Page 101 of Carry Me Home

‘I’m starting to look like I’ve swallowed a space hopper.’ This isn’t true. Isla Quinn is stunning, even when pregnant and wearing fancy branded dungarees and T-shirt.

Jude waves us over. He’s at the big table near the window – Brynn beside him, Hayley and her new boyfriend, a couple of the lifeboat crew.

And Nina.

She’s at the far end of the table, wine glass in hand, listening to Brynn. When she sees me her face goes still – not blank, not angry. Just still. The stillness of a woman who used to be in constant motion and has been learning, painfully, to hold herself quiet. Nina being still is the most alarming thing I’ve ever seen. It means she’s holding on to everything she’s afraid of dropping.

‘Tom. Cara.’ Jude nods at the empty chairs. ‘Grab a seat.’

We sit, Cara sliding in first, with me behind her. The bench seems small tonight. I end up across from Nina, which is either the universe’s cruelty or Jude’s idea of poetic justice.

Nina picks up her wine. Drinks. Doesn’t look at me.

‘So,’ Hayley says. ‘When’s the big announcement?’

‘What announcement?’ Brynn.

‘Tom’s got news. He’s been weird about it all week.’

‘I haven’t been weird.’

‘You’ve been weirder than usual. Which for you is significant.’

Cara’s hand finds my back and starts to move in slow, warm and steady circles. Supportive. I feel Nina’s eyes track the movement. A fractional glance, there and gone, and then she’s looking at her glass again.

‘Go on, then,’ Jude says. ‘Out with it.’

I take a breath but it doesn’t feel enough. ‘I’m moving to Scotland.’

The table erupts.

‘Scotland?’

‘When?’

‘What about the practice?’

‘What about⁠—’

‘Cara’s found a partnership opportunity.’ I keep my voice level. I do not look at Nina. I look at the table, at Jude, at my hands around my pint glass. ‘A practice near Inverness. We’re going to run it together.’

‘Together,’ Hayley says, looking between us. ‘Together together, or⁠—’

‘Business partners,’ Cara says. Her hand is still on my back. Still circling. ‘For now.’

‘For now.’ Hayley grins. ‘Right.’

‘When do you leave?’ Brynn asks. Her voice is light but I don’t miss her gaze flicking to Nina; brief, worried.

‘Cara’s going back in a couple of days. I’ll follow in a month.’

‘A month.’ Jude leans back. ‘Rather quick, mate.’

‘No point dragging it out.’

‘No,’ Jude says. ‘I suppose not.’

The silence that follows has a texture. Heavy. Full of everything he’s choosing not to say in front of a table of people.