Page 26 of The Next Chapter

We sit on the sofa and for a while, we eat in silence. Both lost in our thoughts.

‘So, what do you think, about Lola?’ Seb asks eventually.

I shake my head. ‘I don’t know. She just… wasn’t what I thought she’d be. She seems… caring. Like with all the animals and stuff. And it makes it even more confusing, why she never got in touch again. I know why I didn’t, she never replied to my letters and after Mum died it felt like I’d be replacing her or something. But why didn’t Lola try again? None of it makes sense. Plus, have you seen this place?’

He nods. ‘It’s a bit of a dump.’

‘Do you think that’s why she wants to sell her memoirs, for the money? At least she didn’t look sick.’

Seb twists to look at me.

‘I’ve been worried that she wanted to sell her story because she was dying.’

‘Ah,’ he says. ‘I don’t think sick people look sick the whole time, do they?’

‘Not helping.’

Seb rubs at his temples. ‘Maybe it is for the hotel, then. But she must get like royalties and stuff, mustn’t she? They still play her songs on the radio.’

‘Yeah… I don’t know how it all works to be honest.’

There’s no denying that the hotel is run down. And maybe a bit empty. I’ve seen two other guests so far. Noah and the scary teenager.

‘I say we stick to the plan. Start dropping in tomorrow about what we do. Just be chill about it.’

I wrinkle my nose. ‘I’m never chill. Ever. You know this. Do you think it’s bad that we’re lying to her?’

‘Oh yes, because you’ve been nothing but honest so far, dearest sister of mine.’

‘Yeah, but that was a one-off lie, not a long-term lie. There has to be a difference, in the sin stakes.’

Seb ignores me. ‘Her memoirs might be worth even more money than we’d realized, you know. Who would have put her here, of all places? It’s quite the story.’

‘The business would be secure for ages.’

‘Exactly. I think now that I’ve seen her, I’m even more desperate to know why she disappeared, aren’t you?’

‘Mm hmm,’ I answer. ‘I thought she was on to me for a second back there, I’m sure she was looking at me funny. I think that’s why I said you were my brother, to throw her off. Obviously, she’d know that she didn’t give birth to two people.’

‘I guess that means we’re kayaking tomorrow,’ he says finally.

‘I guess we are.’

‘We’ll get to see Noah in a kayak. I bet he really glides through that water. Do you think he has a kilt? Did you see his biceps?’

I pretend that I hadn’t noticed.

‘It’s a pity Ashton is leaving.’

I scoff. ‘Yes, please continue to use my family trauma for your lewd fantasies.’

Seb sighs, putting his plate down already. Honestly, he doesn’t eat enough.

Suddenly, I’m exhausted. I unfasten my now redundant neck fan at last.

‘Thank you, Jesus.’ Seb eyes it as I yawn. ‘Why don’t you go and get an early night?’

Normally, I’m anti-early night. All that time when I could be being productive, it seems like such a waste to spend it asleep. But I am drained. Exhausted in a way that’s not purely physical.