Read Online Steal My Sunshine by Emily Gale - Free Book Online

the heatwave and anything else they wanted to drink to.
    I played a game while waiting for my tram: If I see him before the tram comes, I won’t get on. If I see any of his friends – but not him – I’ll call him. If the next person who walks past me has a tattoo, I’ll go to Evan’s apartment and ring the bell. Evan had a tattoo of the constellation Orion on the back of one shoulder.
    The tram came and I thought about Evan’s last girlfriend and how you probably didn’t play that sort of game when you were twenty.
    Â 
    The post was sticking out of our letterbox. Mum’s bedroom curtains at the front of the house were still drawn. When I walked in, the atmosphere hit me straightaway. Mum was sobbing and I could see Sam curved over her at the kitchen table, way down at the other end of the hall. He glanced at me when I shut the front door and nodded some kind of hello.
    I went in there and saw the remnants of their day. Mugs and a few small plates and loads of screwed-up tissues. The frying pan Sam must have used for the sausages. I could still smell the fat – all the windows were closed and the aircon wasn’t on. Mum was still in her dressing-gown.
    â€˜Where did you go?’ Mum said, as if I’d only been gone for five minutes. She looked up and sniffed into a tissue.
    I tugged the collar of my uniform.
    â€˜Oh,’ she said. ‘Right, of course.’
    â€˜I won’t go tomorrow,’ I said, ‘if you don’t want me to.’
    â€˜Why did you go today?’ said Sam.
    I ignored him and went to put the kettle on. ‘I’ll make you a tea, Mum.’
    â€˜All right, thanks.’
    â€˜Or something stronger?’ said Sam. She smiled at him. Snot was coming out of her nose and her eyes were raw. She patted his hand and he got up.
    We both went for the fridge at the same time.
    â€˜I’m getting Mum a drink,’ he said, and tried to yank the door away from me.
    â€˜I’m getting the milk! For god’s sake, can’t I even come into my own kitchen any more?’
    â€˜Please don’t argue, I can’t bear it!’ Mum’s face looked desperate and pulled out of shape. I let go and stormed away to the armchair in the far corner. I ran the back of my hand over Dad’s atlases and wondered why he hadn’t even called today.
    â€˜It’s okay,’ I could hear Sam whisper, as he poured Mum a glass of wine. They started talking about the joint bank account and the mortgage. What did Sam know about those sorts of things? He was just some idiot at uni who had a single DJ slot once a month in a bar no one ever went to. Mum was a mess, and if I didn’t get near her, I’d never find out what was happening with Dad or what life was going to be like from now on.
    Finally he left her side, saying he was taking a shower. I saw my chance and sat down in his place. The tears had washed her skin raw.
    â€˜Sorry,’ she whispered.
    â€˜It’s okay,’ I whispered back, even though I didn’t know what the sorry was for.
    â€˜He didn’t tell you he was leaving, did he?’
    I shook my head, slowly.
    â€˜I know.’ She closed her eyes.
    It was unbearable. I’d imagined them splitting up hundreds of times but it was never silent and charged like this. I’d always thought it would be loud and open and full of all the usual accusations. I wanted to get away from this choked-up atmosphere; it was like sinking into sand.
    When Sam returned in fresh clothes I gave him back his seat.
    â€˜This is awful, isn’t it?’ said Mum. She sort of laughed and I watched them share a private look.
    â€˜I’ll get some shopping,’ I said. Sam had his role in what was going on but that didn’t mean I had to be useless. ‘What does everyone want?’
    â€˜I couldn’t eat. Get whatever you like,’ said Mum. ‘There’s money in my