Page 40 of The Secret We Keep
This kid is so perceptive. “No, I’m not.”
Evie turns to face me. “Okay then, quick fire round. I’ll ask the questions, you answer as fast as you can.”
“I—”
“Why do you love living here?” I don’t move. I just stare. “Who’s the person you like most? Where’s your favourite place to walk? What is there to do?”
I stand back with my hands on my hips, watching a ten-year-old interrogate me. She’s caught me off guard with no time to think at all.
“See. Lying.” She spins towards Paddy and starts making her way over, kicking the ground as she goes.
Paddy scratches his lip with his thumb. Embarrassed for me perhaps.
“Wait,” I cry.
Paddy and Evie look at me.
“That was not enough time to answer any of those questions.” I make my way over to her and crouch so that we’re face-to-face.
She looks me dead in the eye.
“I like watching the stars when I can’t sleep. There are no streetlights around here, so when you look up, you can see everything. When I’m feeling a little lost, I used to walk to the bus stop where we met. And do you know, I think my favourite person around here isn’t even human.”
Evie tilts her head, listening intently. “It’s not?”
“No. It’s a little pup named Kevin.”
“You know Kevin?” She laughs.
I laugh back. “Do you?”
“Yeah, he’s my aunt’s dog. Well, she’s not my aunt, just… I don’t know, Uncle Paddy, how do I explain it?”
Uncle Paddy?
Paddy steps closer to us.
I stand.
“Family, kiddo. That’s all there is to it.” We exchange a sincere smile. “Now, go inside. Grandma’s still in there. I’m sure she’ll grab you some sweets or something.”
Evie drops her bag to the ground before opening it and pulling out the swear jar.
I’m smiling before she utters a word. “You owe me two pounds.”
Paddy rolls his eyes. Clearly he’s familiar with the swear jar. Pulling out his wallet from his back pocket, he opens a small zip. “Why two? I only said shit.”
“Make that three.” Evie points my way. “Morgan owes me a quid but doesn’t have any money on her.”
I hold my hands up, playing along with a sheepish smile on my face.
Paddy laughs and shakes his head. “Fine. Three quid.” He drops three one-pound coins into the jar. “Now go and get some sweets.”
Evie drops the jar into her rammed bag. “I’m too old for sweets. But I’ll tellGrandmayou called her that when I ask her to get me some peanut M&Ms. I’m so hungry I could eat a whole bag.”
I suppress a gag, lips pressing together. God, I hate peanuts.
Paddy smiles when I look his way, but he doesn’t look into my eyes.
