Coming Home (Only Time Will Tell #1) by Caroline Spencer Read Free Book Online Page A

starts ringing. “Can you answer that for me? It's my Skype.” Nodding at him and towards the computer, praying deep down that it isn’t my Mom or Dad.
    I'm staring at the ice cream, seconds away from threatening it with a chainsaw when Kyle calls for me. “Cat? There's someone who looks just like you on the screen.”
    I give up with it at that second, knowing it's my amazing and gorgeous niece Jade. Drying my hands on a dishcloth I shoo him out the way and see her little, sleepy face staring back at me. “Jade, what are you doing up? It must have gone midnight there?” I say checking the tiny clock on my desk that is set to English time.
    She rubs her eyes and I can see that she's sitting up in bed with her tablet. “I couldn't sleep,” she yawns, “I miss you.”
    Those words break my heart, no matter who says them, my Dad or my niece, it breaks my heart that they miss me. It makes me feel bad for moving. “I know princess, I'll come visit as soon as I can, I promise.”
    “Do you think you'll be back for Aaron's wedding?”
    I look at her apologetically, because I really don't think I will be. “We'll see, but I can't promise. Listen, you need some sleep, you have school tomorrow. I'll sort something with your Mom and call you at a normal hour on Saturday.”
    “Okay. But only if you promise to visit as soon as you can.”
    I roll my eyes at her for trying to bargain with me. “Promise. Give everyone a sloppy kiss from me though.”
    She nods her head at me and rubs her eyes. “I love you.”
    “I love you both, to the moon and back, just remember to tell her I said that, okay?” I kiss the tips of my fingers on both hands and blow her the kisses through the screen, one for her and one for her sister, Anne. She does the same, just with one hand. I wave bye and disconnect the call.
    I remain seated for a while just staring at the blank screen, fighting back tears and wiping away the ones that escape.
    Kyle grabs my hand and lifts me from my funk, dragging me into the kitchen to the melting ice cream. “Was that Jade? Your brother’s Jade?”
    I nod, she was only about two when we left, now she's ten and looking more and more like me. It's really scary.
    “Wow. That makes me feel old.”
    I shove into his arm with my shoulder. “That's because you are old. At least you’re older than me.” I grin cheekily.
    I grab a couple of spoons and put the bowls back in the cupboard; ice cream was made to be eaten from the tub when you feel down in the dumps.
    We both dig in, and I'm really happy that things are going well, especially after this weekend. It's nice to just have an old friend back. Even though we were once more than that, I'm glad we’re both comfortable to be around each other and be us .  
    I have my forearm resting on the worktop, starting to feel slightly sick from eating too much really creamy, vanilla ice cream. I let Kyle take another huge spoonful before I make a grab for the lid, only that spoonful doesn't make it to his mouth. I feel the ice cold lump slide down my back, under my tank top, making me scream and prance around like a mental fairy as the icy lump slides down my spine.
    “Fuck, K.C., that's cold!”
    He bends over laughing his head off, and I'm glad that I can still cause that much amusement.
    With him not paying attention, I scoop a handful of ice cream out the tub, shoving it down his back under his shirt. I start laughing as he tries to curse at me for doing that while he's trying to stop laughing at me. He looks at me eventually and shakes his head, smiling, he takes his own handful and drops it down the front of my top. If it was anyone else I would have been extremely pissed, but I'm happy that we’re strangely doing something that was completely the old us. Not the suit and tie adults, we have become, but the baggy pants, baggy shirted kids we once were, over a tub of ice cream.  
    “You complete and utter fucktard!” I shout, jokingly.
    I grab more ice cream, my