Page 59 of Inbetweeners
“Nice house,” Harry said.
He and Phoenix also had to remember not to talk to Harry.
Emmett shook his father’s hand and felt a familiar chill from being in his company.I didn’t get on with my parents at all.Had he really thought he had? He could feel memories stirring, discomfort settling in his gut. Why had he bothered coming? Partly because he’d wondered if they’d missed him, but mostly because he wanted to know how he died. They were invited to sit so they did, though Harry wandered off.
“My wife tells me you’ve been out of the country,” his father said.
“I work for the British Arctic Research Station at Ny-Ålesund on Spitsbergen. I’m a meteorologist. I met Emmett at a friend’s wedding. Lucy Elton.”Oh God, where did that name come from?
“Ah Lucy,” his mother said. “How is she?”
Shit.“I’ve not called her yet. I’ve not been back in the country long. I was so sorry to hear… How did Emmett die? What happened?”
“He crashed his car,” his father said. “Driving too fast, as he often did.”
A car accident?What did his father know about the way he drove? Emmett bristled.
He felt Phoenix’s hand slide over his.
“He survived the crash, but we had to switch off his life support.” His mother spoke as if she’d just told him the weather was mixed that day.
“Did he donate his organs?” Emmett hoped but…
“We decided it wasn’t what we wanted,” his mother said. “He’d been… He'd been damaged enough.”
Emmett sank his teeth into his cheeks. Was there any kindness in that thought? Maybe but he’d wanted to donate any part of him that could be used to help someone else. He’d signed the donor register, but clearly, his parents had persuaded the hospital to listen to their wishes and ignore his. Even in death, he’d been no use to anyone. Unhappiness crept over him like a dark shadow.
“I’m sorry for your loss.” Phoenix was pressing his knee against Emmett’s as well as gripping his fingers. “It must be awful to lose a child.”
His parents stayed silent.I should say something.
“Did you have him cremated or buried?” Emmett asked.
“Why?” asked his mother.
“If there’s a grave, I wanted to go and lay some flowers, say goodbye.”
“His ashes were scattered in the woods across the road.”
Oh, you bitch.Emmett was swamped with memories then. Not good ones.
“How are his brother and sister? Spencer and Elsbeth, did I get that right?” Emmett struggled to hold back his anger.
His mother smiled. “Doing very well. Elsbeth is working for Google, and Spencer is with Apple.”
“The Apple store on Regent Street?” Phoenix asked.
He could have hugged Phoenix for that. Emmett almost laughed.
“Not in the store, no.” His mother looked horrified. “Corporate headquarters.”
“It was just that I was in there the other day. Sorry.” Phoenix’s eyes glittered.
“Well, we won’t take up more of your time,” Emmett said. “Since I wasn’t able to come to his funeral, I wanted to tell you in person how sorry I was that he’d died.”
“Sebastian told me Emmett was a great guy,” Phoenix said. “A good friend, kind, supportive and loyal with a great sense of humour.”
“Really?” his father said.
