When Hannah returned to the family room she gave Nat a nod and a tight smile. Her signal that she agreed to behave for their father’s sake.
At Sue’s insistence they always played Carmel’s favourite game before the cake was cut. The mood shifted to a much lighter one and laughter increased in volume as each round of charades passed.
When it was her turn, Nat took a deep breath and put her hand into the small bag. She was partnered with Damien and Amy and was the last in her team to act out a title. With the two teams tied it would be down to her attempt.
She glanced at the paper and shot Sue, who’d compiled the titles, a dirty look. Fifty Shades of Grey? How was she supposed to act that out when there was an eleven-year-old in the room?
Sue’s eyes twinkled. Nat could only imagine what other book and film titles were in the selection.
She went through the motions of acting out that it was a film and book, and was able to convey the word grey by pointing at the chair her father was sitting in.
‘Fifty Shades of Grey,’ Amy piped up, silencing the room.
Nat clapped a hand over her mouth, unable to contain her laughter. She hardly dared look at Hannah. When she did, her sister’s face was exactly as she’d expected. Her mouth open, her cheeks flushed.
‘Where did you hear about that book?’ Hannah asked.
Amy looked confused. ‘Book? I thought it was a movie.’
‘It’s both,’ Phyllie volunteered. ‘And I can say I thoroughly enjoyed each version. I’ve just read that lovely author’s new book too and loved it. It’s exactly the type of literature a woman of my age should be reading.’ She winked. ‘Takes me back down memory lane it does.’
Nat’s laughter escaped, and she bent double trying to get her breath back. ‘Sorry,’ she managed once she was upright again. ‘Just a bit unexpected.’
‘I’ll say,’ Damien murmured.
‘So, the movie then,’ Hannah prompted Amy. ‘How did you hear about it?’
‘It’s on Amazon Prime. Let’s watch it on Saturday night when Dad’s at his poker game. A lot of the girls at school talk about it. I think I’m the only one who hasn’t seen it.’
Phyllie clapped her hands together. ‘And I think those girls might be pulling your leg, Ames. Now, we might declare Amy’s team the winners and cut the cake and make some tea. Something sweet would go down very nicely right now.’
They followed her through to the kitchen.
‘Poker’s this Saturday?’ Nat asked Damien as Sue took the cover off the decadent white chocolate mud cake she’d ordered specially for the celebration.
He placed his empty beer bottle on the kitchen bench and nodded. ‘We’ve got a spare seat, if you’re interested. It’s Texas Hold ’Em. You remember how to play, don’t you?’
Nat nodded. Damien had invited her once before to his poker night. She’d lost the fifty dollars she’d taken with her, but it was a fun night with great company.
Hannah interrupted. ‘Nat probably shouldn’t be wasting money on something like that right now.’
Nat opened her mouth, about to tell her that she’d make her own decisions and didn’t need Hannah’s opinion, but shut it again. She thought for a moment. As much as she hated to admit it, Hannah was right, she’d just lost her job and couldn’t afford to lose any of her money playing poker.
Phyllie appeared to sense her hesitation. ‘Do you know how to play, love?’
‘I do, but just the basics. I don’t know the strategy, assuming there is one.’
‘If you spend some time with me beforehand, you won’t lose.’ Phyllie winked. ‘Been playing Hold ’Em, as it used to be called, since the sixties. I’ve a few tricks up my sleeve. Come over on Friday and take a look at the spare room. We can work out the new living arrangement and I’ll give you some pointers. I’m also happy to invest in your night out on Saturday so you can enjoy it without worrying about what you lose. No arguments to any of that.’
Nat smiled. There didn’t seem to be anything Phyllie hadn’t experienced. ‘I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t want to lose your money.’
‘You won’t lose if you follow my instructions. If it makes you feel better you can pay me back my investment from your winnings. Now, I’ll be working in the charity shop until two on Friday, but you’re welcome after that. We can have an early dinner together and get used to being housemates.’
‘Sounds perfect.’ And it would be. Regardless of the poker, Saturday night hanging out with a group of hot paramedics wasn’t something she was going to turn down in a hurry. She grinned and turned to Damien. ‘I’d love to come. Thank you.’
Sue lit the two candles on the cake, a five and an eight.
‘I can’t believe she would have been fifty-eight.’ Unshed tears glistened in Hannah’s eyes, bringing a lump to Nat’s throat.
It was the same every year. No matter how the evening unfolded, the mood always shifted when the cake was cut. The number on it each year seemed to jolt something in all of them. A melancholy settled over the room as they went through the motions of singing ‘Happy Birthday’.
It was also the moment when Nat wondered how life might have been if things had been different; if her mother hadn’t celebrated her fortieth birthday on the back of a horse; if she hadn’t died and had been there to guide them into adulthood. Would she be such a disaster if she’d had her mother to confide in and accept advice from? Unfortunately, it was something she would wonder about each year as they cut the cake but knew she’d never receive an answer.
Chapter Five
Hannah lapsed into thought as she and Amy drove home from her father’s. Another year had passed, and another celebration of her mother’s life was over. She was glad it was over too. On top of Phyllie’s annoyance with her, being in the same room as her sister often felt suffocating. While on the one hand she felt sorry for Nat having lost her job and needing to find a new place to live, it didn’t excuse Nat always trying to show her up in front of her entire family. She was sick of it. She spoke of Hannah taking digs at her, yet she was happy to dish out as many as she could muster. Zane Fox’s constant ringing and texting hadn’t helped either. She’d ended up turning her phone off. She’d message him and try and get rid of him once she was on her own later.
Hannah turned into the driveway and pulled up alongside Damien’s blue SUV in their double garage.
She switched off the engine and turned to Amy. ‘Grab your bag and let’s head inside. It’s late. I’d like you to go straight in and have a shower and get ready for bed, okay?’
‘But we have to talk about the horse riding. Dad said we’d do that as soon as we got home.’
‘No, he said we would talk about it at home, not as soon as we got home.’
Amy kicked the back of the front car seat. ‘That’s not fair.’
Hannah held up her hand. ‘Dad and I will discuss it, but if you’re going to act like that, I can tell you what the answer is straightaway. You’re eleven, as you keep reminding me, and kicking things and having tantrums to get your own way isn’t going to work.’