Текст книги "Frozen"

Автор книги: L.A. Casey

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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 14 страниц)

It was very unlike my mother because, well, she never stopped talking.

"Say something," I pleaded.

My mother looked up at me and with a serious face she asked, "Was he any good?"

What?

Fucking what?

"Ma!"

My mother unexpectedly laughed, "What?"

Really?

"You can't just ask me something like that? Can't you see I'm upset about the... situation?"

My mother lost her smile, and frowned. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I just wanted to make you smile."

"Tell me Darcy isn't coming to dinner – that will make me smile," I stated.

My mother sighed, and that sigh instantly gave me my answer.

"I'm not going to dinner if he will be there, Ma. No way."

I couldn't face him. Not ever.

"Neala, just... tell me what happened."

I scrunched my face up in disgust making my mother chuckle.

"I don't want the dirty details, just tell me what happened before the nastiness occurred."

Nastiness?

I shook my head clear and walked over to my dresser.

"Nothing much happened, Ma," I said as I got underwear and pyjamas from my drawers.

"Put the pyjamas back, you're wearing a onesie to dinner just like me."

I looked up the ceiling and closed my eyes.

Please help me, Jesus.

"I'm not going to dinner," I repeated.

"Yeah, you are, and don't give me the 'nothing happened' speech. You and Darcy hated one another, something happened for sex to happen."

I made a mistake the moment she said the word sex. This turned out to be horrible to talk about with my mother, because she knew Darcy, he was like a son to her.

"I don't know, Ma... We just got to talking without arguing for once and we just went down memory lane and hashed a lot of bullshit out. We apologised, and even called a truce. There was even talk of something possibly happening between us because we admitted to fancying one another."

My mother nodded her head and said, "Then you both slept together... that sounds pretty great to me, but you're very upset so what's the kicker?"

She never missed a thing.

"I overheard him tell Sean and Darcy this morning that the wine we drank caused us to make the mistake of sleeping together." I looked down to my bare feet and frowned. "The thing is, the wine didn't even affect me, my part it in was down to my sober mind... I didn't think it was a mistake, and I feel sick that Darcy's regrets it... regrets me."

I turned around and looked up to the ceiling and willed away the tears that were building up in my eyes.

"This is bollocks," I snapped. "I hated him a few days ago... I don't know how I've landed meself in this position. It's sucks."

My mother cleared her throat from behind me. "This will sound cheesy, but there really is a thin line between love and hate."

I growled, "I do not love Darcy, Mother."

I knew I didn't love him, if I did, I would surely feel like I was dying without him.

My mother grinned. "Fine, a thin line between like and hate then."

Oh, she was so funny.

"Ha. Ha. Ha," I deadpanned.

My mother gave me a sad smile. "Relationships, even brand new ones, are not easy, sweetheart. You have to constantly work at them, but if they weren't worth the risk of a broken heart, you would have never taken the chance in the first place."

My mother's words hurt my already broken heart.

"What are you saying?" I tearfully asked.

My mother stood and walked over to me.

She kissed my forehead and said, "I'm saying, don't give up on Darcy so easily. You don't want too or you wouldn't be crying over him so much. Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

I closed my eyes as she left my room and I was alone once more.

I sunk to the floor and tried to organise my thoughts, but I couldn't.

My mind was a mess.

Don't give up on Darcy.

My mother's voice echoed my thoughts.

I softly cried.

My mother was wrong because I didn't give up on Darcy, he gave up on me.

I opened my eyes when a knock sounded on my bedroom door.

I wanted to scream out and tell whoever it was to go away, but it was Christmas, and no matter how shitty I was feeling or how down I was, I wouldn't take it out on my family.

"Yes?" I called out.

A throat cleared. "It's me."

Everything stopped.

My breathing.

My heartbeat.

Time.

"Go away," I managed to get out after a log period of silence.

I watched as the knob on my bedroom door turned, and as the door slowly opened until all six feet three inches of Darcy stepped into my room wearing black jeans, black boots, messy hair in a sexy styled way... and a red reindeer jumper?

My mother, I thought.

She always made us wear something 'Christmassy' to dinner on Christmas, it was a tradition we had going for years. My onesie was the item she chose for me this year at dinner. I glanced down at it and sighed. I was a snow woman, the hood of my hoodie also doubled as a snowman facemask if you pulled it down far enough. It was comfortable though, so I couldn't really complain.

I forgot about my stupid onesie when Darcy closed my bedroom and turned to face me.

"Hey, my Neala Girl."

I closed my eyes and shook my head as I lay back on my bed. My heart thudded against my chest, and my stomach churned.

"Don't call me that, Darcy," I whispered.

I heard him take a few steps over to me.

"I'm sorry," he said.

My anger and hurt unleashed itself.

"Don't," I snapped and jumped to my feet. "Don't come in here because you feel bad, or because my brother made you. I don't want to hear your false apology so get the fuck out and leave me alone! I told you I never wanted to see or speak to you ever again. What part of that didn't you understand?"

My skin was burning with rage, and my hands hurt from squeezing them together so tightly.

Darcy stood his ground and didn't even flinch at my shouting.

"I'm here of my own accord, not because I was forced to come here," he snapped. "I'm fucking sorry, okay. I didn't mean any of what I said."

Bull. Shit.

"Yes, you did! You wouldn't have said it if you didn't mean it. I wasn't in the room, I didn't argue with you or make you say anything out of anger. A question was put to you and you answered it… Honestly."

Darcy lifted his hands to his face before he slid them around to his neck. "I didn't answer it honestly, I swear on me life it wasn't the truth."

I shook my head and listened to what my head was telling me.

He was lying.

"There you go," Darcy snapped at me.

I furrowed my eyebrows together. "What?" I asked.

"You already have your bloody mind made up. You always fucking do this – you don't give me a chance to prove meself to you. You blame everything on me and don't believe a thing I say!" he shouted.

Was that a fucking joke?

"When have you ever proved yourself to me?" I screamed.

Darcy dropped his arms from his neck and turned, walked over to my door and punched it. I jumped with fright, but kept my eyes narrowed when he turned back to face me.

"I thought I proved meself to you last night," he said, his voice low.

I stared at him blankly, unblinking. "I bared meself to you last night. I put meself and me feelings on the line. I thought you did too, then you showed your true colours this morning."

Darcy blew out a big breath and looked up to the ceiling. "What do I have to do to make you believe I was lying this morning?"

I swallowed. "You can't do anything." I turned around and climbed onto my bed. "Just… Just go away. Please."

I hated how much I wanted to kiss him or touch him in some sort of way, but I forced myself to turn and face my bedroom wall as I lay on my bed. I knew Darcy didn't leave because I could hear his fast paced breathing.

My bed dipped moments later and arms came around me as Darcy lay beside me and pulled me into him. I couldn't believe he had the nerve to waltz in here and touch me. I was grateful for his comforting touch though and I didn't realise how much I needed it until he snuggled up against me.

"I don't regret you, we weren't a mistake, and I do want you," he said, squeezing me with each pause in his sentence.

I squeezed my eyes shut as my tears flowed free. Darcy turned me to face him, and I opened my eyes and when I looked up at his handsome face, I cried harder.

"I d-don't b-believe you," I whispered.

I couldn't.

He was only saying this because of how upset I was, that was the only reason.

He didn't want me... not like the way I wanted him.

"I know you don't, but I've got all the time in the world to prove to you that I am telling the truth," he said then leaned down and pressed his lips against mine.

My tears fell and mixed in with our kiss.

The kiss only lasted a few seconds before we broke apart.

Darcy kissed my forehead and said, "I'm going to prove meself to you. I promise."

I looked down. "Don't make promises you can't keep."

Darcy placed two fingers under my chin and lifted my head up until I was once again looking at him.

"I don't," he said before he kissed the tip of my nose and climbed out of my bed and walked out of my bedroom, closing the door behind himself.

What was that?

Why didn't I scream or throw stuff at him when he kissed me?

Why wasn't I angry at him?

I frowned when I realised the answer.

It was because I was sad.

The sadness I felt, filled me completely and left no room for anything else.

I shouldn't have, but I held out a little hope that Darcy would prove himself to me, and even if he didn't I would keep the promise I made to him. I wouldn't go back to my old ways. I wouldn't hate him... I'd eventually be his friend if that was all I could be.

"I hate men," I muttered to myself then laughed.

It wasn't a hard laugh, or even a long laugh, but it was still a laugh and in light of the shit that hit the fan over past few hours I thought of it a progress.

I stood up from my bed and walked over to my full-length mirror. I shook my head at my white pump shoes, my snow woman onesie and my curly brown hair that spilled down over my chest. After I got dried and did my hair earlier I applied some waterproof mascara, it was needed, and some lip-gloss. I didn't bother with anything else because my face was flushed and rosy from crying so much, and no amount of make-up would have hid it so I didn't even try.

I opened my bedroom door and the smell of my mother's Christmas dinner hit me. I was surprised when my stomach didn't churn, but grumbled instead. I licked my lips and tried to remember when I last had a decent meal. At Darcy's we only ate tinned stuff, a bowl of hot cereal would have been a step-up – from the smell of my mother's dinner, this was going to be a massive upgrade.

"Neala?" my mother's voice called out. "Dinner is ready in two minutes."

You can do this.

I inhaled and exhaled. "I'm coming."

I closed my bedroom door, and then descended the stairs. I could hear the jingle of Christmas songs coming from the kitchen. I was about to walk by the living room, when I caught the kids sitting on the floor and the adults gathered around them I figured I'd go in a watch the kids open their presents. I had nothing to give Charli and deserved any backlash I got from her for breaking my promise.

I promised I would get her the doll, and I didn't.

I was officially the worst Auntie ever.

"I thought it was dinner time," I said as I came up behind my mother.

She turned and beamed at me. "The kids want to open some more gifts first."

I lightly smiled and looked down to Charli and Dustin.

Both of the kids were already ripping open presents, and I couldn't help but genuinely smile at them. They were both the picture of innocence and happiness as they laughed with one another. I felt like someone was looking at me from across the room, and since I knew it was him, I refused to look up.

I just wanted this to be about the kids and not have the focus on Darcy and myself. We have both ruined countless moments over the years and I would not let our differences and problems take this away from the kids. They were mini versions of the pair of us, and if I could stop them from ending up like the old version of us, then I bloody well would.

I blinked when a little gasp got my attention.

I looked down as Dustin lifted up the pink, damaged box that I wrapped for Charli and looked up to Darcy. I flicked my eyes to Darcy and saw him wink and nod his head. I furrowed my eyebrows and looked down to Dustin as he cleared his throat.

"Charli?" he said.

Charli was mid-way through opening a Barbie dollhouse my parents must have gotten her. I watched as she completely abandoned opening her present as she turned and gave Dustin her full attention. I found myself smiling as I watched the pair of them. They both adored one another.

"Yeah?" Charli replied to Dustin.

Dustin's cheeks flushed red as he extended his arm and held out the pink wrapped box in Charli's direction.

"I got this for you," Dustin said to Charli.

I widened my eyes.

What?

Dustin was giving Charli the doll?

What. The. Hell?

Charli gasped and giddily took the box with a chirpy 'thank you' and tore into the pink wrapping paper. When she fully unwrapped the box, her gasp and squeal of delight warmed my heart and everyone else's. We all beamed down at the pair.

"A Blaze Princess doll!" Charli screamed and hugged the Blaze doll box to her chest.

I didn't understand what the hell was happening, but my eyes welled up with tears because I got what I wanted by Charli getting what she wanted.

I looked up to Darcy who was already looking at me, he gave me a small smile and a little shrug of his shoulders as he mouthed, "He only told me what he was doing a few minutes ago."

Darcy was in the dark about Dustin's plans for the doll, and that made me feel a little better. I would be so mad if he knew all about it and never told me. Things could have been easily solved if we both knew. This got me to thinking if Sean or my mother knew and never told us.

I looked down to the kids and beamed when Charli crawled over and threw her arms around Dustin and knocked him onto his back as she hugged him. Everyone laughed while my mother took pictures and Sean recorded the pair on his phone.

When Charli got off Dustin and looked up at me, a smile stretched across my face. "Look!" She beamed and held the box up for me to see.

I chuckled, "I see. It's brilliant. Just the doll you wanted, right?"

Charli nodded her head and hugged the doll box to her chest. Dustin sat up and took the doll box from Charli and proceeded to open the box for her. It took him few minutes to get the doll untangled from the wires holding it to the box, but Charli sat patiently waiting on him to get the doll free.

When he got the doll free and handed it to Charli she took the doll in her arms, closed her eyes and smiled as she hugged the doll to her chest.

"Merry Christmas, everyone!" She cheered making us all laugh and cheer with her.

Dustin smiled at Charli and saw how happy she was, he then looked up to Darcy and gave him a thumbs up which made us all chuckle.

"Charli, why don't you get the purple wrapped gift under the tree. Neala got you it," my mother said.

Charli squealed and crawled under the tree to get the purple wrapped gift. Dustin placed his hand on the back of Charli's leg and pulled her from under the tree when she shouted she had the box, but couldn't move. Everyone laughed, apart from me.

I looked to my mother and whispered, "I didn't get her anything."

"Yes, you did." My mother winked.

She actually winked at me.

I didn't buy Charli anything so whatever she bought in my name, I hoped it would live up to Blaze doll level – otherwise Charli probably wouldn't even notice, either way I was grateful to say I had something for her.

"Thank you," I mouthed to my mother who smiled.

We watched Charli open her present and laughed as she screamed so loud that Dustin had to plug his ears with his fingers.

"Blaze doll dresses! Omigod!" Charli squealed. "Thanks, Autnie Neala!"

She jumped up to her feet and barrlled into my legs, hugging me as tight as her little arms allowed. My heart lept with joy as I returned the hug and watched and she returned to the present began to tear open the box full of doll dresses and accessories.

Her reaction was amazing.

I looked to my mother who grinned. "Everyone bought all the dolls, but didn't bother with the outfits so I figured I get her one from you since you went to so much trouble with the doll. I went into Smyths after you last Wednesday and grabbed the doll outfits while you where somewhere else in the shop."

I was probably engaged in battle with Darcy for the doll.

She was so sneaky, but she was awesome.

I hugged my mother tightly then looked back down to Charli who was playing dress up with her doll, and I chuckled when she had Dustin pick out his favourite dress for the doll to wear. The poor lad didn't know which dress to pick and kept looking at Charli to get some hint at which one she wanted him to pick.

She loved pink so I coughed and muttered, "Pink."

Dustin heard me and picked out a hot pink dress and Charli beamed. "Great choice, Dusty!"

Dustin blew out a breath and looked to me and gave me a big thumbs up.

I winked at him.

A few gifts were exchanged between the adults then. I got perfume, clothes, and some jewellery. Everyone else got similar presents, and when everything was opened we retired to the kitchen to get our food on. As usual, I hated that there was arranged seating at dinner because every year Darcy and I were placed close to one another, and in the last few years one of the kids sat between us just to keep things clean and safe for everyone at the table.

I sat down and so did Darcy and everyone else.

I glanced around at everyone, I didn't want to cause a fight but I also didn't want to not say anything.

"What didn't you just tell us what Dustin wanted to do with the doll? I wouldn't have fought so hard to get the bloody thing from Darcy if I knew!" I said semi-calmly to my brother.

Sean sighed from across the table, "That's Ma's fault, not mine."

I flicked my narrowed eyes from my brother to my mother.

"What does he mean by that?" I asked.

My mother had a guilty look about her. "It's been a long time since you and Darcy spent any time together, even if it was just to argue... I thought prolonging this doll thing would be good for you both."

That's why Justin was forbidden from helping me! Our mother's didn't want the war for the doll to end too soon.

Wow.

That was disgusting.

Darcy humourlessly laughed next to me, "We almost killed one another for the stupid thing."

My mother froze and said, "Sorry."

Like that was any help.

I looked to Sean who was gnawing on his lower lip.

"What about you? Are you sorry, Mammy's boy?"

Sean grunted, "Yeah, I am."

Doubtful.

I felt like I was in a sudden state of shock.

I was annoyed with my family.

Darcy and I fought tooth and nail for that bloody doll, and now I knew that if I just let Darcy have the doll both Dustin and Charli would have gotten what they both wanted. I didn't know where my family got their logic from because they were all plain bloody stupid.

"It was a surprise, Neala." Justin sighed. "Dustin made me promise not to tell, and since Dean, my ma, and Clare were in the room when he told me why he wanted the doll, he said they didn't count. He made us pinkie swear."

I went through hell over a pinke swear... seriously?

I growled. "A pinkie swear?"

"We took an oath too if that helps." Sean murmured.

I was about to speak again when Charli and Dustin barrelled into the dining room all dressed in their 'dinner clothes' which consisted of plain t-shirts and trousers. If they got them dirty with food it wouldn't matter because they'd just change out of them and back into their Christmas clothes for picture time later.

"Neala?" Charli said as she sat in between Darcy and myself.

I looked at her and smiled. "Yeah, baby?"

Charli tilted her head to the side. "Are you still sad?"

Everyone froze then after a moment they looked at me.

I swallowed. "What are you talking about, babes? I'm not sad."

Charli clicked her tongue. "Yeah, you are. I heard you crying in your shower earlier when you came home."

I stared at Charli with my mouth dropped open.

I didn't know what to say to her.

"She probably stubbed her toe is all, kid," Darcy chuckled and nudged Charli who was sat between us.

Charli giggled then she turned to me and asked, "Is it still sore?"

"Yeah," I replied. "It's still pretty sore."

I wasn't talking about my toe, and from the corner of my eye I caught Darcy looking at me. He knew I wasn't talking about my toe either.

I looked to Charli who was still snuggling that God-forsaken doll while Darcy scooped food onto her small plate.

"What's her name?" I asked.

Charli giggled, "Her name in the film is Reni, but I'm changing it to Neala Girl, like what Uncle Darcy calls you. I love it."

I felt everyone look at me but I refused to show any emotion.

I simply smiled and said, "Pretty name."

Charli hugged her Neala Girl closely to her, and Dustin chuckled from across the table. I looked at him, and found him smiling as he watched Charli hug and play with her doll. In that moment he reminded me so much of a young Darcy who fawned over me all the time... before shit hit the fan of course.

I could tell from the look on Dustin's face that he loved Charli, he just wouldn't realise the emotion until he was older. I made a silent vow to myself as I flicked my eyes between them. I vowed never to let the pair of them get into a situation that spanned over two decades like Darcy and I did – their friendship too precious to lose.

I zoned out for a while, everyone said grace then tucked down into their food. I wasn't into it at all. I played with the potatoes on my plate and couldn't even look at the meat without my stomach threatening to revolt. I felt like shite and I wanted nothing more than to just go up to bed.

I made it through dinner though and after when everyone retired to the living room I waited about thirty minutes before Itold everyone I wanted to go up to my room to sleep for awhile. I was close to the living room door and was just about to make my escape when I heard Sean and Justin exchange words outside in the hallway.

"She's really down, man. I feel sick that we pretty much caused it," Justin said sighing.

Sean grunted and replied, "I know, but we never planned for it to go this far."

Planned?

What the hell were they talking about?

I stepped into the hallway and when Sean and Justin spotted me they both flinched and shook their heads.

"Bollocks," Sean grunted.

Sean and Justin both walked by me into the living room and I quickly followed.

"What did you mean by that, Sean?" I asked him.

Sean walked over to my mother and leaned into her as he whispered in her ear.

My mother smacked his arm when he pulled back.

"What do you mean you never planned it to go this far?" I asked Sean.

"He meant-"

I held my hand up in the air and cut my mother off – she couldn't tell a lie if she didn't speak.

"What did you mean, Sean?" I asked, my eyes narrowed.

"What's going on?" Darcy chimed in.

I glanced to him. "I overheard Sean and Justin talking about me outside, about me being upset. They said they were the cause of it and that they never meant for it to go this far, and I want to know what the hell they are talking about."

Darcy stood up from the couch and came to my side, and turned to glare at our brother's.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked.

I didn't want him to be on my side, but whatever Sean did involved him too.

Sean looked to my mother, father, then Justin before he looked back to me.

"It was just meant to be a joke… a prank really. Like the ones you and Darcy pull on each other all the time."

I swallowed down the bile that rose up my throat.

"What. Did. You. Do?" I snarled.

My father sighed, "Just tell them, it's best they know the truth."

I looked from Sean to my father then back to Sean.

What truth?

"Sean?" I pressed.

He lifted his arms and scrubbed his face with his hands.

"We buried you two in," he said, avoiding eye contact.

What?

"Excuse me?" Darcy growled.

Dustin whistled. "Uh-oh. Uncle Darcy is mmaadddd."

Justin nudged Sarah who was next to him. "Take him and Charli up to her room and close the door, will you?"

This was serious if Justin didn't want the kids in the room to hear the exchange.

I kept quiet until Sarah brought both Dustin and Charli upstairs and I heard Charli's bedroom door click shut.

"Talk. Right now."

Sean sighed and looked to our mother. "This was your idea, you tell her what you had us do."

I began to tremble.

My mother looked at Sean, then to me. "We just wanted to give you and Darcy a little... push. It's not everyday we can get you both together so we figured having you both in Darcy's house for a few days would do you both good."

I blinked. "I don't understand. We were stuck in Darcy's house because we were snowed it. The weather did that, not you lot."

My mother looked down to her feet.

Darcy gasped from my right so I looked at him and said, "What?"

He glanced at me then looked forward again and glared. "They buried us in the house to stop us from leaving."

What?

How was that even possible?

"I don't think they-"

"We did, Neala."

I snapped my head in my father's direction and gaped at him. "What?"

My father shook his head. "It was a stupid idea, but both your mother and Darcy's wanted to have one last attempt at trying to make you both get along."

Hold the bloody phone.

They were responsible for us being buried in Darcy's house for days eating canned food, taking freezing cold baths, having zero fucking heat and for Darcy almost dying?

I exploded. "You can't force two people to get along! I am sick to bleeding death of you all trying to control our lives. If we wanted to be together, we would be together. That is up to us, not you!"

Everyone flinched when I finished shouting.

"She's right, you're all something bloody else. How dare you force us together like animals!"

I was shaking with anger while Darcy spoke.

"It wasn't meant to be like this. We thought you would both find it funny," Justin protested.

I growled at him, "We hated being in each other's company for twenty years. Do you understand that? Twenty bleeding years! What makes you think four days would sort us out?"

Justin raised his eyebrows. "You both slept together, hate was obviously not an issue between you both in that house."

My heart broke all over again with the reminder, and I was mortified that everyone close to me knew what myself and Darcy got up to in private.

"Justin! Bloody hell, man!" Darcy hissed.

I wiped my eyes before any tears could fall. "Thank you for that reminder, Justin, and thank you for letting everyone know something so personal."

Justin frowned then grunted when his ma slapped his arm.

"What happened between us wasn't even our choice. You forced us together and knew we would either sleep together or kill each other," Darcy snapped at his mother.

Marie frowned. "We just wanted you both to get along-"

"We know!" Darcy screamed. "We know what you all bloody want, but what about what we want? Don't make this out like you were doing this for anyone but yourselves. You all want us together so we can play happy families."

I folded my arms across my chest and looked down as I started to sniffle.

"We're not sheep, you can't just round us up together because you want to see us together."

Sean cleared his throat. "I wasn't aiming to get you both together, I just wanted you to stop fighting all the time."

I raised my hands to my temples and rubbed.

"How did you do it?" I asked.

My father was the one to answer me.

"Firstly, I want to apologise to you both. I didn't like the idea, but I made the decision to go along with it and help out and that was inexcusable. I'm very sorry to you both," he said.

"Same here," Mark, Darcy's father, chimed in. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have partaken in the scheme as it was stupid and wrong. I hope you both can forgive me... forgive us."

"I love how you're all laying the blame at mine and Carol's feet!" Darcy's mother snapped.

Sean scoffed, "It was the pair of you who came up with the idea. We were just the morons' who carried out the deed."

I was aware that both our father's helped bury us in Darcy's house, but the people I was furious with was our mother's and brother's. Our father's would go along with our mother's just to keep the old bats happy, but our brother's wouldn't have gotten much backlash if they said no to the idiotic idea. They wanted to do it for selfish reasons.

"We apologise to you all every single time we argue in your presence, we rarely even cause scenes anymore so I don't understand why you went to this extent. You do understand what you all did, right? You buried us inside a house and trapped us for days. Do you have any idea what it was like? It was scary, dark, and uncomfortable. We both fought the majority of the time there. I had to endure insults day and night from a fucking parrot... a parrot!"

Darcy placed his hand over his mouth, and I snarled in his direction.

"I'm not laughing," he quickly said and looked away from me.

Bastard!

I looked back to my father who suddenly looked depressed. "Go on, tell us how you did it."

He sighed, "After Darcy left the pub the night of the engagement party, I knew you were going to follow him to get your doll back. I mentioned it to your mother and told her I was going after you because I was worried you would get hurt and freeze your arse off going up the mountain. Your mother, and Darcy's, came up the with the idea that once you got inside the house, because we knew you would get in, to block any exits thus keeping you both together to... settle your differences."

My father shook his head.

"Myself, Mark, Sean, and Justin headed up the mountain after you but we kept our distance in case you caught onto us. After an hour or so we reached Darcy's house and we could hear you arguing inside. Sean went to the back door and said it was over the parrot so we figured it was nothing serious."

Nothing serious, ha!

That fucking bird traumatised me.

"Go on, don't stop now," Darcy growled.

Justin took over. "We got shovels from your shed and got to work – you should put a lock on that by the way. The heavy snowfall made things easy. It didn't take long for us to block up the doors and windows. When we were finished we did have second thoughts, but we thought we'd just let it play out and see what would happen."