Page 214 of Save You
I look back at him.“No, I don’t think so.”
He nods.
Then he stares in silence at his hands for a while.“I always thought that what we had was as important to her as it is to me.”
“It’s not anything you did.That part is obvious.”
He just growls and then falls back onto the bed with a groan.
“I’ll get you a glass of water,” I say after a moment.
Cyril doesn’t reply, so I stand up and walk down to the kitchen.When I get back, he’s sitting up in bed again.I’ve brought a bucket up with me too in case he feels sick overnight, and Cyril eyes it mockingly.
“Here,” I say, holding out the glass.He takes it and forces himself to have a couple of sips.After that, he puts it down on the bedside table.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”I ask.
“No, thanks, bro.I think I need some time alone.”
“OK, then I’ll be going.”I gesture over my shoulder with my thumb.
Cyril gives a curt nod.Then he does something he hasn’t done for at least ten years—he gets up and wraps his arms around me.I’m taken by surprise, but then I clap him on the back.He’s leaning half his weight against me and I’m doing my best to hold him up.
“You’ll get through this,” I say quietly.
Cyril pulls away from me and won’t meet my eye.It’s clear he doesn’t believe a word of it.
Ruby
It’s half past one when James finally gets home.He knocks quietly on Lydia’s door and opens it a crack.When he sees me sitting on the bed, beside his sleeping sister, the smile that crosses his lips makes my stomach tingle.Cautiously, I stand up, trying not to make a sound.James’s smile broadens as he sees that I’ve changed out of the dress into one of his T-shirts and a pair of Lydia’s leggings.
It’s only once I’ve shut the door gently behind me that I dare to say anything.Lydia was so distraught when we got here—I really don’t want to wake her.
“You’re here,” he greets me softly.
I nod.“I was going to go home with Ember, but Lydia was so upset that I didn’t want to leave her on her own.So I told Mum I’d stay over with you.Did you find Cyril?”
James’s smile fades.“He was pretty out of it.I don’t know if he’ll remember a thing in the morning.”
That’s not particularly reassuring.
“I trust Cy,” James adds.“You can rely on him in this kind of stuff.”
I eye him skeptically, but in the end I nod.“OK.”
James glances down the landing and then looks back to me.I reach for his hand and tug gently, and we walk together to his room.
When we get there, I sit down on his king-size bed.
“Is Lydia doing better now?”James asks, slipping off his jacket and loosening his tie.Then he drops down beside me.
“Yeah,” I reply pensively.“I think so.Mr.Sutton called her and they talked a while.”
James doesn’t seem to know what to make of that.He exhales audibly and rubs his forehead.
“What’s wrong?”
He grunts.“I don’t want Lydia to get into trouble.I just don’t know how to stop all the secrets collapsing in on themselves like a house of cards.”
