Altitude by Niel Bushnell

Author:Niel Bushnell [Bushnell, Niel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Magic Number Books
Published: 2017-07-05T23:00:00+00:00

‘Shit, I’m in the wrong lane,’ Abigail’s mum muttered, grimacing as she steered the car into the car park under the NO ENTRY sign, ignoring the pipping horn of another car leaving.

They shared relieved laughter as her mum parked the car.

‘OK,’ Abigail’s mum said as she turned the engine off. It was as if she was mentally steeling herself for the appointment. ‘OK,’ she repeated, turning to Abigail, smiling as she removed her sunglasses. ‘Shall we go in?’

‘What happened this morning?’ Tam asked as she approached Abigail in the wood. It was mid-afternoon and the trees had trapped the heat under its canopy, making the wood airless and stifling.

Abigail grinned, pleased to see her. ‘Mum happened.’

‘She grounded you?’

‘No, nothing like that.’ Abigail paused, feeling stupid. ‘We had a counselling session, me and Mum.’

‘Oh,’ Tam said, sounding surprised.

‘I know, right?’ Abigail smiled awkwardly.

‘How was it?’

‘Not as bad as I expected it to be. Mum cried a lot, but we talked about stuff we never talk about, so I suppose it was actually pretty good.’

Abigail seemed different today, taller, calmer. ‘You look . . .’ Tam couldn’t find the right word.

‘Happy?’ Abigail offered.

Tam laughed. ‘Yeah, I suppose that must be it.’

‘I am, I think.’

‘Good,’ Tam said, smiling. ‘Oh, guess who I saw yesterday after we left.’

‘Who? Becca?’

‘James Pinchin.’ Tam grinned.

‘Oh God, you’re back with him, aren’t you?’ Abigail groaned, sensing Tam’s excitement.

Tam tutted, her enthusiasm tempered. ‘No!’

‘So what happened?’

‘I told him. I didn’t give him power.’

‘Really?’

Tam nodded quickly. ‘You should have seen his face.’

‘I wish I had. What did you say to him?’

‘I might have threatened to send that picture to his mum.’ Tam burst out laughing.

Shocked, Abigail replied, ‘You didn’t?’

‘I did.’

Abigail laughed along with her. ‘But you wouldn’t, would you?’

‘I deleted it after I showed it to you.’ Tam grinned. ‘But his face! I wish you’d been there.’

The two girls laughed once more, wallowing in the moment.

‘We should celebrate,’ Tam said, producing a small bottle from her pocket. She unscrewed the lid, took a mouthful of the clear liquid and offered it to Abigail.

‘What’s that?’ she asked tentatively, feeling immediately uncomfortable.

‘Gin,’ Tam replied, her face wincing as she swallowed. ‘Dad’s gin. He won’t notice it’s gone.’

Abigail stared at the outstretched bottle. ‘No thanks,’ she said eventually. That little bottle represented so much more to her than Tam could ever know. It was the source of so much pain. That liquid seeped into the cracks in her parents’ relationship and forced them wider apart.

Tam took another mouthful. ‘Come on, it’s just one drink.’

‘No.’

Tam wiped her lips as she watched her. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing’s wrong.’

Tam waited.

Abigail tensed, not wanting to say any more. She looked up at the trees, breathing in time with their swaying branches. No bullshit here, she remembered. She sighed as she looked back to Tam and said, ‘Mum drinks. Dad drinks. I don’t want to. OK?’

‘Yeah, course it’s OK.’ Tam put the lid back on the bottle and put it away.

Relieved, Abigail smiled at Tam, trying to fix the odd mood that had settled over the wood.

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