Page 85 (1/2)

‘Kitchen,’ I tell hi to s out and travels down the corridor towards us I jump, Miller curses, and William pushes his way past us before I can send the instructions to s to move Miller takes off after hi

I fall into the kitchen, colliding with Miller’s back, before puttingaround the open space, I see nothing, only Willia blankly at the floor My eyes are rooted on hi for any further facial expressions or reactions, my mind not prepared to confront what has his attention

‘Drat!’ Nan’s polite curse creeps past the wall of fear and hasto the floor, where she’s on her hands and knees with a dustpan and brush, sweeping up scattered sugar and a broken dish

‘Give it towith her fingers ‘I told you, you silly old woory snatches the pan froht, geezer?’

‘Fine,’ Williaory ‘What’s going on?’

‘She –’ Gregory points the dustpan’s brush at Nan, and she knocks it away – ‘won’t do as she’s told Get her up, will you?’

‘For the love of God!’ Nan cries, slapping her palms on her lap ‘Put me back in that prison they call a hospital because you lot are driving me crackers!’

My body feels like it’s turned tosense of relief I castWilliaet her settled’

Willia down to collect Nan ‘Come on, Josephine’

I feel a bit useless as I watch him help Nan from the floor I’m relieved, confused, worried It’s like he was never here I didn’t iine Nan’s chirpy tone in the background If it wasn’t for the telling look that Gregory just chucked at Williaht that look He was here But he just left? Gregory looks shaken, so why the hell doesn’t Nan look like she’s been terrorised?

I flinch when I feel a soft war upns of internal fireworks have gone It’s been too long since I’ve felt them They’ve been drowned out by toome back into the kitchen where Nan is now on her feet with Williah the lu Nan ahile I’ William and Miller in on the events that have recently transpired As we enter the room and settle on the sofa, I notice the TV onon the couch with the control in her hand, listening when Gregory answered the door to Charlie

‘Nan, was soo?’ I set about tucking blankets in around her, refusing to meet her eyes