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gone. She’s still in the water… Under the water!
    I rush forward, a scream trapped in my throat. I grab her by the hair and pull.
    She comes up spluttering, thrashing.
    “Mary? Oh, babe! Are you okay?”
    She wipes at her face. “What the fuck, Jules?”
    I stare at her uncomprehending.
    She glares at me. “What did you do that for?
    Realisation steals over me. “You didn’t fall asleep did you?”
    “No! I was washing out the shampoo.”
    We stare at each other. I can feel the sheepish look on my face and I watch as her annoyance melts. She shakes her head. “You Dodo.” She smiles, sniffs the air.
    “The chilli!”
    I rush down the stairs getting to the chilli just in time to save it from ruin.
    It’s only much later when I’m setting the table that I remember the wet footprints.
     

15
    GEMMA
    How was tutoring?
    Okay but…
    But?
    Nothing.
    No fair, you can’t do that!
    I watch the message box, tapping a nail against my laptop as I wait for a response.
    It’s probably nothing but I think Jessica’s faking it.
    I roll my eyes. Finally.
    Tell her to piss off then.
    I can’t. I could really do with the money.
    I know, it’s just…
    What?
    Nothing.
    Whoa you can’t do that!
    I laugh. I can imagine his face all screwed up and indignant, his red hair sticking up all over the place. I want to reach up and smooth it and the desire is like an ache in my chest.
    Helloooo! Gemma!
    I think she has a crush on you.
    Oh.
    Yeah.
    In that case I better tell her to piss off.
    “Gemma! Dinner’s ready!”
    Shit, gotta go. Dinner’s ready.
    K.
    On impulse I send him a heart.
    After a moment he sends one back.
    I log off with a warm feeling in my chest.
     
    Chilli is a favourite of mine. We have it with rice, salsa and sour cream and Jules has gone all out and even heated some wraps. Decisions, decisions… I decide to have a little of everything.
    Danny and Heather are already chomping down and I am loading up my plate when mum walks in, looking all shiny and refreshed. I feel a pang of guilt. I’ve been pretty horrible to her over the whole moving thing, and all she has tried to do is make it a home for all of us. I have to admit, Learmonth House and the village, aside from its little quirks, are pretty nice. I imagine long summers on the beach, stunning winters taking walks in the white-washed woods, with hot chocolate on the veranda afterwards. I tell myself that all houses take some getting used to. The strange sounds I’ve been hearing, the creepy vibe, it’s all part of the adjustment.
    Mum takes the seat opposite me and I give her a tentative smile, a truce. She blinks in surprise and I pass her the bowl of rice.
    “Thanks, honey.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    Her eyes light up and I feel even worse. God, I can be such a spoiled bitch sometimes.
    We tuck in and there is blissful silence, just the sound of chewing and, in Danny’s case, slurping from his favourite Spiderman beaker.
    My stomach feels nice and warm and full. I sit back and sigh.
    Mum looks up. “Did you enjoy your walk today?”
    I nod. “It’s really pretty.” I’m about to tell her about Sam, but change my mind. I don’t want her to think I am being nice to her just because I’ve met a boy. “I was wondering, have we been here before? I mean to visit.”
    Mum frowns. “Once. You were only a couple of months old, though. Why do you ask?”
    “Oh, and that’s the only time we visited?”
    “Yes. Why?”
    Well, that shoots down my theory. There’s no way I could remember the tree, or anything else for that matter, if I had been a baby when we visited.
    I shrug. “Just déjà vu.”
    Mum smiles. “We did go to the Lake District when you were three. There’s a lot of forest land up there. We stayed in a cabin with Jim, Jen and Harry, their little boy. Maybe you’re recalling that?”
    I nod. “Yeah, could be.”
    “You came here with Kevin?” Jules asks mum.
    Mum nods. “Trust me, it wasn’t my idea. Uncle Henry turned into