A Hope For Emily: An absolutely heartbreaking and gripping emotional page turner by Kate Hewitt

Author:Kate Hewitt [Hewitt, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

14

Eva

I shouldn’t be here. Even now my heart is racing and my palms are damp, and I feel as shocked as Rachel looks even though I’m the one who drove here, who knocked.

“Eva…” she says faintly. I swallow.

“May I come in?”

For a second she looks reluctant, and then silently she steps aside.

It was easy to find her address; James has a little leather book of all his work and social addresses, kept by the kitchen phone. It was no more than a fifteen-minute drive from home to here, yet it feels like so much more. By coming here I am stepping across a chasm I created, one that will only grow wider by my actions now.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything,” I say, pointlessly, because it’s obvious that I’m not.

“No. I was just grabbing something to eat.” Self-conscious now, she moves into the little kitchen in the back of the house and grabs a cup of noodles. I look around the place, trying not to let it show in my face how depressing it all is. Bland, beige furniture that looks unloved and unlived in—a futon-like sofa, a medium-sized TV, a coffee table of fake wood. The living room doesn’t hold a single other thing—no books, no photos, no vases of flowers or little knickknacks that show a life that has been enjoyed rather than endured.

The kitchen is the same—white units, fake granite worktop, soulless. The only thing in it is a stack of unopened mail, mostly leaflets and junk.

“Did you want something?” Rachel asks, politely, and I realize she has no idea why I’m here. How could she? When we last spoke, I was reluctant at best.

“Yes, in a manner of speaking,” I say. I sound nervous, because I am, and I’m not even sure why. Am I afraid Rachel will scoff at me—or that she’ll agree? “I spoke to James.”

She pauses mid-noodle, giving me a searching look. “When?”

“A few weeks ago.”

A resigned shrug. “So it didn’t make a difference.”

“No. I’m sorry. He feels… quite strongly about it. Emily’s treatment, I mean.”

Her face twists and then she irons out her expression, like a hand smoothing out a crumpled piece of paper; the lines are still there. “So do I.”

“To be fair to James,” I say, my voice wavering a little, “he isn’t trying to be callous or unkind. He believes not allowing Emily to have this treatment is the best thing for her. I know he does.”

“And you came here to tell me that?” There is an edge to her voice, which I understand.

“No, no, I wouldn’t… that’s not why I’m here.” I can’t believe how nervous I am. I feel like pacing, but I stand still, smoothing my hands down the sides of my skirt. I’m still in my business clothes, and I wish I’d changed into something more comfortable. I already feel constricted enough.

“Why are you here then, Eva?” Rachel asks, her tone bordering on unfriendly.

“I… I want to help you.”

“Help me?”

“I can’t stop thinking about Emily,” I blurt.

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