Red Hot! (Sebastian Vettel)

41. Where Do Broken Hearts Go?

"Has she said anything yet?" Sadie asked her mother.  Penny Valentine looked at her eldest daughter and sadly shook her head, before resuming her vigil by the conservatory window. She looked out into the cold Autumn afternoon, down to the bottom of the garden.   The dark grey clouds looked full of snow, but it wasn't quite late enough in the year for it.

The old tree was nearly bare now, its brown and yellow leaves lay in a heap underneath it.   Penny's eyes lifted up to the lonely looking treehouse perched in its branches.

"She hasn't said a word since she arrived here last night.   She went straight to bed.  Then when she got up this morning she went straight out to the  treehouse."

"Did she say on the phone what had happened? Is it something to do with him?"

"Him? You mean your father? I honestly don't know.  When she called after Austin she sounded ok about the situation.   Unless he turned up in Mexico, I don't think he's behind this."

"Maybe it's Scott."

"Maybe. All I know is she called in tears saying she wanted to come home.  She woke me up. It was 2am here.   I wondered what the hell was wrong."

"And she hasn't said anything at all whatsoever?"

"Sadie, I already told you, not a word."

"Has she at least eaten?"

"I don't think so. It's like Brandon all over again, apart from it's the treehouse this time instead of her bedroom."

They heard the front door slam.  "That will be Emmie back from her wild weekend in the city."

"Does she know Libby's home?"

"No, I knew she'd come straight home if she knew.  I didn't want to spoil her weekend."

"Mum! I'm home!"

"In the conservatory darling," Penny called out.  Seconds later Emmie walked through the sliding doors and sank down onto the black leather recliner chair in the corner.  

"Oh thank God I'm home.  I feel dreadful.  My head!! Remind me never to drink straight vodka again! What you are doing here Sadie? Where's Tom and Benjamin?"

"Tom's took him to see his parents."

"Oh, without you?  Mum have we got any paracetamol? My head is pounding.  I swear to God, I can't handle drink like I used to."

"Sadie, go and get your sister some Paracetamol and a glass of water please."  Sadie stood up and left the conservatory.  Emmie gave her mum a strange look. 

"Ok, what's going on? You rarely send Sadie to get me things, and when you do she never does it without complaining."

"It's your sister."

"Is she pregnant again? She hasn't had a fight with Tom has she?"

"Not that sister. Libby."  Emmie's face fell. 

"Libby? What's the matter? Is she ok?"

"She called me at 2am Saturday morning in tears.   She was sobbing she wanted to come home.  I don't know what happened but I said of course she could come home.  She must have got a flight pretty much straight away as she arrived on the doorstep last night."