Read Online Nearest Thing to Crazy by Elizabeth Forbes - Free Book Online Page A

answered him.
    ‘You okay?’
    ‘Yes, fine . . . it’s just . . . oh I don’t know . . .’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Nothing. No . . . nothing.’
    ‘No, what?’
    ‘I just think there’s something a bit troubled about Ellie.’
    ‘What do you mean, troubled?’
    ‘I probably shouldn’t say anything. Probably better just left.’
    ‘Well you’ve started now, so you might as well tell me.’
    This was what I meant about his ‘female’ side. There was nothing
Dan liked better than a good girlie gossip.
    ‘I didn’t tell you, but when we went on that garden outing the other day, she was really quite off . . . embarrassingly so, to be honest.
I called her after that and left messages – actually because I felt a bit worried about her – and I even popped round with some flowers. I think she was in, but she didn’t come to the door. I thought it was a bit odd that she never called to say thank you. And then – I was going to tell you, but I didn’t have a chance – I saw Amelia at the market, and she told me all the girls had gone out to the cinema. And I know she said she’d left messages, but I don’t believe she did. I wrote my number down for her, inside a book, so she couldn’t have got it wrong. And, anyway, she would have got my messages, so my number would have come up on her phone, wouldn’t it? I feel as though I must have done something to offend her and I don’t know what it is.’
    ‘I’m sure you haven’t, babe. I think you’re just reading too much into it. Anyway, like I said, you probably didn’t charge your phone. Maybe there’s a message on there, you just haven’t heard it.’
    ‘There isn’t, Dan. And my phone was charged. Otherwise I
couldn’t have texted her, could I?’
    ‘I think you’re being over-sensitive. I’m sure there’s some perfectly simple explanation. So stop fretting.’
    ‘You’re right. I probably am just being silly. And maybe she didn’t find the gardening tour the most exciting event in her life. You know what it’s like when something’s a passion, you expect others to share it . . . like you with the weeding and digging,’ I said, and laughed.
    ‘And like you with Man U.’
    ‘So lunch tomorrow is a good thing. Give us chance to get it sorted out.’
    ‘That’s my girl.’ He stepped around the edge of the vegetable bed to avoid getting soil on his shoes. ‘Come here,’ he said, pulling me towards him. I relaxed against him, enjoying the sense of security Dan’s arms seemed to offer.
    ‘Love you,’ I said.
    ‘And I love you too, silly sausage.’

    Of course I knew she was mad about the cinema trip. I mean, she would have to have been a fool to believe that I had asked her. I can see from her point of view it would have seemed unkind of me. But I honestly was doing it in her best interests. I wanted to have a chance to ask the others about her, her state of mind, just in case. Amelia was quite guarded, but Sally was sweet, really willing to chat because she felt that if I was concerned, then she should be concerned, too. It was easy to get her on to the subject. I just had to drop in a few hints about her feeling suicidal, her depression, worries about Dan, the usual stuff, and Sally was all ears. We went outside for a cigarette. Amazing how many non-smokers are more than happy to blag a sneaky one from me. It’s a great ice breaker. I learn so much from my pavement ciggie chats. Anyway, Sally confirmed that she’d had this bad post-natal depression. It was all a long time before they’d moved to the village, but people knew about it. ‘Oh God,’Sally said, all concerned. ‘I thought that was all in the past. Poor thing. I thought she sounded a bit preoccupied at Amelia’s lunch the other day. And I don’t think that Laura’s been the easiest child. She’s very much a daddy’s girl, if I’m honest.’
    ‘Well I’m just a bit worried,’ was all I had to say, and in Sally’s eyes I was already best friend and confidante.
    ‘I