The Gift of Life by Josephine Moon

Author:Josephine Moon
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143791997
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia

19

That night, Pippa brought the kids over for dinner.

‘I’m avoiding Harvey,’ she said, tossing her jacket and bag onto the kitchen bench.

Monty put his arm around her shoulder, looking worn and sad. Her parents had never loved Harvey, but both Monty and Lottie had appreciated his upstanding character and essential goodness. ‘I’ll get the pizza bases out of the freezer,’ he said.

‘Thanks, Dad.’

Gabby made them tea while their combined seven children dispersed throughout the house and yard, then she took Pippa to sit in the corner of the lounge room in the floral-upholstered chairs with a small low table between them. The ‘tea nook’ was perfect for holding private conversations. It made Gabby feel like a lady from the Victorian era who had to sit and do needlepoint while exchanging the latest tittle-tattle of the day, and she always found she rather enjoyed it.

‘Do you want to talk about it?’ she asked, crossing one leg over the other and smoothing her skirt.

‘Hell, no,’ Pippa said. ‘I’m sick to death of it all. Tell me something interesting instead.’

Gabby blew out a heavy breath. ‘Well, I definitely have a few things to share that will take your mind off your home life.’

‘Oh, good!’ Pippa’s face lit up. ‘What is it?’

Gabby told her about the visions, her online research into cellular memory, her meetings with Krystal, and the other woman. Her sister sat with her mouth ajar for most of the conversation, completely shocked.

‘Drink your tea before it gets cold,’ Gabby said, motioning to her untouched teacup.

Pippa took several gulps of her extra-milky Lady Grey. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this sooner?’

‘You know why. You’ve had enough of your own drama to deal with. And I wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, to begin with.’

‘Shit. This is huge.’

‘Yeah, it is.’

Pippa took a moment to process, then said, ‘What does she mean she doesn’t know what he was doing in Sydney? How can you not know where your husband is?’

‘It’s amazing what someone can keep from their partner, isn’t it?’ Gabby said, feigning surprise.

‘A secret horse isn’t the same as a secret trip interstate.’

‘I’m not sure about the logic of that,’ Gabby said. ‘But Krystal said Evan left for work, and some hours later the police called to tell her he’d been in an accident and she needed to get to Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital as soon as possible.’

‘Oh, that’s awful.’ She replaced her blue and white teacup on its matching saucer and lifted the pot to top it up. ‘More?’

‘Thanks.’ Gabby held out her own cup for a splash more and gazed out the glass doors into the backyard.

‘What are you going to do?’ Pippa asked.

‘I don’t know. I can’t exactly make the visions happen.’

Pippa opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, looking torn.

‘What? What were you going to say?’

‘I don’t like the idea of this,’ Pippa lowered her voice, ‘but have you tried actually asking him what he wants?’

‘I have. But sometimes it feels like he’s haunting me.’

Pippa sat bolt upright.

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