The Marriage by K.L. Slater (any book recommendations TXT) 📕

‘You weren’t mean to her, Brid. Not really,’ Tom said softly. ‘Coral could be difficult. She was becoming obnoxious about Ellis.’

I stood up. ‘I’ll get ready to go.’

Upstairs, I made sure everything personal was put away. Who knew what Jill might rifle though, given the chance? The knowledge Tom was keeping a secret from me drove me crazy. I could barely think of anything else, even though Coral had just died. I was the definition of a terrible person.

Fifteen minutes later, Jill arrived. I heard Tom explaining everything to her as I went back downstairs.

‘Hello, Bridget,’ she said. ‘I’m so sorry about Coral. I know you two were close.’

‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind being here? Ellis is upstairs in his bedroom, first door on the left. I’m sorry we’ve dragged you out, but—’

‘I don’t mind at all, of course I don’t. I won’t bother Ellis, I’ll put the television on and sit down here. If he needs anything, there’s an adult around. Far better than dragging him out with you.’

I was taken aback by her helpfulness. I might even prefer her being spiteful, because I knew how to handle that. ‘Thanks,’ I said. ‘That’s very kind of you, Jill.’

‘It’s no trouble.’

‘Thanks, Mum,’ Tom said, clearly relieved we weren’t tearing each other’s hair out for once.

Part of me still wondered about the wisdom of leaving Jill Billinghurst alone in my house, giving her the opportunity to snoop around, but Tom was right. We should get Ellis’s stuff out of the house straight away in case the police decided to search the property or make it inaccessible for a while.

Forty-Four Jill

When Tom and Bridget had left to pick up Ellis’s belongings from Coral’s house, I poured a glass of milk and took a biscuit out of the cupboard.

I went upstairs and tapped on Ellis’s bedroom door. There was no answer, so after knocking again, I stepped inside. The blinds were drawn, and the boy lay on the bed on his side, with his back to the door.

‘I brought you milk and a biscuit, Ellis,’ I said softly. ‘Try and have a little sip and eat something.’

He shifted position slightly but didn’t answer me. I placed the refreshments on his bedside table.

From the back, it was easy to imagine Tom at the same age. His hair was a similar shade, with a tuft on his crown that grew at an odd angle and stuck up, although Tom had been shorter and stockier.

Before I realised what I was doing, I laid my hand on Ellis’s head. He was warm and still and I was surprised he didn’t shrink away from my touch.

‘I’m so sorry to hear about your mum, Ellis,’ I whispered. ‘I know you’re so very, very sad, but let me know if you need anything at all. I’ll be downstairs.’

‘Can you stay?’ His words were muffled by the pillow and I thought I’d misheard him.

‘Sorry?’

He turned slightly but didn’t look at me directly. ‘I’d like you to stay for a bit. I don’t … I don’t want to be alone.’ His voice sounded dry and scratchy.

‘Of course. Do you want to talk about—’

‘No,’ he said. ‘I’d like to be quiet, if that’s OK.’

I patted his shoulder and sat in the white moulded plastic chair next to his bed. Everything matched in his bedroom. The walls were covered in Marvel and Nintendo posters, and there was an IKEA-style white built-in desk and shelving unit along one wall. Even the headboard and pendant shade were white, giving a neat, streamlined effect.

Tom’s room hadn’t been quite as smart as this, but he’d liked spending a lot of time on his own when he was Ellis’s age. Sometimes Jesse being there drove him mad, because it was simply impossible for Jesse to sit quietly. As I recall, he had to be the centre of attention or he grew restless.

I closed my eyes and began to drift slightly. The television played out very faintly downstairs and I found the distant voices comforting. I kept reliving the moment I’d walked into the shop and seen Audrey and Bridget together. The way they were huddled spoke of a familiarity with each other. And then peering through Audrey’s kitchen window and seeing that scarf. I still couldn’t get my head around it. Couldn’t face the obvious conclusion I’d come to.

My eyes snapped open when Ellis stirred and slowly rolled over so he was facing me. His eyes were red and swollen, his skin pale. We regarded each other.

‘Are you OK, Ellis?’ I asked him gently. ‘I know you’re full of pain, but you are getting through each minute and that’s what matters. That’s all you need to do.’

‘My mum felt sorry for you,’ he whispered. ‘She said you weren’t to blame for what happened.’

‘Your mum was a nice lady,’ I said gently. ‘You shouldn’t upset yourself thinking about your dad, love. Tom never meant for him to fall that night, you know. It was a horrible accident. A very sad accident.’

‘I keep trying not to think about this because I don’t know whether I’m still not supposed to say anything.’ Ellis shook his head and closed his eyes. ‘But I heard him. I heard what he said.’

‘What who said?’

‘Tom. When he came to our house.’

I could hear my pulse in my ears. ‘Tom came to your house?’

Ellis pushed himself up on one elbow. ‘He came over after he got out of prison, but Mum said I couldn’t tell my nan or there’d be a lot of trouble.’

There was a tightness at the back of my throat. ‘What happened exactly?’ His eyes darted away and I realised I’d probably sounded a bit stern. ‘Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble, Ellis,’ I added hurriedly. ‘I’m trying to understand what you mean.’

‘Mum asked me to go to the shop, but I had to come back again because I’d forgotten the money. I saw Tom go into the house through the front door. I crept