Brew Books 2

Chapter 5

There's silence after Ed storms out. Kitty finishes making dinner, and when it's almost ready she asks if someone will go and get Ed.

Will is reading his book and refuses to look up. Sylvie and Charlotte are equally unresponsive. Harper gives a shrug, but I stand up. 'I'll get him,' I say.

I cross the hall to my old flat. I can hear music coming from Ed's bedroom. I nudge open the door to his room, and find him lying on his bed, with his eyes closed, and one arm thrown across his face. His red hair is splayed out on the pillow around his face. By the window he has a record player and speakers. I cross the room to look at the record that's spinning. The Cranberries.

'Will doesn't understand having problematic parents,' Ed says, startling me, because I didn't realise he'd heard me enter. 'His family is entirely loving and caring. He can't even possibly contemplate the idea that I might love my parents and still hate everything about them.'

'I know what you mean,' I say, sitting down at the edge of Ed's bed. 'So maybe we need to help him understand.'

'Yeah, I know, I know. I shouldn't have just stormed off like that. But I don't think Will gets it, or even wants to get it,' Ed says. 'I really feel that he's betrayed my trust, by talking to my parents behind my back.'

'He thinks he's doing right by Matt,' I say. 'But he also needs to do right by you.'

'My parents aren't going to be thrilled to get an email out of the blue from my friend, asking about Matt's memoir,' Ed says bitterly. 'Especially as in their mind, Matt is called Melanie.'

'Maybe if they read the memoir, they'd understand,' I say. 'Maybe they'll change their minds.'

Ed snorts. 'The only thing that can change my dad's mind is money from his campaign sponsors.'

I slouch.

'Is dinner ready?' Ed asks me.

'Yes, if you can face Will,' I say.

Ed stands and lifts the needle from the record. The music stops, and in the silence we hear an argument from next door. Ed and I cross to the other flat to find Kitty and Will, staring each other down.

'What's going on?' Ed asks.

'Apparently it's easier to just pretend Matt never existed,' Will says. 'Like we had to do when Jane first got here. But I'm sick of that. I don't want to pretend Matt never existed!'

'Of course I'm not saying that, William,' Kitty says. 'I would never...'

'Yes you would, Katherine,' Will says. 'Your idea of solving something is sweeping it under the rug and pretending it doesn't exist.'

'Will, that's not true,' I say.

'What, now you're on her side?' Will says, spinning around to look at me. 'Even after she kept everything a secret from you? The fact that Matt died, the fact that you're sisters! She lied to you about everything, and you just let her get away with that? I'm not going to let her get away with keeping Matt a secret.'

'I'm not keeping Matt a secret!' Kitty says. 'It's not our choice, it's Ed's parents choice, and they won't understand.'

'But you want this published just as much as I do,' Will says. 'Kitty, you want Matt's story out there. Jane, you and Sylvie have been working on editing it! You can't say you don't want it out there.'

'Wait, what?' Ed says. 'You and Sylvie have been editing Matt's memoir?'

I spin to look at Ed, who has a hurt expression on his face. 'When did that start? Jane?'

Sylvie stands up. 'It wasn't Jane, Ed, it was Will and me. Will and I decided some parts needed some work. And Jane is really good at editing, so I asked for her help.'

'You can't touch his work!' Ed yells. 'You can't change it!'

'Just because he's dead doesn't mean it doesn't need to be edited!' Sylvie says.

'But they're his words! Not your words,' Ed yells.

'I know they're not my words!' Sylvie says.

'Alright, guys, this needs to stop,' Harper says. He's suddenly the voice of reason, standing in the middle of the room. 'We're all adults. Let's take it down a notch. This is an emotional conversation, and we can't just yell at each other. Can we just eat dinner and talk about it quietly?'

Will slumps down on the sofa. Ed furiously dishes up food, and the bowls clatter as he distributes them onto the table. But when he's finished serving he says, 'I'm going to eat in my room,' and he walks out of the flat again.

Kitty groans.

'Don't you start,' Will says.

'Don't you start,' Harper says. 'Eat.'

It's too quiet, so I put Blossoms on the speakers. When we're finished eating, Charlotte and I wash up. I think I should probably go for a run, to clear my head a bit, but I'm also still feeling a little hungover and sick from my night in Brighton.

'Jane, you haven't told us how it was to see your dad,' Charlotte says, and I know she's doing it to move the subject away from Matt, but it's also a sensitive topic.

'How is Ralph Thomas, then?' Kitty asks.

'He's fine,' I say. 'I had dinner with him. He asked me if I wanted to find a new therapist in London, but I told him I'm fine now.'

'How's Mum?' Kitty asks. Kitty has her arms wrapped around her legs, and she's sitting tightly wound together on the sofa. Even though her hair and flowing maxi dress give the appearance of carefree looseness, her posture says otherwise.

'Fran's good,' I say stiffly. 'She said you should visit sometime. It would be fine, Kitty. One weekend at home. It's not that bad.'

'It's not my home,' Kitty says sharply. 'It's your home. Your dad's home.'

'It's your home, if you want it to be.'

Harper, Sylvie, Charlotte and Will watch our conversation in silence, but I'm uncomfortable talking about this in front of them. 'Maybe we should talk about this later,' I say.

'So what's the nightlife in Brighton like?' Harper butts in.

'There are a lot of hens nights,' I say.

'Wait, did you say you saw Drew and Joseph?' Kitty asks me suddenly.

'Uh, yeah. Rachel invited both of them last night to come out with us,' I say.

'Wow,' Kitty says. 'Rachel is quite possibly the most manipulative bitch I've ever encountered.'

'And she used to be my best friend,' I say glumly.

'Well now you've got us,' Sylvie says brightly, and I look over at her, surprised at her warm words.

'Yeah, you guys are much better. What with all the yelling about memoirs and everything.' I'm trying to be funny, but Will scoffs.

• Author's Note •

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to vooote!

xx Elle