eyes and leaned her head back against the headrest, thinking that they weren't helpful thoughts. She felt Matt's hand cover hers.
"Are you ready to go in?"
She watched as her dad and sister went inside and nodded. If she snuck in, she wouldn't have to speak to anyone. Matt led her inside and she took the seat next to her sister, not letting go of Matt's hand. Her sister glanced her way then peered round her at Matt but didn't say a word as the service began. Most of the words washed over her as she tried to remember the good times. Moments of fun on holiday perhaps, times of laughter at home, but all she could remember were the everyday memories–not good, not bad, not even comforting, just memories. Memories of passing her dad in the doorway as she left for school and he came home from work, arguing with her mum about being old enough to wear make-up because all her friends were. Her mum shouting at her sister for coming home drunk. Okay, that one made her smile a little.
After the service had finished, everyone made their way back to her dad's place. Her sister paid far too much attention to Matt until her husband dragged her away on a food emergency. Good to see she never changed, even with age. She introduced her dad to Matt, but after a few awkward sentences, he drifted off across the room. It was quite sad how few people were there, just a couple neighbours, and some of her sister's friends. Her parents had lived in Stydon their whole lives, but had always kept to themselves. They didn't like other people very much, preferring their own company; they still weren't keen on her sister's husband, even after all the time they had been married. After a long and uncomfortable hour, people began to leave, and she went to find her dad. She found him in a corner of the garden, alone.
"Dad?" He turned at her voice. She really wished she had some words that could comfort him, but she had no idea what he was going through. Instead, she wrapped an arm around his waist and tried not to feel disappointed when he tensed. "People are leaving now, and Matt said he'd give me a lift home. I can come round tomorrow, if you want?"
"No, no. You've got work and things to get on with. I'll be fine."
She nodded, and the silence stretched between them. "Take care then, I'll see you soon."
She almost dragged Matt out of there, wanting to put the small distance from Stydon and Altenchester between her and the day's events. When Matt pulled the car up outside her house, she turned to face him. "Thank you for coming today. I know it can't have been fun for you."
"I doubt it was for you, either. I just wanted to help you if I could. Do you want me to come in?"
She shook her head. "No, thanks. I just want to be alone for a bit."
"Okay, but call me if you need anything."
She smiled and climbed out of the car. Slowly, she made her way up the garden path as the tears finally came.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It seemed the following day had got the message on Emma's mood, as the rain lashed against the windows from the slate sky. A rainy Sunday afternoon with too much time on her hands and too many thoughts in her head after the funeral. Emma pulled out her laptop and logged onto Facebook, realising it was time. As she clicked on her profile, her hand hovered over the mouse on the button to make the changes. It was more than just a status; it was like admitting she was sad and pathetic because she couldn't deal with the big, bad world out there.
Annoyed with herself, she slapped her finger down on the mouse button. Single. One word with a whole lot of heartache behind it. Might as well update the fact she had almost moved back home, unless the village down the road amounted to the same thing. Oh well, guess I should make it three for three , she thought as she clicked on her list of friends.
And there he was, Ben Murphy. All she had to do was click on his photo and she would know what he had been doing since she had left Cardiff, since she had
"Are you ready to go in?"
She watched as her dad and sister went inside and nodded. If she snuck in, she wouldn't have to speak to anyone. Matt led her inside and she took the seat next to her sister, not letting go of Matt's hand. Her sister glanced her way then peered round her at Matt but didn't say a word as the service began. Most of the words washed over her as she tried to remember the good times. Moments of fun on holiday perhaps, times of laughter at home, but all she could remember were the everyday memories–not good, not bad, not even comforting, just memories. Memories of passing her dad in the doorway as she left for school and he came home from work, arguing with her mum about being old enough to wear make-up because all her friends were. Her mum shouting at her sister for coming home drunk. Okay, that one made her smile a little.
After the service had finished, everyone made their way back to her dad's place. Her sister paid far too much attention to Matt until her husband dragged her away on a food emergency. Good to see she never changed, even with age. She introduced her dad to Matt, but after a few awkward sentences, he drifted off across the room. It was quite sad how few people were there, just a couple neighbours, and some of her sister's friends. Her parents had lived in Stydon their whole lives, but had always kept to themselves. They didn't like other people very much, preferring their own company; they still weren't keen on her sister's husband, even after all the time they had been married. After a long and uncomfortable hour, people began to leave, and she went to find her dad. She found him in a corner of the garden, alone.
"Dad?" He turned at her voice. She really wished she had some words that could comfort him, but she had no idea what he was going through. Instead, she wrapped an arm around his waist and tried not to feel disappointed when he tensed. "People are leaving now, and Matt said he'd give me a lift home. I can come round tomorrow, if you want?"
"No, no. You've got work and things to get on with. I'll be fine."
She nodded, and the silence stretched between them. "Take care then, I'll see you soon."
She almost dragged Matt out of there, wanting to put the small distance from Stydon and Altenchester between her and the day's events. When Matt pulled the car up outside her house, she turned to face him. "Thank you for coming today. I know it can't have been fun for you."
"I doubt it was for you, either. I just wanted to help you if I could. Do you want me to come in?"
She shook her head. "No, thanks. I just want to be alone for a bit."
"Okay, but call me if you need anything."
She smiled and climbed out of the car. Slowly, she made her way up the garden path as the tears finally came.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
It seemed the following day had got the message on Emma's mood, as the rain lashed against the windows from the slate sky. A rainy Sunday afternoon with too much time on her hands and too many thoughts in her head after the funeral. Emma pulled out her laptop and logged onto Facebook, realising it was time. As she clicked on her profile, her hand hovered over the mouse on the button to make the changes. It was more than just a status; it was like admitting she was sad and pathetic because she couldn't deal with the big, bad world out there.
Annoyed with herself, she slapped her finger down on the mouse button. Single. One word with a whole lot of heartache behind it. Might as well update the fact she had almost moved back home, unless the village down the road amounted to the same thing. Oh well, guess I should make it three for three , she thought as she clicked on her list of friends.
And there he was, Ben Murphy. All she had to do was click on his photo and she would know what he had been doing since she had left Cardiff, since she had
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