My sister linked her arm in mine and we began walking again. “So are you going? And if so, when?”
“I don’t know yet, but if I do it’ll be soon.”
“How soon?”
“He’s supposed to leave on the 31st.”
“Of January? But that gives you plenty of time to work things through.”
I chuckled, wondering how many times I’d have to have that same conversation. “Of December.”
Vee stood still for a second time, bringing me to a halt with her. “But that’s only a week away. No wonder you’ve been away with the fairies.”
“Everything just keeps running through my head. The reasons to go, the reasons to not go… I just don’t know what to do, Vee.”
My sister gave me a sympathetic smile as we set off down the road once more.
“Do you love Fin?”
“I feel like I do. But then I think, how can I? I’ve only known the man two minutes.”
“Does he love you?”
My eyes lit up and butterflies whizzed around in my tummy. “He says he does.”
“Then what’s your problem?”
Like it was that easy. “You did hear me say the 31st of December, didn’t you?”
“I’ve also heard you say you want some excitement and adventure. And let’s face it, Fin’s given you that in abundance.”
Vee was right, of course. On both counts. “What if a few months away turns into a permanent thing, though? I mean who knows what this American project might lead to? How long it would be before I saw you all again?” I sighed. “And if I’m honest, I’m not sure I could cope without having my family on the doorstep. With not seeing you all regularly. The US is such a long way away.”
“Not really,” Vee said, matter of fact. “Thanks to technology, the world’s a lot smaller than it used to be.”
“And then there’s the little one.” I indicated my sister’s belly. “It might only be weeks away, but I wouldn’t be around for the birth, let alone to see him or her grow.”
“Holly, it’s a flight. I’m sure there’ll be lots of toing and froing amongst us all.”
“And what about the practicalities. I’ve got the house to think about and my job.”
“Holly, are you even listening to what I’m saying? More to the point, are you listening to yourself?”
I realised Vee was right to pull me up. It seemed for every reason Vee gave in favour of me starting a new life with Fin, I came up with another as to why I shouldn’t.
I recalled all the conversations I’d had with Mum about my cancelled trip to the Caribbean, immediately recognising the pattern. “Oh, no,” I said. Bringing us both to a standstill, I looked at my sister, horrified.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I think I’ve turned into our mother,” I replied.
37
“Where have you been?” a frantic Mitch asked. He’d obviously stood at the window looking out for Vee and me, ready to accost us as soon as we stepped through Mum and Dad’s front door.
“For a walk,” Vee replied, carefree as anything. “What’s the problem?”
“The problem is you’ve been gone for hours.” The man did not look happy.
