Winter Beginnings by Elise K. Ackers

Author:Elise K. Ackers
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter 11

The house was freezing. Nina had insisted that they practice for camping by getting used to the cold, so Dean and Rowan were huddled on the couch thinking warm thoughts, wearing jumpers over shirts over singlets, and not speaking. Nina had unpacked the tent that Dean had bought at the country outfitters, and was wearing it like a shawl. It trailed behind her, hissing on the floorboards as she walked. Occasionally one of the ropes snagged in something and she was forced to disentangle herself, but it provided adequate wind protection whenever she opened an external door or window to further cool the house.

Dean longed for the warmth of the ducted heating, and if that was denied him much longer, he was going to crawl into bed and call it quits on the day. At four o’clock.

Rowan touched his lips—perhaps to see if they were still there—then scowled at his father. ‘You’re indulging her again,’ he said.

Dean raised an eyebrow. Sometimes Rowan—a spitting image of his uncle—opened his mouth and Ethan tumbled out. No doubt the pair of them talked during the many hours they spent together at the warehouse extension. Rowan idolised the man, and parroted him often.

‘I’m indulging this conversation too,’ he countered playfully.

Rowan rolled his eyes and wriggled further into the cocoon of his clothes. He blinked at the floor, and Dean waited. He knew his son—knew when something was on his mind and not sitting right on his tongue.

There was a bang in the hallway, then an, ‘I’m okay!’

‘Is the furniture?’ Dean called back.

A pause, then Nina said, ‘It’s okay!’

Grinning, Dean looked back at Rowan.

‘Was camping Ms Jaye’s idea?’ Rowan picked at a piece of fluff on his jumper and avoided looking at his father. He thought his eyes gave things away, so he often busied them when he was asking something important. It was a tell to cover a tell.

Dean shook his head. ‘No, it was my idea. I didn’t know she camped until you did.’

‘Will she come with us one time?’

‘Would you like her to?’

Rowan shrugged. ‘I dunno. It could be cool, I’ve never seen a girl camp before.’

‘You’ve never seen a boy camp before either.’

‘True.’

They didn’t speak again for a few minutes.

‘Everything’s quiet,’ Dean said, shifting in his seat to look towards the hallway. ‘What do you suppose your sister’s up to?’

‘Something strange.’

‘That’s what I was thinking.’

Dean stood, shook the blood into his legs, then strode towards the suspicious silence. He found the tent discarded at the foot of the stairs, its tangled ropes stretched behind it like that of a tousled jellyfish. A chilling breeze barrelled through the open front door and made the material dance. There were no discernible sounds coming from upstairs, but there was a low hum coming from the kitchen which begged investigation.

The first thing he noticed was that the window in the kitchen was not open. It was a little warmer in here, and the open oven door explained that. Nina was sitting on the floor beside it, her knees against her chest and her arms around her knees.

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