One Moment At Sunrise. Karen Aldous

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СКАЧАТЬ to face. At least not now. After all, Seb wouldn’t go to such lengths if he didn’t feel something for her. No, she was going to force Seb’s negative influence from her mind today and focus instead on what was right for her. Hopefully, that included Cally. She checked her watch, which seemed to be moving extremely slowly, and grasped her stomach as it gurgled and churned inside. Today would be a test for them both but she hoped they could find some common ground.

      Yes, she would be careful. Cally, in her eyes, had been unpredictable and mean in the past, but if her sister had taken the first step to reunite, she would be gracious enough to accommodate her and hope that they could start afresh.

      As planned, she had prepared Charlotte’s cake and left it baking in the oven. She checked her watch again and peered in the window to Charlotte sleeping on the sofa. It was then she heard the car approaching. She waved as she recognised the face behind the wheel of the Fiat and unlocked the gates, opening them wide and beckoning her sister in.

      Cally dashed from the car, threw out her arms and held Evie tight. ‘Wow,’ Cally squealed, freeing Evie from her embrace and eyeing her up and down, ‘you look amazing, and I can’t remember the last time your eyes sparkled like they are now.’

      Taking a deep breath and shrugging her shoulders, Evie beamed. ‘Thank you,’ she said, stepping back and searching her sister’s face for sincerity.’ ‘You look well too.’ Evie reached for her sister’s long chestnut hair. ‘It suits you.’

      Cally reached for her sister’s hand, startling her. It was a first. ‘Look. I know we haven’t got on over the years, but like I said on the phone, we are grown up now, I’m sorry I was such a cow and, as long as you can forgive me, I thought it was time we made amends.’

      With her free hand, Evie rubbed her ear. ‘I agree. That would be nice,’ she said, leading Cally towards the front door and feeling the squeeze from her sister’s hand. This wasn’t the Cally she remembered.

      ‘I know. I should have been more supportive. I was telling Mum yesterday, it is sad, we have become so divided as a family. I hope Mum and Dad will come and see you too. Where is Seb, by the way?’

      ‘Working.’

      ‘It won’t be easy, but I want to try and make peace there too.’

      Evie wanted to pinch herself. Cally was really surprising her now. She knew how much her sister and parents had hated Seb. Although she had made the choice when she agreed to his offer to live in the south of France, he was the one who had divided them completely – insisting she have nothing to do with them if they wouldn’t help support her. Naivety had prevailed. She should have been more assertive instead of letting him dictate who she could see. After all, they had offered support and she could have gone to live with her parents when they had planned to move to the West Country, but she had genuinely believed she would be happy with Seb – building a future together.

      Breathing out a big sigh, Evie said, ‘I can honestly say, this last week had been a total whirlwind. Despite starting with a near-death experience, my week has been the best ever.’

      ‘What? What near-death…?’

      ‘Come in. I’ll get us a drink and tell you about it.’ Evie beckoned her sister inside and followed her over the threshold.’

      ‘I forgot how gorgeous this place is. I can understand why you were so tempted.’

      Evie cleared her throat. She didn’t feel comfortable talking about the past. ‘Actually, I still have some wine that Seb left here last week, it’s not too early is it?’

      Evie led her sister down the hall.

      ‘Wine! You won’t hear me complain.’

      ‘I just need to keep an eye on the cake. It’s in the oven. Do you want to take your bags up?’

      ‘Good idea.’

      ‘First room on the left,’ Evie said, looking searchingly at her sister and thinking Cally had expanded a few inches.

      Cally unhooked her handbag from her shoulder and tossed it onto the hall chair before hauling her small case up the wide marble stairs. A magazine dropped to the floor from Cally’s handbag. Evie scooped it up; it was an in-flight magazine and as she flicked the pages, it opened at an article titled ‘Highlights of the Canal Du Midi’. As she padded down the hall to the kitchen, she began to read it through with interest.

      ‘Drink, Mummy?’ Charlotte cried from the sofa in the living area at the other end of the kitchen.

      ‘Oh sorry, cherub, did Mummy and Auntie Cally wake you?’ Evie threw the magazine onto an armchair as she dashed to the coffee table to retrieve the beaker of water for her daughter, settling her again with the drink and one of her picture books.

      Cally entered the room directly from the hall by the sofa and immediately opened her arms, reaching out for Charlotte.

      ‘Oh, my goodness, haven’t you grown, you little beauty.’ She sat down beside her niece, who eyed her with suspicion.

      ‘Charlotte, this is Auntie Cally, do you remember when she came to your last birthday?’ Of course she didn’t, Evie didn’t know why she felt it necessary to humour her sister.

      Charlotte’s eyes narrowed even further.

      Cally gave Charlotte her sweetest smile. ‘I think I’ve just made her cross.’

      ‘She’s just woken up and isn’t sure who you are yet. Give her half an hour and she’ll be all over you.’

      Poor Cally, Evie thought, but it was weird to think that, for once, she had more knowledge about something than her big sister.

      ‘Show Auntie Cally the picture of the ball.’

      Charlotte sucked her bottom lip and shook her blonde curls.

      ‘Ok Auntie Cally. Come with me and we’ll get a drink. Charlotte, you can come and see us when you want to say hello.’

      ‘Mummy.’

      ‘I’m going to get Auntie Cally a drink. You can come too if you want.’

      They left Charlotte on the sofa pondering and observing them with caution, book on her lap and cup in hand.

      ‘She’s so gorgeous.’ Cally clutched her heart as she followed Evie back to the kitchen.

      ‘Thank you. Have you heard from Mum?’

      ‘Oh, yes. I was going to text you yesterday, she’s fine. Probably drugged up to the eyeballs, but sounding so much better.’ Cally picked up the in-flight magazine from the chair, her mane of chocolate-brown hair tumbled to one side. ‘I’ve got one of these in my bag,’ she said holding up the magazine as Evie uncorked a bottle of white wine.

      Evie glanced over. ‘It is yours. It fell onto the floor. I was reading… well, I started the article about the Canal du Midi. There’s barely anything interesting about the history or the local people who live and work around the canal, more about the village restaurants and cafes they can stroll to from their boat. I’ve learned so much about it since I’ve been living here, it’s fascinating.’

      Cally СКАЧАТЬ