Valerie by Kit Eyre

Author:Kit Eyre [Eyre, Kit]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 21

Come February, Max was spending most nights cocooned over at Valerie’s, whether that was on her own or not. Now they were on the wrong side of Christmas, the election was taking up every minute Valerie had, including stopovers in places Max wouldn’t have been able to find on a map if her life depended on it. That meant they spent less time with Amy, who was round at Clarice’s more since her last scare, though they still kept in touch through the week for coffees and whatnot.

The last Saturday of the month was another cold one. Max was sat in the kitchen at Geith Place warming her hands round a cup when the door went earlier than she’d expected. She looked up as Amy walked in with her rucksack weighing down her shoulders.

‘Wasn’t expecting you,’ Max said.

Amy hovered near the door. ‘I needed a break. Isn’t Mum back?’

‘Shouldn’t be too long. You want a drink?’

‘I’ve got work to do. I’ll be back down in a while.’

Max watched her out into the hallway, noticing the way her legs didn’t altogether lift from the floor until she had to start climbing the stairs. The steps thumped through the house then finished off with a door slamming shut. From the sound of it, she’d gone into the study and not her bedroom, not that Max had ever disturbed her in either.

Valerie came back in her usual whirlwind and launched into a conversation before Max had even stood up from the table.

‘Sorry, I know I’m late. The train down from Newcastle was delayed at York – again. But it was a fantastic day, we definitely won a few votes. There was the old man who hadn’t met a canvasser in years, let alone a candidate. I think he’s friends with everyone in the damn area! I brought Chinese –’

‘Amy’s here,’ Max interrupted and Valerie’s smile widened.

‘Is she? That’s brilliant, there’s enough to go around. You know me and Chinese. Why don’t you call her down and I’ll get the plates?’

Since she was halfway to the cupboard already, Max didn’t have chance to argue. She only got a curt response from Amy when she tried shouting her, and they were polishing off their share of the spring rolls before she made an appearance. Valerie hadn’t stopped talking about what she’d been up to till then, but she trailed off when she saw Amy’s face.

‘Are you all right, sweetheart?’ she asked.

‘Busy, that’s all,’ Amy muttered.

Valerie nudged the platter towards her. ‘Here, we saved you some. You’re allowed a night off, you know. With all the work you put in, you deserve it.’

‘It’s fine,’ she replied as she took two pieces of prawn toast.

The way she lowered her chin warned them both that conversation was off the table. Whereas every other night, Valerie would fill any silence with talk about the election, she held off tonight. Max saw her shooting Amy looks, as if what was wrong with her could be enticed out with chicken fried rice.

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