Page 85

And again, I blurt – ‘You are, aren’t you? You’re getting back together. You’re not going through with the divorce. You’re –’

‘Cerys,’ Dad interrupts. ‘We’renotgetting back together.’

In a voice that’s so timid it hardly sounds like Mum at all, she says, ‘We’ve just been trying to make more of an effort for … Well, for you. This hasn’t been easy for us, and we know that we get a bit … carried away,sometimes. That can’t be very easy for you, either. And it’s Christmas.’

‘So?’

‘So we – we just …’

‘What next, you’ll tell me Santa Claus isn’t real?’ I snap, scowling. ‘I’m not a child. I’m notstupid. I’m –’

‘Youarea child,’ Dad says. ‘That’s … That’s …’

‘What? The problem?’ Great, amazing, first Jake, now my parents.

Mum cuts him a look filled with a bit more of their old animosity before saying to me, ‘This whole thing has been difficult and drawn out, and there’s still things we’re trying to sort through with the lawyers, but we wanted that to impact you as little as possible. There’s been so much upheaval foryou, we were …’

‘Trying to keep the ship steady,’ Dad fills in, with what I’m willing to bet is some metaphor provided by their couples’ counsellor. I give him a deadpan look – as if this ship haseverbeen steady. He raises an eyebrow, clearly agreeing, but only says, ‘What with me moving out –’

‘And you off to a new college …’ Mum adds.

‘And uni on the horizon …’

‘And … Well, and with things getting a bit serious with … with Jeremy.’

‘With – what?’ I interrupt. ‘Wait. Who’sJeremy?’

Mumblushes.

Oh my God. Oh myGod, I’m such an idiot! Of course she’s not out with friendsthatoften – of course her book club didn’t suddenly go from once a month to every few days. I was so busy worrying that Dad might be moving back in that I never stopped to consider why Mum was goingout.

I can’t believe my mum, the bitter divorcée, has a more successful love life than I do.

‘You have aboyfriend?’ I blurt, and look at Dad and say, ‘Areyoudating someone, too? Are you both –?’

Mum cringes. ‘It’s very early days. He’s divorced as well, and he’s got two kids – a bit younger than you. We’re … taking things very slowly.’

‘Right.’ Right, except – wrong, so wrong. Since when did my mum lead this double life where I potentially have future step-siblings?! She starts trying to reassure me that she’s not moving a whole new family into our house and that’s not what this is about …

I’m stunned, speechless, and the words wash over me.

They’re still getting a divorce. This new civility isn’t them trying to make it work, it’s them …moving on. Or trying to, anyway. The relief is so immense I feel like my chest might cave in, and I think about how I can’t wait to pour all of this into a long, rambly Discord message to Jake. He’ll never believe it, he’ll …

Not answer, because he’s not talking to me.

My face must fall because Mum pauses to say, ‘Cerys? Are you alright? I’m sorry, darling, I know this is a lot. I didn’t want to spring it on you quite like this.’

‘Itoldyou it was too soon,’ Dad mutters, and she glares at him.

‘No, it’s not … it’s not that, it’s …’ I really don’t fancy getting into the whole Jake drama right now; this conversation has been emotionally exhausting enough already. And saying it out loud will make it real. I’m not ready for that.

I think about theOf Wrath and Runeepisode I was rewatching earlier. Lady di Silver’s family had allied with the evil usurpers in the palace, even issued a warrant for her safe arrest, and faithful Devon had tried to comfort her now they were on opposing sides – enemies. I think about the earnest look she gave him in response.

‘We are not on opposing sides, Devon. We are all making our choices for the good of the kingdom, the good of our people, because it is our duty. We are all trying to do the right thing for those that matter most to us. I cannot blame them that their path looks different to mine.’

The whole duty thing and the fact they’re talking about quests for long-lost magickal beings aside, she had a point.

I take a deep breath, and the smile I give my parents feels more sincere than any of the brush-offs and hasty side-steps I’ve gotten away with for the last few months.