their support,’ her mother says, bringing a laden tray into the lounge. ‘And who knows? It might even jog somebody’s memory.’
‘But we’re miles away from where she was taken,’ Amber replies.
Vicky bangs the tray down on the coffee table. ‘Well I appreciate it. At least the neighbours are on our side.’
‘It’s okay,’ George says, laying his hand on Amber’s arm. ‘Let people do what they want.’
Vicky retreats, leaving Sally to distribute mugs and side plates. She offers around a plate piled high with triangles of buttered toast, some spread with marmalade, others with jam. She might as well be hosting a coffee morning, thinks Amber as she takes a piece she doesn’t actually want. She’s hardly eaten a thing since Sunday and her trousers are already feeling looser at the waist. Ironic that she’s been wanting to lose weight but lacked the motivation. When she gets Mabel back, she’s going to give up worrying about such