Page 40 of Ethan & Grace

My mum began to cry, and tears welled up in my eyes too.

“No, of course not,” my dad said. “But what else do you suggest?”

“That you leave Amy’s room as it is!”

“Grace, we can’t leave it empty forever.”

I couldn’t believe it. They didn’t get it. They really didn’t get it. It wasn’t about leaving it as it was forever. I’d never expected they would. But Amy hadn’t even been dead for three months. Her spirit was still in that room. It was a reminder of her life. Unlike her grave, which reminded us only of her death. I wasn’t ready to let go of her life, and I couldn’t understand how Jason and my parents could be.

I pushed my chair back with a scrape and stood up. “Don’t touch Amy’s things. If I find out that even a single item is missing, I’ll never forgive you. Never!” I hissed, and marched towards the front door.

I was too angry and upset to spend another minute under the same roof as my family. My eyes burned, and I felt like I was about to throw up the tiny bit of curry I’d eaten. The whole evening had been a disaster from beginning to end, and I wished I’d never agreed to eat with them. I slipped into my boots, grabbed Amy’s coat, and let the door slam shut behind me.

15

No Sign of Remorse: Richard Darlington Is Heartless!

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Grace

“A piña colada with extra pineapple juice,” Kate said, handing me the cocktail.

“Thanks.”

We were sitting in The Darlington’s rooftop bar. I hadn’t known where else to go. I desperately needed alcohol and didn’t want to be alone and risk sinking into a vortex of pain and grief. I had called Kate, who was staying at Henry’s place tonight, and she’d suggested meeting at the hotel. Drinks were on the house for her as Henry’s girlfriend, and I was taking full advantage of it; the piña colada was already my second cocktail. With every sip, I cared less that my parents and Jason wanted to erase the memory of Amy.

“I talked to Henry earlier,” Kate said, slipping under the blanket next to me.

The bar itself lay beneath a glass dome, but the tables, chairs, and benches were out in the open air. In summer, large canopies shielded guests from the sun. In winter, heat lamps and blankets kept them warm. The glass walls surrounding the rooftop, along with the large planters placed between the tables, helped block the wind, making it possible to sit here comfortably for almost the entire year. Which was why, despite the chilly mid-March temperatures, every table was occupied—most of them by couples.

I took the straw of my piña colada between my lips. “What about?”

“The power cut,” Kate replied, taking a sip of her Coke. “The electrician found out what caused it. Apparently it wasn’t just bad luck; it was sabotage. At least, he said it looked like someone had tampered with the system. The hotel actually has a generator that should kick in if the power goes out, but that didn’t happen. And the chances of all systems failing or breaking down at the same time are practically zero.”

Just like with the security cameras.

“Wild. What now?”

“Henry’s having it investigated,” Kate said, pausing briefly as a couple walked past. Everyone else in the bar was dressed up, while Kate wore her pyjamas, and I was still in the Taylor Swift hoodie with no bra underneath. We looked like we were at a sleepover. In theory, The Darlington had a strict dress code, but as Henry’s girlfriend, Kate had special status. Which I, as her best friend, shared. “He’s got a surveyor and someone from the insurance company coming in tomorrow. If it really was sabotage, he’ll file charges against persons unknown.”

I ran my thumb through the condensation on my glass. “But who would do that? And why?”

“Revenge?” Kate suggested. “It can’t be a coincidence that it happened on the first day of Mr. Darlington’s trial.”

“But the sabotage doesn’t affect Mr. Darlington. It hits Henry and us. I had to work extra hours today to catch up on everything I couldn’t do because of the power cut. And Rose said that they’d had to throw away loads of meat and fish in the restaurant because it had all defrosted.”

“These people don’t care. They’re against The Darlington, full stop. Eat the rich and all that.”

I had worked for the hotel long enough to understand the sentiment. “How’s Henry coping with it?”

Kate sighed and tucked a strand of her dark-brown hair behind her ear. “Terribly. The therapy over the last few weeks and the shorter work hours really did him good, but the start of the trial and all the stuff around it seems to be a real step back. I suggested we take a couple of days off and go away somewhere. He was already pretty hesitant—and since the power cut, I can forget about it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK. I don’t really have time, anyway. There are a lot of projects coming up at Hope Harbour,” Kate said with a smile. Her work at the organisation meant the world to her. “Besides, Tilly is off on holiday for two weeks soon, and I’m sure a lot of things will fall to me.”

Kate and I chatted for a while longer, and she got me another cocktail—this time nonalcoholic—and some nuts. Tomorrow was a work day for me, after all. After checking with Henry, Kate said I could sleep on his sofa. The idea of spending the night at The Darlington felt strange, especially in my boss’s penthouse. But at the end of the day, he was also Kate’s boyfriend. Besides, I really didn’t feel like having another fight with my parents tonight or heading all the way out to Wembley to stay with Rose.