Page 131 of Don't Believe A Word

‘Do you feel she’s here?’ Sadie asked. ‘I think … watching us?’ Her head tilted back and as she gazed up at the turbulent sky Cristy heard her say, ‘… beautiful scent. Can you smell it? What is it?’

Gabe and Lukas shook their heads, but as the wind picked up again, Cristy caught the gentle fragrance as it passed by like a ribbon on the breeze, there and then gone. Peonies, but sweeter and more pungent. The scent of a mother, that could maybe only be recognized by a daughter.

*

Much later in the day, following a lunch at the hotel where they’d toasted Janina and the future for those who loved her, Cristy and Connor were at the airport waiting to board their flight.

‘Are you OK?’ he asked, bringing her a coffee. ‘You’ve seemed … kind of edgy these past couple of days. Don’t worry, I’m sure no one else noticed … Everything fine with David?’

She smiled and took the mug. ‘Everything’s great there,’ she assured him. ‘I just keep getting this …feeling,like a dread …? Isthat the word I’m looking for?’ She shook her head exasperatedly. ‘I don’t know what it is and it’s not helped by the fact that some bloody stalker keeps sending me messages.’

Connor shot her a look.

‘OK, nothing new there,’ she said, ‘we get them all the time, but these are … Actually, they’re creeping me out a bit.’

‘Can I see them?’

Opening up the folder she’d moved them to, she was about to hand her phone over when it rang. Seeing it was Matthew a pang of guilt hit her as she realized she’d forgotten to call him back. ‘Hi,’ she said, ‘I’m sorry—’

‘Have you seen it?’ he snapped.

‘Seen what?’

‘The email I forwarded yesterday morning. Jesus Christ, Cristy, what’s wrong with you? I told you I needed to speak to you, but apparently we all stop existing when you’re with him …’

‘I’ve been busy, working,’ she interrupted.

‘Where are you now?’

‘At the airport on my way back.’

‘Good. Read the email and I’ll see you when you get here.’

As soon as he rang off she called up her emails. Opening the one he’d forwarded she took it in quickly and felt her heart starting to freeze. ‘No!’ she muttered, trying not to panic. ‘No! No! No!’

‘What?’ Connor demanded. ‘What the f …?’

She passed him the phone, and watched his face slacken with shock as he read the few lines Matthew had sent.

‘Shit,’he swore under his breath. ‘Holy fuck!’ His eyes went to Cristy’s. ‘Is this for real?’

‘It must be, he wouldn’t have sent it otherwise.’ Taking the phone back she sent a quick return message telling Matthew she’d text as soon as she landed and that he should meet her at the flat.And bring Aiden, she added before pressing send. Dropping her head in her hands she tried to work out if this was what the strange prescience had been all about. Nothing to do with the stalker, or Sadie, or anything other than some sort of mother’s intuition working away on its own agenda waiting to be recognized.

*

Three hours later, feeling as though she’d stepped through some sort of looking glass very darkly, Cristy stood in her kitchen with hands on her hips, eyes blazing, as she glared at Aiden.

‘What the hell were you thinking?’ she shouted. ‘How did you …? Jesus Christ, I can’t believe you’d be this fucking stupid.’

‘Chill, Mum,’ he urged, ‘there’s no need to swear, it’s going to be OK!’

‘How the hell is it going to be that?’ she raged, almost wanting to hit him. How could he sit there looking so unfazed by the fact that his life was never going to be the same again? ‘According to this messageyouare the father of the child this girl is carrying,’ she cried furiously, having to spell it out to try to make herself believe it, as if she wanted to, when obviously she didn’t.

‘Yeah, but …’

‘You’re sixteen, Aiden.Sixteen!And who the hell is she, for God’s sake?’

‘Her name’s Pearl …’