She followed up the act abruptly with an appropriate scream, which alerted the entire room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked over at Caitlin. It was like a horrific epilogue to the play that had turned gruesome as the bride stood there with red liquid splashed all down the front of what I could only presume was an incredibly expensive wedding dress. Ava’s wedding dress. The wedding dress she had asked Caitlin to remove just moments ago.
Judith sucked in an audible breath and scurried off to the kitchen, returning moments later with a cloth. By this point, a crowd had formed around Caitlin, who had perfected a shock expression. ‘I was going to change out of it, and Sasha spilt her juice on me,’ Caitlin said to her audience. Judith was in front of her, holding the cloth but not really knowing what to do, as the fabric was incredibly fine.
A loud jumble of incoherent whines and protests escaped my mouth. Mum and Dad both looked over at me.
Ava took a few steps back towards Caitlin, and the room hushed as the crowds parted like the Red Sea with Ava as Moses. She didn’t even look at the dress – I presumed she had seen the damage from where she had been stood – she just looked at Judith and quietly said:
‘Thank you, Judith, but I fear your efforts are in vain. The dress is ruined.’ And she turned and left the room.
My body was flooded with adrenaline. I didn’t know what to do with the emotions that churned in my stomach. Caitlin was last seen heading to the tennis court. She had removed the dress, which was only over the top of her vest and shorts, thrown it on the floor and ran from the room. Mum and Dad had tried to comfort me, telling me it wasn’t my fault.
‘No, it wasn’t my fault, Mum!’ I wailed as we walked through the courtyard back to our cottage. But I didn’t want them to see Caitlin in a bad light, so I didn’t tell them about how she had grabbed my hand.
‘It’s okay, Sasha, accidents happen,’ Dad said, but I saw the side look he gave Mum. I think they were both aware of how Caitlin could be by now, but neither of them could bear to acknowledge the behaviour they had just witnessed. For if we all discussed it, it would become real, something we would have to deal with. And as much as Mum and Dad were not particularly keen on me spending as much time as I did with Caitlin, I was too deep into my friendship with her to pull away from her now, and to do so could have a ripple effect on their jobs.
Out on the driveway, I looked out towards the tennis court; the gate was open, but from where we were, I couldn’t see inside. Usually I could hear the rhythmic echo of a racket hitting a ball, but there was nothing. Then I spotted her on the hammock stretched between two trees near the end of the drive.
‘There’s Caitlin.’ I pointed.
‘Ahh, okay, love. I think maybe give her some time alone to thin—’ Dad’s voice cut off as I began running over to the hammock. When I arrived, Caitlin’s eyes were closed, the hammock swinging gently.
‘Why did you blame me?’ I said, shocked by the anger in my voice.
Caitlin didn’t even open her eyes.
‘Mum likes you more than me. No one is going to blame you, Sasha. You couldn’t put a foot wrong. Everyone loves you.’
I let myself absorb Caitlin’s words. Not an apology, but she thought everyone loved me?
‘But your mum’s dress?’ I said quietly. Caitlin opened one eye and shaded it with her hand.
‘Who cares about a stupid dress. She deserves it.’
‘Caitlin, surely you can’t mean that? I mean, I know you and your mum have your problems, but she’s your mum, and that was her wedding dress!’
Caitlin breathed in and let out a huge sigh. ‘Oh, Sasha, you look at the world so romantically. You think just because I am related to someone by blood, because I was birthed from them, that I must love them? You don’t know my mum. You don’t understand the way she is.’
I was boiling with fury. I wanted to shake Caitlin, shout at her for what she did. As much as I wanted us to be friends, the differences between us were apparent. Like how Caitlin’s parents treated her, which in turn made her treat me badly. It hurt me, but I could also see that Caitlin was in pain. Mum and Dad always taught me that kids who lashed out were usually dealing with far more complicated things than I could ever imagine.
I knew now that something wasn’t quite right with Caitlin. I knew her parents treated her differently to the way my parents treated me, but I thought back to the day I met her and how she talked about the house. It occurred to me that there could be terrible secrets lurking behind the doors of Saxby. Perhaps they were linked to Caitlin’s behaviour? And in that moment, I felt as though it were my duty to know.
I decided that one way or another, I would find out, and it would happen this year. It was time for Saxby to open its doors and reveal itself to me.
21 London, September 2009
One week until the wedding
Chuck waits for me on the corner of the road. ‘One last time. For old times’ sake,’ he says as I sidle up to greet him.
‘I knew you couldn’t resist,’ I say, receiving his kiss on my cheek. It’s begun to drizzle, and the rain is speckling his light beige jacket dark brown. ‘Shall we get inside before it pours it down?’
I grab his hand and pull him down the street. The doors open up automatically and we walk in arm in arm. I take a deep breath and
