Lock the Doors by Vincent Ralph

Author:Vincent Ralph [Ralph, Vincent]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2021-02-04T00:00:00+00:00

67

We always eat at the table, but never like this.

When we first moved in with Jay, Mum made a point of doing things differently. We’d got used to eating on trays, first in bedrooms and then, when it was just the two of us, in front of the TV.

But Mum wanted to do things ‘properly’ now. She wanted dinner to be an event, not something to do in secret or in silence. She liked asking people to pass her things, even when she could reach them.

This is that turned up to eleven because the table looks like it’s been set for Christmas, with the special-occasion plates and three sets of cutlery. There are tall glasses for wine and small glasses for water and not enough space for all the food.

‘Does it look OK?’ Mum whispers, and I nod.

Even with Jay to calm her nerves, she still turns to me sometimes and I love that. We’re a team. We always have been.

‘This looks wonderful,’ Jane says and, when she coughs, Chris hurries to agree.

Friendliness doesn’t suit him. He looks like he’s trying on smiles when he’s shopping for scowls.

‘Thank you,’ Mum says.

She’s done parmesan risotto with roasted shrimp for the second time this week and she’s nailed it. She didn’t need to practise because she’s a great cook, but rehearsals calm her nerves.

I wanted her to do one of her own creations because Mum has a whole notebook of them since starting her course. But, for now, those are reserved for us and her teachers.

Amy sits next to me with her head down. She smiled when she came in, but the tension between her and Nia is obvious. Will is beside Aaron, but without his iPad it looks like he’s broken down. Only the adults are talking.

‘So,’ Jay says to Chris, ‘what do you do?’

‘I’m in recruitment.’

Jay smiles like he knows what that is. Whatever it means, it must pay a lot for them to afford that house.

‘I used to be an accountant,’ Amy’s mum says, ‘but I haven’t done that for a while.’

‘Jane keeps us ticking along,’ says Chris.

He’s already said more than he did the entire night I was at theirs and that only makes me more suspicious. He’s pretending and he’s good at it.

‘I wish I could be at home more,’ Mum says, ‘but needs must.’

‘I understand,’ Jane replies, but I’ve seen the inside of her house so I don’t think she does.

My phone vibrates in my pocket and Amy looks at me and raises her eyebrows. I don’t check it until she’s looking the other way because I know who it’s from.

Are they there? it says, and I quickly type, Yes, and click send.

OK, Zak replies. I’m going in.

My heart cranks up a couple of gears and when I tuck my phone back in my pocket everyone’s looking at me.

‘Tom?’ Mum says.

‘Yes.’

‘Jane asked you a question.’

‘Sorry, I …’

‘And what did I say about phones at the table?’

Nia smirks because it’s her least favourite rule and Amy gives me another confused look.

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