บท 168: Chapter 168: Natale, Part 6

Will she come?

Charlotte sits at the breakfast table, hard-eyed. Scooping up mushrooms and bacon, she eats with a kind of gritty determination.

She's barely spoken to me since yesterday.

"One egg or two, Charlotte?" Pan in hand, I hover by her.

"Two, please." The words are polite but terse.

I return to my spot by the hob, Michael giving me an All-Boys-Together look of sympathy. "It'll come right," he murmurs.

I swipe a hand through my hair. "Christ, but I hope so. This is just a mess."

Bread-knife in hand, he pauses over a loaf, voice low. "Where's everyone else?"

"I asked Mitch, Richard and Beth to make themselves scarce. If there's any unpleasantness, I don't want them caught in the back-blow. Neither do I want any questions over why they are here."

Michael sucks at his teeth, widens his eyes. "Mmmm... Quite..." Then, over his shoulder, "Would you like some more toast, Charlotte?"

She nods, still chewing; curt, silent.

The doorbell rings.