Page 152 of The Love Position

Sophia took a long drink of water and ran the day over in her head. She was still processing all the news and what it might mean for her and Isaac.

‘Here you go, babe.’

Her mum passed her a six-inch squared box with Sophia’s name and address on the side. It was heavy.

‘You expecting anything? There’s no return address.’

Sophia shook her head. She didn’t recognise the writing.

‘It’s too big and heavy to be jewellery and too small to be a severed head or anything.’

‘Mum!’

‘Sorry, babe, I watched Seven last night with your dad and it scared the shit out of me.’

‘Why on earth would you watch that?’

‘It was his choice for date night. Next time I get to choose. I’m gonna make him watch Barbie again.’

Underneath the plain brown paper was a nondescript white cardboard box. What was inside?

Opening it, the first thing Sophia encountered was crinkled packing paper. She removed it to reveal a large Plaster of Paris heart.

‘What the devil is that, babe? A paperweight? Who’s it from? You got an admirer? He’s a bit late. Valentine’s Day was months ago.’

Sophia lifted it out. It was a little rough around the edges, as if it had been made by hand. She wanted it to be from Isaac, but he was in India. And anyway, why would he send her a plain plaster heart with no note or explanation?

‘Is there anything else in the box?’

She rummaged around and pulled out a tiny metal mattock.

Oh, my god. There’s something inside the heart!

‘What’s that for? You meant to smash it? Bugger me, Soph, it’s not some sick thing from Marcus, is it? Some funny way of saying you’ve broken his heart or summat?’

Sophia shook her head. She just knew it wasn’t from her ex. ‘Mum, I’m going to take this up to my room, okay?’

Beverley pulled a face. ‘If you want a bit of privacy, could you break it in the garden, babe? It’ll make such a mess and I don’t want plaster dust all over the carpet.’

‘Yes, of course. Sorry, I should have thought.’

‘That’s alright doll, you know how I get.’

She nodded. Her mother was obsessed with cleaning and had been known to follow Sophia around the house with a vacuum cleaner.

Getting up, Sophia took the box to the French windows and went through into the garden. It was late afternoon, but the air was warm, heat still radiating out from the pebbled paths between the box hedges.

Going to the edge of the gardens, she sat on a bench behind a tall yew hedge and placed the heart on the ground. Her heart was beating faster than when she and Maggie had discovered the golden torc and grave site.

Please let this be from Isaac.

Raising the mattock, she carefully chipped away at the plaster. Flakes fell to the ground, but nothing was revealed.

There has to be something inside! Why else include a mattock with it?

She tapped harder.

Still nothing, and now she’d nearly reached the centre.

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