Page 84 of Seven Letters

‘I don’t know, Riley.’

‘I’m just wondering because I kind of need a lift to school tomorrow and Dad has an interview.’

‘Does he?’

‘Oh, shit! I wasn’t supposed to tell you – he doesn’t want you getting your hopes up.’ Dad would kill her. She’d overheard him on the phone, so he’d told her about it, but he’d specifically said, ‘Don’t tell your mother. It might come to nothing.’ Why had she opened her big mouth?

‘Please, Mum, don’t say anything to Dad about it.’

‘I’ll say nothing. Pray he gets it, Riley. We need some good news.’

‘Does Izzy know about Sarah and the baby?’

‘No, it’s up to Adam to tell her.’

‘Poor Izzy.’

‘Yeah, poor little thing. Losing your mother is the worst.’ Mia began to cry again.

‘Well, losing your dad would suck too.’

‘Losing your mother is worse.’

‘I think losing either would be the same.’

Riley loved both of her parents equally. If she was beinghonest, in the last year she’d probably loved Johnny more because he didn’t nag her all the time.

‘Sarah and Izzy were so close,’ Mia said. ‘They adored each other. It was such a beautiful relationship. Izzy is going to be crushed. Her life is ruined.’

‘I know it’s terrible, but she still has her dad.’ Riley tried to reassure her mother.

‘Adam’s hardly dad of the year. He doesn’t even know how to boil water.’

‘True, but he’ll probably meet someone.’

‘What?’

Riley, not realizing what she was saying, had ploughed on: ‘Well, he’s decent-looking, has a few quid and isn’t ancient, so he’ll probably meet someone, and then Izzy will have a stepmum.’

‘How could you say that? Sarah isn’t even cold yet.’

‘What? I didn’t mean it like that – I didn’t mean it like “Let’s all forget about Sarah.” I meant … Well, I meant Izzy will probably be looked after eventually by a woman who will be nice to her and stuff.’

‘I just … How can you even say that? She’s only …’ Mia turned her head away and cried into her pillow.

Riley had stood, rooted to the spot. Crap. Now she’d upset her mother even more. Why did she always say the wrong thing? She’d meant to say that Izzy would hopefully end up with a loving stepmother who would mind her and love her. But now Mia thought she was a heartless bitch who was lining women up to marry her uncle.

‘How about that Xanax?’ Riley had tried.

Mia had closed her eyes. Riley had tiptoed out of the room, cursing herself.

Now, she applied one last layer of lip gloss, pushed away the thoughts of her messed-up family and unlocked thecubicle door. She strode into drama with as much confidence as she could muster. Her stomach was doing little flips.

Mr Warren had set up the desks, so each pair was facing each other. Riley went over and sat opposite Zach. He looked down and fiddled with his pen.

‘Right,’ Mr Warren said. ‘I want you to discuss your chosen book or play and start working out some of the themes you’re going to debate.’

‘What are we doing then?’ Zach finally looked up at Riley. God, his eyes. So blue, so sexy. ‘The life and times of the Dalai Lama, I suppose.’ Zach sighed.

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