All You Ever Wanted by Susan Elliot Wright

Author:Susan Elliot Wright
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2022-10-27T00:00:00+00:00

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I’ve been feeling like shit lately, what with losing Oscar, then the camera arriving and the horrible thoughts I keep having since I set it up. So I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the barbeque at Ben and Nathan’s, but now we’re here, I’m quite enjoying it. They’re only a ten-minute walk from us, so we can both have a drink without worrying. The party is mainly to celebrate Ben’s fortieth, but it’s only just over three weeks until the start of the summer break, and with everyone looking forward to six weeks of no school, it’s also a nearly-the-end-of-term celebration. Ben’s the deputy head. They’ve all been friends since long before I came along, so I was a bit worried that Sarah might be here, too. But there’s no sign of her so far, and I doubt she’ll turn up now.

Anna offered to look after Bonnie for us this afternoon, but Amelia, Ben’s thirteen-year-old daughter from his brief, misguided marriage, would never have forgiven us if we’d left Bonnie behind. Now Amelia and her friends are entertaining Bonnie and the other two toddlers that are here and they all seem to be enjoying themselves. I drift around, chatting to people I know, mostly other teachers from school. A few of them are still a bit distant with me, but it bothers me less these days. I’m more concerned about making it up with my old friends. Things are much better with Zoe now – we’ve exchanged a few emails since she arrived in Greece – and I sent a long, grovellingly apologetic email to Tash yesterday, but I’ve not had a reply yet.

It occurs to me that I haven’t seen Simon for a while. I wander around the garden looking for him, then I ask Amelia if she’s seen him. ‘Yeah,’ she says. ‘I saw him going out the front door when I went in for some crisps.’

‘Really? Where was he going? Did he say?’

She shrugs. ‘No.’ She laughs at something her friend says and turns back to the game they’re playing with the little ones.

‘Amelia, sorry, one more thing – any idea how long ago this was?’

‘Dunno. About fifteen minutes? Something like that.’

‘Okay, thanks.’

As I near the house, Nathan comes out onto the terrace carrying a tray of sausages and I smile when I see the words Prick with a Fork emblazoned across his chest. ‘Like the apron, Nate.’

He grins back at me. ‘It’s new. I bought it for Ben, really, but I don’t know why – he never bloody cooks!’ We both chuckle. I’m about to ask him if he knows where Simon’s gone when a notification comes through on my phone. The camera has picked up movement in our bedroom.

‘Hey. Emily, are you all right?’ Nathan says. ‘You’ve gone white as a sheet.’

‘Yes, yes, I’m fine.’ My voice sounds as if it’s coming from a long way away and my legs feel shaky as I rush past him into the house. ‘Just popping to the loo.

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