Page 27 of When We Were Young

When Will woke on Boxing Day morning, he found himself on the floor next to the Christmas tree, with Reu fast asleep on the sofa beside him.

Getting to his feet was painful, his body stiff and his left eye was swollen and half-closed.

He groaned at the memory of slamming into the kitchen counter after Aidan punched him.

On the way to the bathroom, Will saw Aidan and Emily’s room was empty, and when he checked out of the window, Aidan’s car was missing.

He was gone.

And so was Emily.

No trains were running, so Will’s dad was tasked with driving Izzy home.

His mum, mortified by the scandal, banished him along with Izzy, and Reu didn’t want to stay without Will.

Aidan was supposed to give them all a lift home, but with him gone, they all had to pile into one car.

The drive back was silent except for two occasions when Izzy asked his dad to pull over so she could throw up.

When they arrived at her flat, Will got out to fetch her bag from the boot. ‘Look, I really am sorry,’ he said.

‘So you keep saying.’ She snatched the bag and marched up the front steps to her flat.

‘That was awkward,’ said his dad when he got back in the car. ‘Shame, I liked that one.’

Will preferred it when no one was speaking.

Will and Reu spent the rest of Boxing Day in the garage, unable to hear the neighbours banging on the door to complain about the noise. When hunger eventually drove them into the house, Reu seemed quiet as Will rustled up cheese on toast.

‘What’s up?’ asked Will.

‘Nothing.’

‘C’mon, talk to me, buddy. Is it because I ruined Christmas?’

‘Ha! You did ruin Christmas!’ joked Reu. ‘Until then, it was the best Christmas ever.’

Of course, this was Reu’s first Christmas away from his family; it must have been tough. ‘Did you speak to your mum yesterday?’ Will asked.

‘Nah.’

‘Sorry Reu, we should have arranged for you to call her.’

‘Don’t worry. Your mum tried twice. There was no answer.’

‘That’s crap. I’m sorry, mate.’

‘Seriously. It was the best Christmas ever. I got presents for once.’

‘C’mon. Your mum got you presents, surely?’

‘She tried to. My stepdad wouldn’t let her spend money on me. He’d get me something off the back of a lorry, usually for the wrong age group. Mum would get me something a few weeks later – once he’d forgotten about it. Something small that he wouldn’t notice.’

‘What a bastard. What about your little sister?’

‘She’s his little princess, so she does all right. I don’t need to worry about her.’ Reu’s voice cracked a little.

Will waited for Reu to compose himself.

‘I miss her,’ Reu whispered. Then he lost it, properly crying.

Will went to his friend and hugged him, but the sobbing only intensified.

‘Thanks for everything,’ Reu sniffed, breaking away. ‘I feel more welcome in your family than I do in mine.’

‘I’m sorry I ruined your best Christmas ever…’

‘You didn’t. It’s still the best Christmas ever.’

‘Even though we came home early?’

‘ Especially because we came home early. All day drumming, followed by cheese on toast – I’m in heaven. I’m sorry you fell out with your brother, though.’

‘ I’m not. He’s an idiot.’

‘Your mum was pretty annoyed about it.’

Mary had wanted to know exactly what they were arguing about. Will tried to explain, but Aidan kept talking over him, telling everyone Will had been coming on to Emily. Will and Emily protested their innocence until Izzy piped up.

‘It’s true. He’s obsessed with her,’ she said.

‘Oh, for God’s sake. I’m not obsessed with Emily!’ Will insisted.

Mary had had quite enough by then. ‘I don’t want to hear another word! It’s Christmas – I want no more fighting and arguing. Let’s all go to bed and sort this out in the morning when everyone’s sobered up.’

They went to bed, Emily with Aidan – why shouldn’t she? – and Izzy alone in the room they were supposed to share. Will didn’t get to finish what he was saying about Aidan snogging that girl in a taxi.

They never got to sort it out in the morning.

Will sat by the window, looking up the road towards the town centre.

He picked at the label on his bottle of Bud, his knee bouncing up and down.

What the hell was he doing here? Since they’d got back from Oxfordshire, he hadn’t been able to get Emily out of his mind.

He needed to talk to her, tell her what she needed to know.

Then he remembered she might be working during the Christmas break from college.

So here he was, sitting in her pub waiting for her shift to start, which – according to the barman – was in ten minutes.

His mum’s voice echoed in his mind.

‘Jesus, I’m mortified. Fighting in Brian’s kitchen on Christmas Day!’ she’d scolded, when she rang from Oxfordshire the day after he got home.

‘He hit me. I didn’t touch him.’

‘I can’t believe you’d carry on with Emily. How could you do that to your own brother? To our family!’

‘Why are you taking his word over mine?

‘I’m not taking sides. You’re both my boys – I don’t want you two falling out over a girl.’

‘I didn’t do anything. And even if I did, he doesn’t care about her. He was cheating on her.’

She tutted. ‘That’s no excuse. He’s your brother, his girlfriend is off-limits. You’re to have nothing to do with her – she’s trouble. Things like this can break families apart. Promise me you’ll leave her alone?’

‘Mum—’

‘Promise me!’

‘We’re not getting anywhere here, and I’ve got to go.’

She gave him instructions to water the plants, put the bins out, and make sure Reu was eating enough. She said goodbye but before she hung up, she said: ‘And Will?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Stay away from Emily.’

But he couldn’t stop thinking about her. For all he knew, Emily was living happily ever after with Aidan. He couldn’t stand not knowing.

A figure came into view, walking towards the pub.

It was her. She didn’t notice him as she passed the window and when she came in, she slipped behind the bar, out of sight.

Will’s mouth was dry. He took a swig of his drink, his heart pounding.

She emerged a few moments later, having shed her coat.

Halfway through tying her apron, she froze.

They locked eyes. It was a full three seconds before she snapped out of it and rushed over.

‘What are you doing here?’ she hissed.

Good question . ‘To be honest,’ he said, ‘I don’t know.’

‘I’m supposed to be working. Come and sit at the bar so I can talk to you.’

He grabbed his bottle and pulled up a stool at the bar as she made her way to the other side.

She began emptying the dishwasher, grabbing two wine glasses in each hand, and clinking them onto the shelf above their heads. Will squirmed on his stool.

She placed some pint glasses on the lower shelf and looked up at him.

‘Seriously, what are you doing here?’ she said at last.

‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come, but I needed to see you. To see what’s going on.’

She exhaled. ‘I don’t know what’s going on. One minute I’m happy with my boyfriend, spending Christmas with his family, then all this happens!’

She looked for a moment like she might cry, but went back to unloading.

The only words on Will’s lips were ‘are you still with him?’ but he didn’t dare to ask.

‘What happened… after…?’ he ventured.

‘After your mum sent us to our rooms?’

‘Yeah.’

She stopped what she was doing and looked into his eyes.

‘Aidan accused me of cheating on him with you. He was angry and aggressive and wouldn’t listen to anything I said.’

A customer came to the bar, and Will had to wait while she served him. Then she picked up from where she’d left off. ‘I told him I wouldn’t talk if he wasn’t prepared to listen, so we left it at that.’

‘What happened in the morning?’

‘I said I wanted to go home before everyone woke up, so he drove me home.’

‘How was that journey?’

‘Awful. He kept apologising, saying he didn’t mean what he said, that he was drunk and jealous. He kept asking me to forgive him.’

‘Did you?’ Please say no .

‘I told him I don’t like violence, and I can’t be with someone who would punch his brother. He said, “Every bloke who has a brother has punched his brother”.’ She rolled her eyes at the idea.

‘So you dumped him?’ Will prompted.

‘He begged me to give him another chance. He was… emotional . He said he loved me. I said I need time to think.’

Will panicked. She didn’t need time to think. She deserved better; she deserved the truth.

‘He cheated on you,’ he blurted.

Her body stiffened. ‘What?’

‘He cheated on you. The night of your show, he came to our gig, and he left with a girl.’ Will’s words came out in a rush and hung in the air between them.

Emily knitted her brow. ‘What girl?’

‘I don’t know – some blonde.’

‘How do you know she wasn’t a friend?’

Will faltered. ‘I saw them kissing.’

Emily’s eyes narrowed. ‘Do you hate each other that much you would use me to get at each other?’

‘No—’

‘Please go.’ Her tone was suddenly ice cold.

‘Let me explain—’

‘Please, Will. I can’t handle it!’ She came out from behind the bar and marched around the pub collecting dirty glasses. When she returned, she said, ‘What are you still doing here?’

‘Look, I didn’t mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know the facts before making any decisions.’

‘How can I possibly know the facts? Why should I take your word over his? I hardly know you.’

Her words stung. ‘I’m telling the truth. Deep down you believe me. You deserve better than him. You deserve better than me too but give me a chance.’

A couple entered the bar. ‘I need to get back to work,’ she said.

‘Please, think about what I’ve said. You’ve got my mobile number.’ He couldn’t keep the whiny desperation from his voice. ‘Call me when you’re ready.’

‘I’ve got to go,’ she said, walking away.

He should never have come here. ‘I’m sorry, Emily.’

‘Goodbye, Will.’