Now and Then Friends by Kate Hewitt Read Free Book Online Page A

Portugal.”
    â€œIt doesn’t have to be real estate. I’d do just about anything, actually.”
    â€œDan Trenton at the post office needs an assistant,” Lucy suggested, and Claire couldn’t keep herself from grimacing.
    â€œI’ve already tried the post office,” she said. “Dan Trenton wasn’t too impressed with me, I’m afraid.”
    â€œOh, Dan’s a big softy really,” Lucy said, and Rachel snorted. “You should try again. He could use a little company in the shop.”
    â€œYou seem to know everyone, for only having been here six months,” Claire said.
    â€œThat’s Lucy for you,” Abby chimed in. “She’s the friendliest person I know.”
    Lucy blushed and smiled and Rachel rose from the table. “Right, more wine,” she announced. “While there’s time.” She gave Claire a goodbye type of smile, and Claire murmured something about how nice it was to see her again. Even though it wasn’t.
    She watched Rachel head over to the bar and wondered just what it was about her that bothered Rachel so much. They’d been friends once, even if they’d stopped in Year Six. There had never been a falling-out, no big argument or tears or tantrums. Just a casual, gradual drifting away, but Claire supposed that was natural. They’d been very different, and they’d been heading to different secondary schools. Still, it made her sad, both then and now.
    â€œRachel can be a bit prickly,” Lucy said. “She’s got a lot on.”
    Claire turned back to Lucy. “Has she?”
    â€œWith her mother bedridden and her younger sisters . . . Rachel manages everyone, and she works like a devil.” Lucy glanced at Rachel thoughtfully; she was leaning against the bar, chatting with Rob with a look of almost fervent determination on her face. “She wasn’t on top form tonight, though.”
    â€œI think that was because of me.” Lucy and Abby turned to stare at her in surprise, and Claire explained, “We were friends in primary school, a long time ago. But I think I annoy her now.”
    â€œNo,” Lucy protested, but she sounded unconvinced.
    â€œThanks for inviting me,” Claire said, and made her way through the tables to the door. As she was reaching for the handle, she glanced back at Rachel and felt a jolt of uneasy surprise to see Rachel gazing back at her. She started to smile, but Rachel simply moved her gaze on, as if she hadn’t seen her at all.
    Early the next morning she woke to the phone ringing shrilly, clicking over to voice mail, and then ringing ahead. With a groan Claire reached for the receiver by her bed and managed a groggy hello.
    â€œClaire
.
”
Her mother’s voice was breathy, melodramatic, and made her wince. “Do you
know
how many times I’ve called you?”
    â€œFive?” Claire answered. Five voice mails on her mobile that she’d deleted.
    â€œDo you realize how
worried
we’ve been about you?” Marie demanded. “We were expecting you
here
. We sent a
car
.” Her mother always spoke in accusing italics.
    Claire rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, and in the distance she could hear the train coming into the village, clattering across the tracks.
    â€œI’m sorry, Mum,” she said, “but I didn’t want to come to London. I needed a little space.”
    â€œDr. Bryson said you shouldn’t be alone.”
    â€œFor heaven’s sake, I’m not suicidal.”
    â€œClaire.” As usual whenever Claire dared to raise her voice, her mother sounded shocked and so very disappointed. “We’re
concerned
. We want to
help
you.”
    â€œI know. I appreciate that.” She took a deep, even breath. “I’m sorry.”
    â€œDaddy’s sending a car to get you,” Marie informed her briskly.