ALANA'S MISTAKE ✔

Chapter 11

Alana barely slept a wink that night. She kept making sure the doors were locked and wishing that they had even more locks on the doors. She had found herself going around all the windows and making sure nobody could get through. Elias couldn't get through, of course he couldn't, and its not like he was trying to break in or anything when he showed up, but something about the way he looked at her before he left, had her on edge.

Things seemed a little better by the morning when the sunlight shone through her bedroom window and the birds tweeted outside. Elias will get over it, he was drunk, he wanted more but I refused to give it to him. He's used to getting what he wants, but he will get over it. He has to. She sincerely hoped that she was right.

As she was making breakfast, waffles and bacon with maple syrup, filling the house with delicious smells she heard a key in the front door. For one second her heart stopped. But then she heard the faint sound of giggling and realised that it was Noah and Snow, home from their trip.

She breathed a long sigh and ran to the mirror in the hallway to fix her hair. She ruffled her long blonde curls so that they framed her heart shaped face. Noah loved her hair and she wanted to look as nice as she could for him, she always did. But did she look different? After what she had done? Would he read it in her face somehow? She still looked the same. Bright green eyes, framed with long lashes, button nose, small, pouty lips and a spattering of freckles across her nose.

She decided that so long as she buried it in her memory, blanked it out as though it had never happened then there was no reason for it to show on her face. Nothing good could ever come out of Noah knowing what she had done. Nothing good whatsoever. The door flung open and Snow bounced through shouting:

'Mum! Mum!'

Alana stepped into her view and greeted her daughter with open arms. They hugged, for at least a minute, Alana feeling an overwhelming rush of love that meant she didn't want to let her go. Snow looked equally pleased and leaned her head blissfully against Alana's shoulder. Her little hands hung around her neck and did not let go. Alana felt another hand on her back and looked up to see Noah who stood over them, his face tanned and beaming. He bent down and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

'We missed you,' he said, stroking her hair.

Snow unpeeled herself from her mum's neck and then proceeded to tell Alana about their trip in great detail. First there was the beach with the swimming and the surfing (Daddy let her go on a bigger board this time and she tried standing up). Then there was the camp fire and the marshmallows which she roasted on a stick and ate when they were all sticky and gooey and yummy. Then there was the walk in the forest where they saw a deer and a frog and they thought they saw a fox but they weren't quite sure.

Alana laughed as Snow kept telling her more and more details as she led them all through to the kitchen and made more waffles and bacon for everyone. She kept catching Noah's eye and she felt a surge of love, edged with a vague feeling of fear, as they held each other's gaze.

'We came up with a plan,' he announced, nudging Snow playfully. 'Didn't we?'

Snow looked up at him, munching on her waffle, then nodded her head vigorously, making her curly pigtails bounce.

'Yes, yes!' she said, 'We decided we are all going to the beach for summer - with you!'

Alana smiled.

'That sounds great,' she said.

In that moment it no longer mattered that she didn't want to stay in a camper van. All that mattered was the thought that she could spend a summer with them, peacefully, and alone. Snow put her hand up to her dad and he promptly fist pumped her then they did this funny hand movement that only they ever did together.

After breakfast Noah brought in their bags and as he unpacked his stuff, Alana helped Snow to unpack hers. Then the two of them went back down to the kitchen and began to bake some cupcakes. They both had their matching aprons on, cream coloured and covered with little cherries, and Alana carefully took the time to explain every stage of the recipe and to show Snow exactly how to mix in the flour and the sugar with the eggs. As Snow furiously stirred her bowl of ingredients, her pink lips pursed in concentration and her brow furrowed, Noah stepped in to the room, with a piece of clothing dangling from his hand.

'My baking blondies,' he said, winking at Alana.

He held up the clothing and as Alana saw what it was she stood stock still as though someone were pointing a gun at her, her breath catching in her throat. It was the Pearl Jam t-shirt. The one from yesterday. Elias' t-shirt.