The Flood

Daniela loitered by the car. She’d removed the knife from her sleeve and tucked it into the breast pocket of her jacket, blade folded. It was heavy and warm. Unnerving. Daniela wasn’t even sure why she’d taken it, except that she didn’t like the idea of Henry having it. He’d definitely been reaching for it during the argument – hadn’t he? The whole confrontation had taken less than thirty seconds. It’d left her dizzy and sick, and not just from the bang on her chin.

Auryn rubbed the back of her neck. ‘Not that we aren’t glad to see you and all, Franklyn,’ she said, ‘but did you come home just to pick a fight?’

‘I’m hurt that you’d suggest that.’ Franklyn didn’t deny it though.

A minute later Stephanie appeared. Daniela flinched. Stephanie looked so much like their father when she was angry.

‘What did you think you were doing, Franklyn?’ she asked.

‘Nothing.’ Franklyn blew out smoke. ‘Having a discussion. That’s what Henry said too, right?’

‘How did you guess?’

‘Thought so. Are you planning to be heavy-handed about this?’

‘In what way? You mean like reporting you both?’

‘Yeah. That.’

Stephanie opened the driver’s door. ‘Get in the car.’

Franklyn winked at Dani. ‘That’s what this family’s good at,’ she said. ‘Bending the rules.’

‘You don’t even know what the rules are.’ Stephanie got into the car and slammed the door.

Franklyn climbed into the passenger seat. Stephanie was already revving the engine as Daniela took the back seat. Auryn hesitated a moment more, unsure whether to go after Leo, then joined them.

Stephanie bumped down from the kerb with more force than necessary. Daniela glanced back. Through the dusty windows of the antiques store, Henry was watching them. He was on the phone.

‘Okay,’ Auryn said, breaking the tense silence. ‘What happened, Frankie?’

Franklyn shrugged. She’d rolled down the window to let her cigarette smoke escape. The breeze tousled her dark hair. ‘It was a misunderstanding,’ she said.

‘Isn’t it always?’ Stephanie commented.

Franklyn laughed. She sank down in the seat, shoulders low, as if she wanted to hide from the world. She’d always been like that, Daniela realised. Folded inwards so no one would guess what she concealed. Her jacket smelled of smoke and diesel fumes.

‘Believe it or not, I had no intention of getting into an argument,’ Franklyn said. ‘I came home to see my loving family. But I figured you all might have better things to do on a sunny Saturday, so I called on Henry about some business.’

‘What kind of business?’

‘The private kind.’ Franklyn flashed a smile to take the edge off her words. ‘Nothing worth getting riled about. Henry takes things so seriously.’

Daniela remembered the partial conversation she’d overheard. It’d sounded like Franklyn owed Henry money … but why? If Franklyn needed cash, Dad would always put his hand in his pocket.

Daniela asked, ‘Where’re we going?’ Stephanie had spun the car around the one-way system so they were headed towards Hackett.

‘We’re taking Franklyn back to the train station,’ Stephanie said.

‘She just got here.’

‘And look how much excitement she’s caused already.’ Stephanie met Daniela’s gaze in the rear-view mirror. ‘We’ll do the family reunion some other time.’

‘Actually,’ Franklyn said, ‘I quite want to come home. Today’s not working out like I’d hoped. It’d be nice to chill for a bit, rather than rushing back to Birmingham.’

Stephanie took her eyes off the road long enough to look at her. ‘Is that a good idea?’

‘Hey, don’t make me pull rank. I’m the oldest; my word is still law.’

Stephanie’s voice was tense as she shrugged and said, ‘Whatever you say.’

‘Cool.’ Franklyn went back to staring out of the window. ‘Be nice to spend a night in the old house again. No feeling like coming home, huh?’

8 (#ulink_5f7b55bd-19c9-50f6-9f27-bed4e66f2316)

Regardless of circumstances, it felt like a celebration whenever the four sisters were together. Even though their father had retired to his study with the door firmly closed, and nothing could fully dispel the chill absence of their mother, for a short time the house felt full again. It echoed with voices and laughter and movement, and the family could pretend nothing was wrong.

It’d been a while since all four of them had hung out. A longer while since they’d been together without arguing. Franklyn brought a slab of beer in from the garage, placing half the cans in the fridge to cool. Auryn opened a bottle of wine. After some cajoling, they even persuaded Stephanie to have a drink.

Nobody mentioned the altercation between Franklyn and Henry. It wasn’t the first time Franklyn had got into trouble, and nobody thought it’d be the last. By nature, she rubbed people the wrong way. Her school record had been a history of near-disasters.

Now she was at ease, sprawled in a chair with one leg thrown over the arm, a can of beer in one hand and an unlit cigarette in the other. Their father didn’t mind them drinking or making noise, but drew the line at smoking in the house.

‘Hey,’ Auryn said, settling on the sofa, ‘I meant to ask, Franklyn. Are you really going back to university?’

Franklyn gave a careful shrug. ‘News travels fast, doesn’t it?’

Guilt needled Daniela. She hadn’t been sworn to secrecy, but still …

‘So, is it true?’ Auryn pressed. ‘Or is someone spreading mad rumours?’

‘I’ve not decided,’ Franklyn said. Her tone was more serious than Daniela had heard in years. ‘But yeah, it’s something to think about.’

‘Finishing that business course, are you?’ Stephanie asked.

‘Nah. I’m looking at theology.’

Stephanie raised her eyebrows. ‘That’s a career departure,’ she said. Unlike the others, she’d remained standing, as if even when relaxing she couldn’t lose the stiffness her job had hammered into her. A certain tightness marked her eyes. Nothing escaped her notice. It felt like Stephanie was always poised to spring into action at the first sign of anything improper. In a different life she could’ve been a superhero.

The idea made Daniela snort into her drink.

‘Maybe it’s time for a career,’ Franklyn said. ‘A proper career, I mean. No more bouncing from one rubbish job to the next. And let’s face it, I was never cut out for the business world. That’s for people like him upstairs, isn’t it?’ She smiled, but the twist to her lips made it ugly. ‘I thought you’d approve. Really, I’m just copying. You’ve got the nice, stable, legal career. What’s wrong with us wanting the same?’

Stephanie chuckled but said nothing. Daniela looked away, irrationally annoyed that everyone except her was progressing with their lives.

‘What would you do with a theology degree?’ Auryn asked. ‘I mean, what can you do? Apart from becoming a lecturer or a vicar.’

It was difficult to imagine Franklyn doing either of those. Difficult enough to picture her knuckling down to complete a university course. Franklyn had always been moody and solitary, without close friends, more content to be off on her own than hanging around at home. She’d also been closest to their mother. Being the eldest meant she’d known their mother the longest, and remembered when there’d been more smiles than silences. Franklyn was the one who’d tried hardest to make her stay. She’d encouraged their mother to make outings, to drive into Briarsfield or take the bus in a long circular journey out along the valleys and back again. Franklyn had kept up the Sunday trips to church with her long after the others lost interest.