Page 14 of The Way We Fell

“So, why the change of plans? I thought Mae was with Suze today?” Amie’s mum, Suzanne, often looks after Maisy when Amie is working. If she can’t do it, then Ruth, Paloma and I will take turns, depending on our schedules. I’ve known Suze almost as long as I’ve known Amie, and she was like a second mother to me growing up. Ruth and I used to call her Mama Suze. We spent almost as much time with her as we did with our own mothers.

“Yeah, Suze is sick,” I say quietly. “I mean, it’s nothing terminal, it’s just a nasty virus or something, but she’s out of action for a few days.”

“I see.” Ruth takes a mouthful of coffee before sitting straighter in her seat and addressing Maisy. “So, what we are doing today, then, Little Mae? I heard we were watching Dylan and Dandy?”

“Yeah!” Maisy grabs her tablet and leaps onto the sofa beside Ruth. “You watch too, Aunty Roo?”

“I’d love to watch!”

Cartoons occupy Maisy for another fifteen minutes before she hops up and drags her duffel bag into the middle of the room.

“You play planes, Aunty Roo? Aunty K?”

I look at Ruth, and we both slide to the carpet obediently, legs stretched wide to accommodate the diecast models and plastic dinosaur figurines spilling from the bag as Maisy upends it.

“So, you had lunch with my brother, huh?”

“What about it?”

“Oh, nothing. How was he, though? He wasn’t a dick to you, was he?” Ruth leans in and whispers the last part, keen to get information without Maisy hearing.

“He’s fine, Roo,” I say. “And he was a perfect gentleman. Paid for lunch and everything.”

“Wow. Heneverbuys my lunch, the bastard.”

“Maybe he just likes me more.”

“I’m his favourite sister.”

“You’re hisonlysister.”

“Therefore, by default, his favourite.”

“Stop worrying so much, Ruth.”

“Says the queen of worrying about everyone.”

I snort inelegantly.

“Really, love. We had a nice brunch. It was… nice.”

“Of all the people I thought my brother might be friends with…”

“Excuse you.”

“You know I don’t mean it like that, K.” She nudges my knee. “I just mean—look. You’re the nicest, sweetest, most kind-hearted soul I’ve ever met in my life. Look at today, you’ve just dropped everything to be on Maisy duty. And Jay is… a grumpy arsehole, quite honestly.”

“You know I’d do it a hundred times again. And Jay—he’s been through a lot.”

“I know. Shit, Katy… I know. And he still is, you know? But he won’t talk to me about any of it. He thinks I don’t know he’s hiding stuff from me, but I’m not dumb. I know him, Katy. He’s my brother.”

“I’m sure he will, in time,” I say kindly. “He’s probably still processing everything himself.” I think back to the book I borrowed from the library. Staying quiet about their experiences isn’t uncommon for veterans when they return from deployments. Nor is it for people who’ve been injured as they begin the road to recovery.

“Honestly, Roo. He seemed… okay. Guarded. I didn’t know him before, so I don’t know if that’s just who he is—”

“Eh, kinda.”

“But we had a nice lunch, and we’re going back this weekend. There are a lot of craft beers to work through on that menu, and it’s not like you or Lo or Amie will drink them with me.”

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