I gulp. Of course, Lois would have said that. She has been trying to ‘turn’ me for over four years.
‘I am. I mean I was. Until erm, yesterday.’
Lies upon lies upon lies.
Cam has not taken his gaze from mine. ‘Yesterday?’
I nod slowly.
‘You are full of surprises.’
I’m full of shit, he means.
‘It’s almost as though you’re a completely different person to the one I interviewed last summer.’
I’m like a rabbit in the headlights.
‘I am?’
‘Tell me about this sister of yours. Do you have any photos of the two of you together?’Crap.
Chapter 8
‘I do not have any photos… of me and my sister together… about my person,’ I say in a flat robotic tone, annunciating each word carefully as though it might be taken down and used as evidence against me in a court of law.
‘Tell me about her. Are you alike?’
Oh, Goodness. He is not going to drop it. I can’t read his face either.
‘Well, she’s a little older than me.’ Not technically a lie as she is three and a half minutes older. ‘And she’s a nurse. Which means she’s very outspoken and quite bossy with it.’
Cam is stroking his chin stubble, taking in every word. ‘How much older exactly.’
‘Three, she’s older by three, erm…’ I take a deep breath in.
‘Years?’
I shake my head.
‘Months?’ He is looking confused.
I can’t lie any more. I can’t. I will come clean. ‘Three minutes.’
I’ve cracked under virtually no pressure.
Cam blinks slowly, letting out a calm sigh. He gets up from his seat and disappears into the villa in one long fluid movement. He’s so incredibly easy on the eye, and as attractive from the front as he is at the back. Almost as though he was dreamt into the world to make it prettier. I hear the faint bleeps of the safe being opened.
What will I say? What excuse do I have?
Cam returns moments later and plonks my phone down on the table. ‘Show me the photos. Please.’
I pick up the phone and scroll to me and Lois having the world’s longest goodbye at the airport a couple of days ago. Tyrone took lots of pictures and a lovely video of us, so she’d be able to look at them while I’m in isolation without my phone.
I press play and turn it around for Cam to see. He watches our teary goodbye. He listens to me telling Lois how much I love her and how much I’m going to miss her. He listens to Lois mothering me and making sure I have everything. He listens to her ask once again if I’m positive I’m flying to Mexico for the right reasons. Cam briefly flicks his eyes to mine and back to the screen. He listens to Lois tell me how proud of me she is. How she knows these past few years have been really hard for me. Losing our mother. Losing my home. Losing my sense of purpose.
Cam pauses the video.
My eyes fill with tears as suppressed memories flood back. ‘I gave up work to care for her while she was sick. There’s only ever been the three of us. It kind of killed my career, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat.’
