Page 13 of Broken Silence
My breathing hitched as we turned towards our old street.
Jasper reached through from the back and squeezed my arm as Mum drove the rental to the turning for our old house.
“There are a lot of new houses,” Jasper said, trying to keep the conversation light and my mind off the past. Everything about this trip involved the past.
“Jenna mentioned that. The village is being expanded. They’re building a school, too, apparently. Mia’s hoping it’ll be open before Leona starts her reception year.”
Mum could speak about them so casually.
I’d seen a few photos of Leona that Mia had sent to Mum. She was this gorgeous little thing, big eyes and light brown hair,the image of Mia as a child. I wished I could’ve been in her life, too.
We passed the park where Cole and I hung out and the café we drank endless milkshakes in. Memories flashed before my eyes, hundreds of them, fast glimpses of Cole that made my heart ache. Each memory, good and bad, flooded my mind, threatening to wash me away with the tide.
“Oakley, you can say no if you want to,” Mum said.
“What? Say no to...” My eyes widened as I realised what she was asking. “Where are we going? Not to Ali’s?” I asked, trying not to show the panic in my voice.
“We’ve not seen them in almost four years. I’ve missed Jenna,” she whispered, heartbreak in her eyes. “But, if you don’t want to, we can do it another time. I’ll understand, of course. We’re fresh off the plane.”
I knew she didn’t intend to make me feel guilty, but that’s exactly what she’d done. It was my fault that she missed them, and the longing in her voice was the reason I found myself telling her, “No, it’s fine. I miss them, too.”
I could suck it up and let her see her friend again.
Cole had a job now so he would probably be at work. Mum said he’d gone home after uni to save for a house. We’d just need to leave before he got back.
It would be fine.
“Jenna wouldn’t be happy if we were in the area and didn’t call in, anyway,” I added.
“Thank you,” Mum said.
I held my breath as she turned the final bend, and his house was in front of me. Tears welled in my eyes, stinging behind my lids as I stared up at the pretty house framed with wildflowers around the perimeter.
Mum pulled onto the drive and cut the engine.
I was back. I’d been here a million times before, and Iwanted nothing more than to go inside and smell the rosy scent of whatever cleaning products Jenna used.
“Are you sure?” Mum asked again, but it was too late to back out because the front door opened before we’d even reached it.
“Oh God, it’s really you!” Jenna said, gripping her heart. Her voice clear even from in here. “You’re here. All of you.”
Mum leapt from the car and ran forward. “Jenna!”
My brother and I got out, too. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we watched two best friends reuniting. Calls and emails hadn’t been enough. For the first time in years, I saw the tension leave Mum’s eyes.
Jenna hugged Jasper and me, too, and then ushered us inside, smiling so bright it fixed one of the cracks in my soul.
The warmth and smell of the house wrapped me in a hug that I hadn’t known I needed.
“I can’t believe this. What’s happening? When did you get back? How long are you here for?” she asked.
I stopped dead in the middle of their kitchen, blood draining from my face and turning me cold.
She didn’t know we were coming here. Not onlyherebut to the UK.
In my peripheral, I saw Mum’s brows knit together. “Didn’t you get my email?”
Jenna waved her hand. “No, our Internet’s been down for a while now, and I refuse to get it on my phone. I’ve told David to fix it, but you know what he’s like. It’ssogood to see you again.”
