One Moment At Sunrise. Karen Aldous

room. ‘I think we know why he’s bought that lovely villa and is keeping them both. He’s keeping control to suit himself so she won’t run to the press. Let’s just pray they’ll come to no harm, or that she comes to her senses.

      Try as she might, Evie still couldn’t blank those words from her memory. They were embedded, as much as she had tried her damnedest to forget them and make the most of her life with Seb and Charlotte. She’d been desperate to prove them all wrong. But now, deep down – and, it was hard to admit – she understood that her family had been genuinely concerned for her.

      ‘Well, I suppose Mum had her reasons. I understand better now where she’s coming from as a parent. She was being protective by choosing our friends I expect. I’ve got over it now - managed on my own and find myself becoming increasingly used to it.’ Evie held out her glass. ‘But, I have to say, I’m really enjoying having you both here. So cheers!’

      Suzanne raised her glass, but Cally put down hers. ‘Evie, from what you’ve told me, you do worry about it, otherwise you wouldn’t have this desire to want to improve your situation. Let me tell you, it’s ok to admit you want change.’

      Evie sat forward, curling a strand of hair. She was silent for a few moments trying to catch her breath. It was cutting but not in the old sense. Cally wasn’t bitching or being nasty, trying to put her down… she was being honest. She appreciated that now, and she should be honest about her needs too. Meeting Ben had opened her eyes to her lack of autonomy.

      ‘I’m working on it Cally, and I’m glad you came. I always thought you were mean, but I think it’s becoming clearer now and I feel I’m just getting to know you.’

      They continued chatting about their childhood, both revealing their petty hates.

      Cally began. ‘Oh, I did hate you when Mum always stuck up for you and fussed over her “little Evie”. And when she made me wear blue and you had the pretty pink.’

      Evie gave a giggle. ‘Ha, that’s so funny. I was always under the impression you were so bloody perfect and could do no wrong in Mum’s eyes. You got all the praise.’ Evie hadn’t quite realised until now why they had been at each other’s throats all these years, but this was all very simple. They both craved approval from their parents. A sibling rivalry – probably the most natural thing in the world. They just hadn’t dealt with it.

      ‘I know Mum wasn’t happy after you left uni to DJ, but I think you were her favourite until then.’

      ‘I got angry when Mum wasn’t happy about you having a baby. I saw the hurt in her eyes and I think that was the first time I had heard her complain about you. My theory is, I think she was embarrassed both of us had let her down after doing so well with our studies. I wonder if that’s what truly drove them away to Florida. Her and Dad, I mean. I wonder if they couldn’t face the shame of village gossip and disappointment. You know what she’s like, Mum was always proud, the pillar of the community… well, chief delegator at least.’ Cally looked Evie in the eye. ‘What do you think?’

      Evie gave a sigh and nodded. ‘She is a proud woman and you’re possibly right. Maybe we both killed her dreams and she was running away, escaping from her less-than-perfect life.’

      ‘And Dad would have been behind her one hundred per cent.’

      ‘Sad, isn’t it. That we’ve hurt them so much. And one another. I wish I could make it up to them.’ Evie had been stunned when her parents announced they were going to live so far away. And it was only a few weeks after she told them she had made her decision to move to France that they shipped off their furniture and left.

      ‘It is sad. I would love us to be together again too. I still miss them. Family, home, the community. It’s quite comforting to know you and Charlotte are here. I love Charlotte so much. She is such a gorgeous little thing. I’m going to try and get back as much as I can to see you both. I’ve had some personal challenges and the hardest part was not having someone who cared… I want to be here for you both. Like me, I think you’ve spent too much time on your own.’

      ‘More wine?’ Trying hard to conceal tears, Evie hurried to the kitchen. Cally was speaking from the heart and it stung, but Evie felt that her sister was holding back. What challenges hadn’t she told her about? She grabbed a tissue to wipe her eyes. Hearing Cally speak so affectionately and wishing to create a new future had turned her to mush. Her instinct was to hug her sister and tell her she felt the same. Her big sister, now, for some reason, really seemed to care – which was so weird, but wonderful. She wasn’t casting out aspersions or being contrary like she used to.

      Checking her face in the mirror, Evie ran up the stairs to check on Charlotte. Curled on her side, she slept soundly. Evie pulled the door to and returned to the kitchen, took the opened bottle of wine from the fridge and pottered back to the terrace where her sister and friend were frantically giggling. She wanted to pinch herself, it made such a change to have love and laughter in her home.

      Suzanne looked up at Evie. ‘No more wine for me, thank you. I must go. We were just laughing about our dreams as children. Cally said she wanted to be on TV presenting Countdown like Carol Vorderman and I told her I wanted to be an astronaut. We agreed we had come some way to fulfilling our wishes, I’ve travelled… to France, and she’s working in the entertainment industry.’

      Evie joined in the laughter.

      ‘What did you want to do?’ Cally asked. ‘Oh, actually, I might know this. You wanted to work in the library. You were always stamping your books.’

      ‘Yes, never overly ambitious. I think I just wanted to be like my big sister.’

      ‘How sweet.’ Suzanne cooed as Cally reached for her hand.

      ‘It’s true.’ Evie squeezed her sister’s hand in return. ‘So, what have been your challenges and what are your dreams?’ Evie searched from one to the other.

      Cally pinched her brow, lifting her right eye. ‘Challenge – to find a way of living in England to study; get on a teaching course, ideally. My dream is to have a lovely job and home.’

      ‘Hmm,’ Evie’s mouth twisted. That didn’t work. She should have asked: what challenges have you had? She and Cally turned to their Dutch friend.

      Suzanne smiled, looked down at her skirt and began fiddling with the overlocking on her hem. ‘I would love to have a baby, so that s my challenge and my dream.’

      Immediately, blood rushed to Evie’s head. All eyes were on her. The two things she possessed were other’s dreams.

      ‘Well, I can share what I have, for now, at least. Cally, you can treat this as your home. You are welcome to come and stay any time, and you too Suzanne – Charlotte will be only too pleased to have you as her Auntie Suzy until you have your own little one. I can’t help feeling I will be the one benefitting from this though, having you both to share my good fortune with.’