Summer Secrets (22 page)

“Aye,” Esther murmurs. “That’s true.”

“Hey, Amy.” Mum appears behind us. “Where’s Alex?”

“I left him inside with you. At the top of the stairs. Ages ago.”

Mum’s face goes white. “I thought he was with you. He’s not in the house.”

I climb to my feet. “He’s probably just in the garden somewhere. I’ll help you look.”

Mum’s biting her bottom lip so hard it’s gone as pale as her face.

“I’ll look too,” Gramps says.

“Let’s all go.” Esther stands up. “He can’t have gone far.”

Mum puts a hand up to her mouth. I can see she’s starting to panic.

“Don’t worry,” I say. “I’m sure he’s fine. He’s always wandering off.”

“But this is an island,” Mum says. “All that water. And you know what he’s like with water, Amy.”

Now I’m starting to worry too. “I’ll go on ahead,” I say. “Gramps, you and Esther check out the garden. Mum, where’s Dave?”

“On the beach with Evie and the Sticklebacks.”

“You go down and get him. I’ll meet you back at the house in a few minutes.”

I pelt back to the house and dash upstairs to check all the bedrooms.

“What are you doing?” Denis says as I swing open the door to his room.

“Have you seen Alex?” I ask him frantically.

“He was outside playing with a dog a few minutes ago. The dog was barking a lot – I think Alex must’ve pulled its tail.”

“The gardener’s dog? The black and white one?”

“Yeah. Why? What’s wrong?”

“Alex is missing.”

“Maybe he followed the dog somewhere,” Denis suggests.

“I bet you’re right.”

I fly out of the door and down the stairs, taking them three at a time and almost twisting my ankle at the bottom. To my surprise, Denis is right behind me. The two of us race out through the kitchen doors and almost collide with Kit.

“Seen Jack?” he asks. “I heard him barking a few minutes ago but now he’s disappeared.”

“We think my little brother, Alex, is with him,” I say, my heart pounding.

Kit looks at me. “I’ve been lifting new rose bushes across to the island from the mainland. If Jack’s looking for me he might be on the mainland. If Alex tried to follow him—”

“But he can’t swim!” I screech.

Kit suddenly looks alarmed. “Quick, the tide’s on the way in. Follow me.”

“Tide?” I shout after him as he runs down the garden. “I thought this was a lake.”

I break into a sprint but Denis quickly overtakes me. “It’s a salt-water lake,” he says. “With tides. The only one in Ireland.” He runs backwards for a second, grinning at me, his cheeks flushed scarlet. “Come on, slowcoach. Keep up.”

Who would have thought Denis was such a strong runner?

Kit turns right, past the boathouse – and then stops. The island and the mainland are separated by about six metres of water. The large rocks that act as stepping stones between the two pieces of land are almost covered by water.

Jack is standing on the scrubby grass of the mainland, pacing up and down and barking wildly.

“Jack!” Kit shouts. “What is it, boy?”

“He’s barking at Alex,” Denis says, pointing. “Look!”

Alex is lying stomach down on a large rock, clinging to strands of brown seaweed, halfway across the lake. I have no idea how he made it out that far, but that’s the least of our worries. The tide is still coming in and the waves are lapping his body. One big wave will sweep him into the water.

“Alex, stay there!” I shout. “Amy’s coming.” I start to make my way towards him.

He looks over and starts to wail, “Mee-mee! Mee-mee!”

“I’m coming, little man. Hang in there.” I scramble across the first rock, my flip-flops sliding about. Denis is following behind me.

A wave splashes over Alex, soaking him. He lets go of the seaweed and slithers into the lake.

“Alex!” I scream, terrified. I hurry over the rocks towards him as quickly as I can, slipping on seaweed and splitting my knee open on some barnacles. It’s throbbing and pumping blood, but I don’t care. Hauling myself upright, I keep going.

By the time I reach his rock, Alex’s head has disappeared under the water. I scour the surface with my eyes, willing him to come up, but he doesn’t. My whole body goes icy with horror.

And then
SPLASH
, Kit dives into the lake. I watch transfixed as he ducks under the water and comes back up with Alex in his arms. Alex is coughing and spluttering, but he’s alive.

Clinging to the rock with one arm and gasping for air, Kit holds Alex tightly against his chest with the other. “It’s OK, I’ve got you,” he tells him. Alex is thrashing around, goggle-eyed and clearly petrified.

I run towards them, not caring if I slip again, and miraculously I make it in one piece.

“Can … I … pass him … up … to you?” Kit says, his breath laboured.

“Yes.” I reach down and lift Alex out of Kit’s arms, but his sodden weight makes me stumble forwards. Just before I lose my balance and fall into the water, someone grabs me from behind and pulls me back.

Denis!

I sit down on the rock, Alex bundled in my arms.

“Mee-mee,” he says and smiles at me with blue-tinged lips.

I hold my baby brother tightly against my chest and cry with relief. “Thanks, Denis,” I say through my tears.

“’S OK. Is Alex all right?” Denis looks worried.

“He will be – thanks to you and Kit.”

Kit hauls himself out of the water and stands beside us, dripping. “That was close,” he says. “Another couple of seconds…” he tails off.

Alex begins to shiver violently, his teeth rattling in his mouth like a cartoon character’s.

“You need to take off his wet clothes or he’ll get hypothermia,” Denis says. “They’re always going on about it in Scouts. Here” – he whips off his rugby jumper and hands it to me – “put this on him.”

Taking the jumper, I pull off Alex’s soggy clothes and nappy and wrap him in the jumper. He’s still shivering. I’m about to take off my own T-shirt to put round him too – which would be so embarrassing in front of Kit – when there’s an engine noise and a boat pops around the edge of the island. Inside it are Mum, Dave and Prue. I’ve never been so happy to see anyone in my whole life.

Kit and Denis look relieved too. We all wave and shout, “Over here!”

Dave powers the boat towards us, almost crashing into the rock in his eagerness.

“Is Alex OK?” Mum asks as the boat draws alongside the rock. Her eyes are red and swollen.

“He’s fine, Mum. Just a bit wet and shaken.”

She closes her eyes for a second and blows out her breath. “Thank God.”

Dave stands to take Alex. He throws the wet clothes into the bow, then passes Alex to Mum.

“Here, Sylvie.” Prue hands Mum a rug.

Swaddling Alex in it, Mum rocks him against her chest. “Oh my baby,” she croons, tears pouring down her cheeks. “My little baby. You’re safe.”

“What happened?” Dave asks me.

“Alex followed Kit’s dog on to the rocks and got stuck,” I explain. “He slid into the water and went under – but Kit jumped in and saved him. Then I nearly fell in and Denis saved me. They’re both heroes.”

“Amy saved him too,” Denis pipes up. “She pulled Alex up on to the rock.”

Dave smiles at us. “You’re all heroes,” he says.

Chapter 36

Kit
and I climb back across the rocks to the island. Dave offered us a lift in the boat, but Kit said he’d walk and I didn’t want to leave him.

Once on dry land, Kit picks up his runners and we make our way back towards the boathouse. Neither of us says a word until we get there.

Then Kit looks at me. “That was pretty intense.” He wipes some drips of water off his forehead.

“If it wasn’t for you—” I begin.

“’S nothing,” he cuts in. He starts to walk towards the boathouse door. “See you later, I guess.”

“Wait!” I don’t want him to go. “It was your first time in the water since your mum’s accident, wasn’t it?”

He looks at me carefully. “You know, don’t you? About Mam.”

I nod. “Esther told me. I’m so sorry. It must be hard for you.”

He nods once and stares down at the ground.

“Oh, and I meant to tell you,” I continue. “Sean sent his regards. Said to say he was sorry to hear about your mum. He was very fond of her. Thought she was quite something.”

He lifts his head. “Mam liked him too.” His eyes well up and he whispers, “God, I miss her,” under his breath. Then he shakes himself and turns away, clearly embarrassed. “I’d better get going, Amy,” he mumbles.

I put my hand on his arm. “Kit, wait. I miss my granny too; I think about her a lot. She died a few years ago.” I pause. “It’s OK to miss someone – it means you loved them a lot. But Gramps says you have to get on with your life, even if you’re sad sometimes.”

We stare at each other silently for a few seconds. His eyes seem softer, more gentle, like a seal’s. His hair is still wet from the water. Suddenly I remember I haven’t thanked him for what he’s just done – not properly, anyway.

“Thank you,” I say, “for saving Alex like that. You’re amazing.” And before I know what I’m doing, I lean forward and kiss him on the cheek. His skin feels soft and cool under my lips.

He looks at me, then nods once. “No bother.” He breaks the gaze and walks away.

“Bye, then,” I murmur to his back.

*   *   *

Clover is standing on the patio when I get back to the house. She runs towards me as soon as she spots me. “Where were you?” she asks. “I was worried about you.”

“I was talking to Kit,” I say. For some reason I don’t want to tell her about the kiss. I want to keep it all to myself – my summer secret.

“Is he OK?” Clover asks. “Esther says it’s the first time he’s been in the water since his mum drowned.”

“I hope he is.” I shiver. My clothes are soaked through from holding Alex and my knee is still bleeding: I’m a mess. “I’m dying for a shower. Let’s go inside.”

“I’m so darned proud of you, Beanie.” She puts her arm round my shoulder. “My little Wonderwoman. I’ll make you some hot chocolate. With cream and marshmallows.”

I grin. “Thanks, Clover.”

That evening, Martie calls over to say goodbye.

“It was lovely to meet you girls.” She gives each of us a warm hug. “Don’t be strangers, you hear. Come back and visit us sometime.”

“We will,” Clover promises.

“And thanks for putting me and Sean in touch again,” she adds with a smile.

“Any hope of a reconciliation?” I ask.

“Not at the moment, Amy. But stranger things have happened.”

Chapter 37

“Goodbye,
Room That Taste Forgot,” I whisper, running my fingers over the feathers at the base of the lampshade for the very last time. I walk out backwards, taking one final look, and then close the door firmly behind me.

It’s chaos in the kitchen. Mum’s clearing out the fridge, filling a rubbish bin with bits of left-over fruit and veg for the compost heap. Prue keeps pulling things out again and putting them aside. “We shouldn’t be throwing away perfectly good food,” she is saying. “If you won’t take the carrots, I’ll have them.”

Mum smiles. “Three wilting carrots won’t get you very far, Prue, but you’re welcome to them.”

Since yesterday the ice between Mum and Prue has definitely thawed. Mum says Alex’s accident helped them both put things in perspective.

Dave and Dan are ferrying the bags across from the island to the cars, and Denis and Clover are watching the babies. Since the rescue, Denis is a changed boy: helpful and even polite. I keep waiting for him to stick his tongue out at me, but it hasn’t happened. And he’s taking his new role as Alex’s protector very seriously – he’s not letting him out of his sight.

Mum sends me upstairs to do a final check of the children’s bedrooms to make sure we don’t leave anything behind. I haven’t seen Kit since yesterday. I’m a bit embarrassed after the kiss, but I still want to say goodbye. I reach under Denis’s bed to pull out a dusty sock and then check the window one final time.

And there he is – just below me on the patio. I’m about to shout down to him when I see he’s on the phone.

“Ah, Da,” he’s saying. “I don’t know. I haven’t been fishing for a long time … OK, I’ll think about it.” And then he laughs. His whole face lights up and his cheeks dimple. “A hero? Go ’way out of that. I’m just glad the lad’s OK … I’ll see you later … Yes, yes, I promise. At home … Bye.” Kit stares at the phone for a second before walking towards the kitchen door.