Everything We Keep, Di Walker [best pdf reader for ebooks txt] 📗

if I asked Nell the same questions, she would have the same answers as you.’ She looked at Nell who remained still.

Katherine stood up and moved to her, placing herself between Agatha and Nell.

‘Tell me.’

‘You both want me to go to school. Well, I hate school and everyone in it. I hate the way they all make fun of me because of my parents. I hate being the one they talk about.’ As she spoke, tears welled in her eyes. ‘You don’t know what it’s like to be the one no one likes, no one talks to, no one wants to sit near. You don’t know how it feels to be the only one to not be invited to anything, to anything! That’s what school’s like for me. So, you two can say just go to school but it’s not that simple. You’re asking me to go to a place where everyone will hate me.’ Agatha’s voice had become loud, her sobs shook her body.

Katherine wrapped her arms around her, and even though, at first, Agatha tried to push her away, she soon gave up resisting and allowed herself to be held. The sobs continued and gradually began to subside.

Nell remained seated. ‘Agatha, look, I think . . . ’

‘Don’t, Nell,’ Agatha said. Katherine lowered her arms, and both turned to Nell. ‘Don’t say it will be different this time. That’s what you all say. I’ve heard it from all of you. You’ll take me to school and the teachers will be all nice and stuff while you’re there but as soon as you leave everything changes. So, don’t tell me you think it’s going to be different this time.’

‘Well I think it will be different this time. You’re here with Katherine, it will be a new school. No one knows anything, unless you choose to tell them. So, I think it will be different. We can make it different. Look, I really want to say trust me, but I think you’d tell me you’ve heard that a thousand times before too and I really want to be different from all those others,’ Nell said with a smile.

Agatha moved back to the window. Katherine moved with her and stood on one side. A few seconds later Nell stood on the other side.

‘I think,’ said Katherine, still looking straight ahead, ‘that if the three of us put our minds to it Agatha, this time it can be different. What do you think?’

Agatha shrugged.

‘Nell? What do you think?’ Katherine asked.

‘I agree. I think this time we can do things a bit differently.’

Both women waited.

‘I need to go for a walk,’ Agatha said. She stepped back from them and walked slowly to the front door. Chief hopped down from the sofa and followed her, but she didn’t pick up his lead, so he went to the window and sat between Katherine and Nell. From the window they watched her walk down the driveway and turn to the left.

‘Should I go after her?’ Nell asked.

‘She’ll come back.’

‘Are you sure?’

Katherine looked at her watch and noted the time. ‘Let’s give her twenty minutes. If she walks where we usually take Chief in the mornings, then I know exactly where she’s going, and I’ll go after her.’

‘And if she doesn’t?’

‘One bridge at a time, Nell. I’m going to have a cup of tea. Want one?’

‘No. I’m fine. I’ll stay here.’

Nell looked at the empty street. It was early afternoon and the day wasn’t even at its hottest yet. Chief remained at her feet, as if he too knew that Agatha’s return was not a certainty.

Katherine returned holding a cup of tea.

‘She’ll be hot,’ Nell commented. ‘What if she’s run off again?’

‘She won’t.’

‘How do you know?’

‘Her suitcase is here. We’ll just have to wait. Be patient.’

16

Agatha found herself walking the same way that she had done many times with Katherine and Chief on their early morning walks. Down the street, past Rita’s, at the corner she crossed to the other side, walking further along and then down a wide path between two houses. The path had low bushes that could grow in the salty sea air, so Katherine had said.

That path took her to the next street. She crossed and went to the next path, again, between two houses, so tall that any of the occupants could look down from a window at this very moment and see her walking by alone.

Within minutes she was standing at the edge of another road looking directly at the bay on the other side. She put her hand up to her face to shield her eyes from the glare of the sun.

She walked towards the crossing a few metres away and waited for the oncoming car to stop before she crossed. Even though it hadn’t been long, she was already hot from the strong afternoon sun and could feel a growing thirst. Her runners were not providing much of a barrier from the hot bitumen underfoot.

When she reached the other side of the crossing, she thought about going back but then decided to walk on.

A narrow park snaked its way along the bay in both directions. Usually with Katherine and Chief, they would turn to the right and walk along a bit further, around the bend, until the park widened, and Chief could be let off the lead. Today Agatha did exactly that, except this time she was all alone.

With each step, the heat seemed to go up a degree or two.

Up ahead stood a tall plane tree, which, even with the sun at one of its highest points, still gave enough shade to cover the bench placed below it. The tree was irresistible; not only for its shade but it had become one of her favourite spots to sit with Katherine. It had been strategically placed to make the most of the bay views and to capture the cool sea breeze.

Agatha made her way to it. The very first time she had come here with Katherine, in