Read Online Broken by Ilsa Evans - Free Book Online Page A

bracelet.
    â€˜God.’ Mattie suddenly felt tired, very tired. And angry.
    â€˜You know how you said before about Daddy being happy we’re not there?’ Courtney unclipped the bracelet while she spoke and laid it against her own skinny wrist, admiring the effect. ‘Well, does that mean
you’re
happy when we’re not here too? That you don’t miss us?’
    â€˜No!’ Mattie shook her head emphatically. ‘I miss you
dreadfully!’
    â€˜Are we gonna play or what?’ Max unfolded himself and flopped back down in front of his Scrabble letters. ‘Whose turn?’
    â€˜Courtney’s,’ replied Mattie distractedly, her head pounding. She couldn’t believe that Jake had described her as a cross to bear. And that she drove him nuts. It was so totally unfair, and so counterproductive. Because it only confused the kids and made her justifiably furious. How could he talk one minute about wanting everything to work out, and then do something like that? It was incredibly hypocritical, and made no sense.
    â€˜We’re going to have special Friday nights every week.’ Courtney linked two Scrabble tiles horizontally from another word to spell outBIG. She smiled happily at the word before turning back to her mother. ‘Either Max or me gets to pick what takeaway we have and then that person gets to choose a movie too. It was Max’s turn last week coz of being the oldest so it’s my turn this week. I can’t wait.’
    â€˜Oh,’ said Mattie rather faintly. She looked across at Max but he’d busied himself with his letters again.
    â€˜And we’re getting pocket money now too. I’m getting six dollars because I’m six and Max’s getting eight.’
    â€˜You’re kidding.’
    â€˜D’you write down my points, Max?’ Courtney gestured at the pad lying on the floor by her brother, her mother’s gold bracelet glinting on her wrist. ‘And it’s your turn now’
    Rather blankly, Mattie watched Max add up Courtney’s score and jot it down before turning his attention to the Scrabble board. Back when Max started school, three years ago, Mattie suggested pocket money but had been vetoed by Jake. He felt that the object of pocket money was primarily to teach children the value of money and some degree of financial responsibility, and these were not lessons that could be fully appreciated under the age of ten. Mattie reluctantly agreed and the subject of pocket money had been put on hold. Or so she’d thought.
    â€˜Are you angry about the money, Mum?’
    Mattie looked across at Max quickly. ‘No, no. Of course not.’
    â€˜You
looked
angry.’
    â€˜Did I? Must have been something else. No . . . I suppose I wish your father’d discussed it with me first, that’s all.’
    â€˜I’m going to save up for a Baby Born doll,’ announced Courtney, playing with the bracelet again. ‘Daddy said if I save half the money, he’d give me the other half.’
    â€˜That’s nice of him.’
    â€˜Yes. And then I’ll save up for the changing centre. It’s got a seat and a bath and shelves and . . . hey, Mummy, what’ll I do when I get it?’ Courtney twisted around again to face her mother worriedly. ‘Like, where will it live? Here or at home?’
    â€˜I’m sure we’ll work it out. Be careful with my bracelet, please.’
    â€˜And Dad said he’d get Max a puppy for his birthday.’ Courtney frowned. ‘Which is totally unfair coz I want one too.’
    Mattie stared at Courtney for a few moments while she tried to digest this, her head aching even more with the effort. Then she glanced across at Max but he avoided her gaze, instead laying down three tiles from Courtney’s BIG to spell the word BOOT.
    â€˜Well done.’ Mattie blinked rapidly and tried to concentrate on her letters – P, O, Z, L, F – but