One Moment At Sunrise. Karen Aldous

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СКАЧАТЬ he’s a stalker. I didn’t see him carrying a camera. We’ll have a look at your security, and keep your eyes peeled, anywhere, any time. Maybe we can catch him if you have CCTV.’

      Evie scanned behind her as she held the gate open for Cally, who was still holding Charlotte. Immediately, she secured the lock and ran her fingers around her neck, pinching her hairline.

      ‘Ok, erm, right, did you lock the double gates?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Let me get Charlotte a drink and I’ll get the security info – if I can remember where I’ve put it.’

      ‘Well let’s not spoil your lovely lunch but yes, priority afterwards, and then we can walk down to the supermarket and I’ll buy some more wine. Oh, have you got candles for the cake?’

      Keeping a grip on her lip, Evie was only half listening. Would the press be onto them? ‘Ah, good think…’

      ‘And some candles for the cake.’ Cally affirmed. ‘Come on, relax. I don’t think he’ll be in a rush to come back. He knows we’re onto him. Enjoy your lunch. We have a party to organise.’

      Feeling nauseous and trying to contain her frenzy, Evie relished her sister’s help and specifically, Cally’s penchant for survival skills. She admired her tendency to question everything, and she didn’t hesitate to scare the man off. Although Evie had a curious mind for certain things, her sister certainly had high self-awareness. A trait she lacked. Whether it was innate or whether Cally had learned to adapt – coping with living alone, having to make her way home in the early hours of the morning – she could only guess, but compared to herself, she had the prowess of a tiger. She was certainly more conscious of her surroundings and safety, plus she’d quickly managed to get the cameras and security working, explaining it better than Seb. She just hoped she could remember it all.

      Returning from their shopping trip, her sister had also revealed a penchant for creativity Evie hadn’t encountered before. Cally had bought fondant icing for the cake; so much icing that in fact, she had not only covered the cake, but also inserted two fondant ears at the top, then added pink fondant features – transforming it into the face of a sweet little kitten. Charlotte was going to love it. Evie was so grateful to her sister, she was certainly opening her eyes to what could be done, and she was cheeky too. Whilst in the supermarket, twin girls from the park, about a year older than Charlotte, were shopping with their mother and began chatting, then out of the blue Cally invited them along to Charlotte’s party. Evie thought it such a courageous thing to do, but it worked. Charlotte would enjoy two new friends at her party to play with, as well as Suzanne. They were lovely girls too and, Evie hoped, it could be the start of new friendships for Charlotte and possibly herself, if she got to know their mother.

      Sadly, the only people missing were her grandparents and, of course, Seb. She’d had to remind her sister not to mention his name in front of Suzanne, which didn’t feel right. It was becoming increasingly difficult to talk to Cally about Seb in Suzanne’s presence, trying to keep his identity under wraps. But, with strangers snooping around, it was probably best for now.

      Charlotte loved her party however, and marvelled at the kitten cake, and having friends to play with. Like her daughter, Evie squealed in delight when Charlotte unwrapped Cally’s present. It contained a little pink pushchair, a baby doll, and two CD’s; a nursery rhyme CD and a children’s party CD, which Evie instantly put on for them all to dance and play games. Cally, it turned out, was as much a child as the little girls, playing games, dancing with them and making them laugh. After the twins and their mum had gone home, although exhausted after putting Charlotte to bed, Evie poured out three glasses of Languedoc sparkling wine and carried them out to Cally and Suzanne out on the front terrace.

      Cally put her feet up on a stool as she sipped from her champagne flute. ‘Phew, children are hard work aren’t they?’

      ‘Well three, yes. They all played together nicely though. I don’t think Charlotte has quite grasped the concept of sharing yet, but they muddled through.’ Evie said.

      Suzanne sipped her wine, and licking her lips added, ‘I thought it was a perfect party for a two-year-old. We always had too many at our parties when I was a child. Small groups work better in my mind.’

      ‘Mum always limited ours to twelve, didn’t she Evie? She didn’t like all the hard work that parties entailed. She was also selective about which friends we were allowed to invite.’

      Immediately Evie pointed her chin in the air, holding her tongue. Yes, her mother often told them who they should mix with. She’d rarely heard her sister speak negatively about their mother. Cally had been worse than her parents – making snide or seemingly unfair judgements about Seb and how Evie had been a fool to mess up her life… however right she’d turned out to be. At the time, Evie wondered if her sister was jealous of what she had with Seb. Perhaps she was just a better judge of character than herself.

      ‘You’ll live to regret it.’ Cally had told her. ‘You’ve had a taste of the real Seb, so why stay with someone who treats you with so little respect?’ And wasn’t that just what her mother wanted to hear.

      ‘Well, Steve, she’ll just have to get on with it,’ her mother Jill had said to her father as though Evie wasn’t in the room. ‘I think we know why he’s bought that lovely villa and is keeping them both. He’s keeping control to suit himself so she won’t run to the press. Let’s just pray they’ll come to no harm, or that she comes to her senses.

      Try as she might, Evie still couldn’t blank those words from her memory. They were embedded, as much as she had tried her damnedest to forget them and make the most of her life with Seb and Charlotte. She’d been desperate to prove them all wrong. But now, deep down – and, it was hard to admit – she understood that her family had been genuinely concerned for her.

      ‘Well, I suppose Mum had her reasons. I understand better now where she’s coming from as a parent. She was being protective by choosing our friends I expect. I’ve got over it now - managed on my own and find myself becoming increasingly used to it.’ Evie held out her glass. ‘But, I have to say, I’m really enjoying having you both here. So cheers!’

      Suzanne raised her glass, but Cally put down hers. ‘Evie, from what you’ve told me, you do worry about it, otherwise you wouldn’t have this desire to want to improve your situation. Let me tell you, it’s ok to admit you want change.’

      Evie sat forward, curling a strand of hair. She was silent for a few moments trying to catch her breath. It was cutting but not in the old sense. Cally wasn’t bitching or being nasty, trying to put her down… she was being honest. She appreciated that now, and she should be honest about her needs too. Meeting Ben had opened her eyes to her lack of autonomy.

      ‘I’m working on it Cally, and I’m glad you came. I always thought you were mean, but I think it’s becoming clearer now and I feel I’m just getting to know you.’

      They continued chatting about their childhood, both revealing their petty hates.

      Cally began. ‘Oh, I did hate you when Mum always stuck up for you and fussed over her “little Evie”. And when she made me wear blue and you had the pretty pink.’

      Evie gave a giggle. ‘Ha, that’s so funny. I was always under the impression you were so bloody perfect and could do no wrong in Mum’s eyes. You got all the praise.’ Evie hadn’t quite realised until now why they had been at each other’s throats all these years, but this was all very simple. They both craved approval from their parents. СКАЧАТЬ