Read Free-Falling for Free Online Page A

softer. Although Violet had kept her hair long and wore it loosely tied back, making her look younger still.
    Evelyn was glad to have the company. She needed to focus on something else and stop punishing herself for today.
    â€˜That was quite a performance you put on at the funeral, huh?’ Violet sounded as though she was trying to keep her voice light and casual.
    So much for taking my mind off things.
    â€˜Look, Vi, the last thing I need at the moment is a guilt trip from you, okay?’
    â€˜Ev, that’s not what I was planning, but I do think we need to talk. I know you’re grieving, but I’ve gotta tell you, over the last few days your behaviour’s been a bit . . . off.’
    â€˜Excuse me? I’ve lost my child, my son , and you think I’m a bit off ?’
    Violet immediately started backpedalling. ‘All right, not necessarily the right choice of words, but I’m just worried about you, about how you’re dealing with this.’
    â€˜I shouldn’t be dealing with it at all. Parents aren’t meant to bury their children – ever. We’re not built for this kind of loss, so please forgive me if I’m not reacting textbook perfectly as the grieving mother.’ Evelyn’s voice was beginning to rise dangerously.
    â€˜Look, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to upset you, it’s just that I’m afraid you’re holding something back. I haven’t seen you shed a single tear. I mean, shoplifting? Smoking? Drinking? This isn’t you. Well, maybe the odd drink or two . . .’ she trailed off.
    â€˜And what the hell do you want me to do?’
    â€˜I want you to tell me what you’re feeling. At least let me give you one hug, for God’s sake.’ Violet stepped hopefully toward her sister. Her optimism was not rewarded.
    â€˜You imagine losing one of your children when he hasn’t done a damn thing to deserve it, when there’s no good reason for it at all, a completely meaningless death, and then you see how well you’d handle things.’
    Evelyn turned and began to stride from the room, but tripped on a bouquet of flowers near the doorway. She looked down to see a tag that read, ‘Our thoughts and prayers are with you – Mr and Mrs Heartford.’
    Heartford, Heartford . . . Ahh, Belinda’s parents.
    She stooped and picked up the flowers, then hurled them across the room. ‘There. How’s that for showing my emotions?’
    Later, having summoned the courage to go after her, Violet came up behind Evelyn in the kitchen and tentatively touched her shoulder. Evelyn had been staring into the empty fireplace with blank, burning eyes, but now she turned as Violet placed a deck of cards carefully onto the table and waited. Evelyn looked at the cards, then up at her sister.
    â€˜What took you so long?’
    They spent the rest of the night playing Flip – the high-speed card game that had become a family tradition over the years. The piece of childhood that her boys had never left behind. Even when they were teenagers and just about everything else she could suggest would be considered ‘extremely lame’, they would always give in to a game of Flip and a chance to be the family champion.
    James arrived home a little after 4 am. He sat down at the table and took off his cap – one that Evelyn recognised as having belonged to Andrew, one that hid his slightly longer sandy-coloured curls and made him look even more like his cleaner-cut brother – and they dealt him in without a word. By sunrise, James had broken the silence to start telling stories about his brother, some that they all already knew and others that came as a surprise to his mother and aunt. He reminisced about all the times Andy had been there trying to bail him out of trouble – whether he had asked for the help or not. Eventually Violet joined in with some stories of her own and, after a