Page 25 of The Version You Hide

Kristen has tried to get me to talk about what happened, though her questions have never been specific. She never asked me why I stayed with Ethan as long as I did, probably because she knew I wouldn’t have told her anyway.

Whenever she shot a question my way, I clammed up, unable to speak. At some point she stopped asking. Nobody else has ever asked. Maybe they’re scared I’ll react and dive off the deep end. Maybe they don’t want to know. Or worse, they think they already know everything there is to know.

A quick glance at my watch tells me it’s just after seven. Harper and I had agreed to meet at the Haven at 8am and walk to the dive boat tour from there, knowing it would take around twenty minutes to walk across town to the marina. I turn, readying myself to head back through the trail the way I came when something catches my attention further down the banks of the lagoon.

A woman stands motionless, her eyes trained in my direction. I recognise her from the pier during my lunch break that day. Gone is the look of anguish she’d worn in her expression, replaced by one of pure shock. I glance around behind me, searching for something or someone that may have caught her eye.

But there’s no one else here. She’s staring at me.

And she looks as though she’s seen a ghost.

Suddenly, my phone rings, disturbing the serenity, and I hastily reach into my pocket and slide it out. Harper’s name lights up the screen.

“Hey,” I answer, still slightly out of breath.

“Hey, Mackenzie.” Disappointment fills her tone, echoes of a crying Noah in the background.

“Uh oh. What’s wrong?” I can already sense without her saying anything that things are not going to go as planned today. “Is Noah okay?”

“Not exactly,” she replies, sadness dripping from her voice. “He’ll be okay but he’s running a really high fever. I’m not going to be able to come today.”

“Oh shit,” I say. “Poor Noah.”

“Yeah,” she says regretfully. “Look, I’m so sorry. I just can’t leave him when he’s like this. He needs me and…”

“Of course,” I tell her. “You absolutely need to be with him. It’s fine. We can reschedule the snorkelling trip for

another day. It’s no problem at all.”

“Well.” She drags the word out and I picture her wincing. “There might be a slight problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“The tickets I got were non-refundable and non-transferrable. It was like a last-minute kind of deal. I couldn’t pass on the discounted price.”

“Oh.”

“I think you should still use them,” she blurts. “I’ll email them to you. Maybe you could see if Kristen wants to go.” She seems to perk up at this suggestion, but it only brings to mind my altercation with my sister this morning.

“I don’t know. I’m happy to forfeit the tickets and wait till you can go.” It’s not like the dive boat tour was my idea. In fact, I’d much rather stay on dry land than commit my day to a boat named Two Tanked.

“Please go, Mackenzie,” she begs. “I might be a single mother, but you never take the time to do anything fun for yourself either. You deserve a nice morning out in the sun. Besides, I’m kind of living vicariously through you at this point.”

“Oh really?” Her comment makes me laugh. “Well, if you’re depending on me to fill your quota of excitement and adventure, you’re in for a world of disappointment.”

“Come on, Mackenzie!” she pleads. “Do this for me then. Please go. Slip into a gorgeous bikini, get onboard that boat and send me some insta-worthy pics. Bonus points if you can get a selfie with a hot dive instructor.”

“That is not happening,” I tell her.

“I hope you just mean the last part because I really want you to get on that boat. I mean it, Mackenzie. You deserve to have some fun too.”

I contemplate Harper’s suggestion. I guess it could be fun to try something different. “If it means that much to you…”

“It does,” she interrupts.

I suppose I could see if Kristen wanted to join me. It is her day off. And I hate fighting with her. Maybe this would give us a chance to have some sisterly bonding time or whatever. “Sure. Okay. Email the tickets.”

“Yes!” she squeals. “Okay, I’ve gotta check on Noah and then I’ll send them through.”

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