Page 38 of Five Years

“He’s joking, right?” Ariana mouthed to her.

“I’m sure we can make some extra eggs,” Grace said through clenched teeth.

Kathy’s smug expression showed she wasn’t offended. She knew Steven’s kids didn’t like her, but her brazen confidence meant their contempt bounced right off.

Steven smiled and wandered off to play with his grandsons, as if nothing had happened.

After breakfast, Ariana pulled Leah aside.

“Did you enjoy it?” she asked.

“I did. Thanks.”

Ariana fiddled with the silver ring on her middle finger. “Listen, I think we should talk about last night.”

“What about last night?” Leah asked, puzzled.

“What you said to me,” Ariana replied cautiously.

Leah blinked, confused. She’d avoided Ariana for most of the day and barely exchanged two words with her at dinner—aside from asking her to pass the salt.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I-I understand,” Ariana stammered. She offered a tight smile.

“Ari . . .what did I say to you?”

“You don’t remember?” Ariana looked surprised.

Leah shook her head. “I remember dinner. Then I took a bath and went straight to bed...” Her voice wavered at the end, as if she was asking for reassurance.

“Oh.” Realisation dawned on Ariana.

“What?”

“You came into my room and had a whole conversation with me.”

“Erm...no? I didn’t see you again after—” Leah’s hand flew to her mouth. “Oh, shit!”

“You were sleepwalking!”

“I was fucking sleepwalking!” Leah gasped.

It didn’t happen often, but when it did, it was never funny. She used to think sleepwalking was a sitcom exaggeration. Sleep-talking she could accept, sort of—her friends used to joke about it at sleepovers. She’d even researched it endlessly, trying to figure out what it meant. Was she in control? What if she did something dangerous or illegal—how would she prove she was asleep?

It was one giant mind-fuck.

“What is it with this place?” she muttered. “I can’t visit without ending up in the woods or the wrong bedroom.”

“Maybe it’s my presence,” Ariana joked.

“Hmm.” Leah gave it some thought.

“I was joking!”

“Well, you might have a point. Youhaveseen me sleepwalk more than anyone—except my mom. Oh, and Dolly, our old neighbour.”

“Why Dolly?”