Okay. This house is even weirder up close. I mean, what is it? It looks like a picture Darcy would draw. Turrets stuck on here, a stained-glass guitar window added there, now let’s paint the whole thing white and gold and put fake flowers by the door.
‘So … you have something to show me inside?’ I ask, hand on Skywalker’s collar.
‘Do I ever, daughter of mine.’ Michael gives me a soft, teary smile. ‘Do I ever. Come this way.’
We head around a moat, where there’s a collection of quad bikes parked under a corrugated shelter and a butchering table with a headless rabbit on it. There are wooden bows and arrows lying around too, and a hefty-looking crossbow.
‘Ignore that,’ said Michael. ‘Just a bit of population control courtesy of my groundskeeper. We’ve got a rabbit problem.’
We pass a guitar-shaped swimming pool and reach bifolding doors leading to a huge kitchen.
‘You get a workout at this house, I can tell you,’ says Michael. ‘A lot of square footage. A lot of land. What I want to show you is this way – come on into the kitchen.’
Skywalker barks and barks.
‘Your doggy here doesn’t like new places?’ Michael asks.
‘No,’ I say. ‘He gets nervous.’
‘What about you?’ Michael asks.
‘Oh. You know. Not usually, but …’
Michael frowns. ‘I shouldn’t have walked you past all that hunting stuff.’
‘It’s okay. I get it. I grew up in the countryside. I don’t like hunting but I know it happens.’
‘And you’re okay to come inside the house? You don’t think I’m going to chop your head off, like one of those bunnies?’
I try to laugh then. ‘No. Honestly, I’m fine.’
‘You know, you don’t have to come inside at all, Liberty. We can go to a café or something. Neutral ground. Have a chat and a catch-up. But I really, really do want to show you this thing in here, that’s all.’
I take a deep breath. ‘I’m okay. Honestly. Show me.’
We’re about to cross the threshold when Diane appears, stumbling on kitten heels. I never get how women can walk on shoes like that.
Diane’s face is haggard and tense. ‘MICHAEL.’
Crinkles appear outside Michael’s sunglasses. ‘Jesus, Diane. What is it? Are you okay?’
Diane puts hands on her thighs, out of breath. ‘She’s … Lorna is at the gate.’
‘Jesus.’ Michael closes his eyes for a moment. ‘Well, it was inevitable she’d show up, wasn’t it? Only a matter of time.’
‘My mother’s here?’ I ask.
‘Yes.’ Diane nods. ‘She’s outside.’
‘Don’t let her in.’ My voice is harder than I mean it to be. ‘She can’t come in here.’
‘God, no.’ Diane gives a high laugh. ‘I’ve called the police.’
Michael looks at the house. ‘Maybe I should go talk to her.’
Diane shakes her head. ‘No. You shouldn’t go anywhere near the gate. You know how Lorna twists things. You go out there, and she’ll claim you tried to shoot her or stab her or something. You stay here until the police come.’
‘You really think my mother would do something like that?’ I say. ‘Make something up?’
‘She’s done it before,’ says Diane. ‘Many, many times. She’s tried to ruin us. You never know what she’s capable of. God, I’m shaking.’ She holds her hands out, and I see trembling red fingernails. ‘I gave her a piece of my mind, Michael. I couldn’t help myself. She was saying all sorts of things. So much nonsense. I couldn’t stand it.’
‘Lorna always had an interesting relationship with the truth.’ Michael gives Diane a knowing look. ‘And no doubt she’ll be telling people we’re keeping Liberty prisoner here.’
‘Prisoner?’ Diane gives another harsh laugh. ‘Yes, I imagine that will be the next lie. We’ve heard that one before. About Cat’s daughter.’
My stomach creeps at the thought of my mother waiting at the gates. I know she’ll be crazy upset and I hate myself for doing this to her. But it’s the only way. Time to move forward, no turning back.
‘Can someone just tell her I’m not here?’ I say. ‘That she’s made a mistake?’
‘We can’t lie to her,’ says Diane. ‘We’re not those people. We don’t do things the way Lorna does. Look, the police will sort it out, okay? You two shouldn’t be disturbed. She should have the decency to let you catch up after all this time.’
I fiddle with my silver Gemini ring. ‘Will they arrest her? I don’t want her to be arrested.’
‘It’s okay, Liberty. The police know the history. They know your mother has … some mental issues. They’ll be fair and kind. God, I need a drink. Come on.’ Michael ruffles Skywalker’s head. ‘Tell this fellow he needn’t be afraid. Let’s go inside and I’ll show you the thing I’ve been saving for you all these years.’
I kneel to rub Skywalker’s face. ‘It’s okay, boy. Nothing to be frightened of. Come on. My dad’s just going to show me something. Okay?’ I stand and click for him. ‘Heel boy. Let’s go.’
Still Skywalker won’t move. I grab his collar and pull. ‘Come on, Sky. It’s okay. Really. It’s just a kitchen.’
Skywalker whines as I pull him onto the marble tiles, his claws clicking as he steadies himself.
‘I’m going back out to the gate,’ says Diane. ‘To see if I can persuade Lorna to leave before the police get here.’
My stomach crumples like a piece of paper. ‘Tell her I’m okay,’ I say. ‘Would you? That I’ve chosen to be here. And that I’ll be home soon.’
‘I’m not sure you should speak to Lorna again, Diane,’ says Michael, eyes swimming with concern. ‘You know how she twists things.’
‘I’m wound up, Michael,’ says Diane. ‘I want that woman off our property.’ She glances at me. ‘Sorry, love. Look, I know it’s your mother. But we’ve suffered a long time. A very long time. I just want her gone.’
I swallow. ‘As long as she leaves. That’s the main thing.’
‘She will, love. One way or another. The police are on their way. Go on in with Michael now. Let him show you this thing of his, whatever it is.’
‘This way.’ Michael waves me towards a pantry, opening the door. ‘In here. You go first – I’m a tubby little fellow these days; I’ll squeeze in after you.’
Skywalker barks, and I hesitate at the door.
Michael laughs. ‘Calm down, doggy. It’s just our larder. Listen. I’ll go first, okay? So your doggy doesn’t get separation anxiety.’ He walks inside the pantry. There’s a lot of convenience food on the shelves – crisps, sugary drinks, biscuits, sweets and packet cakes.
Skywalker sits by my heel, looking up at me with big brown eyes.
‘My word, there’s a lot of junk food in here,’ says Michael, picking his way to a freezer at the back. ‘A bit embarrassing, you seeing my bad eating habits. And I can’t blame Diane. She’s part of the my-body-is-my-temple crowd. Hardly eats a thing.’
‘My stepdad is into healthy living,’ I say. ‘He won’t shut up about protein.’
Michael laughs. ‘Is he a good fella though, your stepdad?’
‘Probably.’
Michael opens the huge, humming chest freezer at the back of the pantry. It’s an old, energy-inefficient 1980s model – the decade that hated the environment.
‘Right.’ Michael smiles as lemony light spills out of the freezer lid. ‘You’ve got to come inside and see this, Liberty. It’ll be worth it, I promise you.’
‘This is the thing you want to show me?’ I ask. ‘In the freezer?’
‘Yep.’ Michael gestures me forward. ‘Come on in.’ Skywalker growls.
‘Your dog is still nervous?’ Michael laughs. ‘He can’t be scared of a freezer.’
‘Come on, Sky.’ I step forward, my hand held tight on Skywalker’s collar. ‘Let’s go see.’