Page 56 of When We Were Young

They went to bed, Emily with Aidan – why shouldn’t she? – and Izzy alone in the room they were supposed to share. Will didn’t get to finish what he was saying about Aidan snogging that girl in a taxi.

They never got to sort it out in the morning.

Will sat by the window, looking up the road towards the town centre. He picked at the label on his bottle of Bud, his knee bouncing up and down. What the hell was he doing here? Since they’d got back from Oxfordshire, he hadn’t been able to get Emily out of his mind. He needed to talk to her, tell her what she needed to know. Then he remembered she might beworking during the Christmas break from college. So here he was, sitting in her pub waiting for her shift to start, which – according to the barman – was in ten minutes.

His mum’s voice echoed in his mind.

‘Jesus, I’m mortified. Fighting in Brian’s kitchen on Christmas Day!’ she’d scolded, when she rang from Oxfordshire the day after he got home.

‘He hitme.I didn’t touch him.’

‘I can’t believe you’d carry on with Emily. How could you do that to your own brother? To our family!’

‘Why are you taking his word over mine?

‘I’m not taking sides. You’re both my boys – I don’t want you two falling out over a girl.’

‘I didn’t do anything. And even if I did, he doesn’t care about her. He was cheating on her.’

She tutted. ‘That’s no excuse. He’s your brother, his girlfriend is off-limits. You’re to have nothing to do with her – she’s trouble. Things like this can break families apart. Promise me you’ll leave her alone?’

‘Mum—’

‘Promise me!’

‘We’re not getting anywhere here, and I’ve got to go.’

She gave him instructions to water the plants, put the bins out, and make sure Reu was eating enough. She said goodbye but before she hung up, she said: ‘And Will?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Stay away from Emily.’

But he couldn’t stop thinking about her. For all he knew, Emily was living happily ever after with Aidan. He couldn’t stand not knowing.

A figure came into view, walking towards the pub. It was her. She didn’t notice him as she passed the window and when she came in, she slipped behind the bar, out of sight. Will’s mouth was dry. He took a swig of his drink, his heart pounding. She emerged a few moments later, having shed hercoat. Halfway through tying her apron, she froze. They locked eyes. It was a full three seconds before she snapped out of it and rushed over.

‘What are you doing here?’ she hissed.

Good question. ‘To be honest,’ he said, ‘I don’t know.’

‘I’m supposed to be working. Come and sit at the bar so I can talk to you.’

He grabbed his bottle and pulled up a stool at the bar as she made her way to the other side.

She began emptying the dishwasher, grabbing two wine glasses in each hand, and clinking them onto the shelf above their heads. Will squirmed on his stool.

She placed some pint glasses on the lower shelf and looked up at him.

‘Seriously, what are you doing here?’ she said at last.

‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come, but I needed to see you. To see what’s going on.’

She exhaled. ‘I don’t know what’s going on. One minute I’m happy with my boyfriend, spending Christmas with his family, then all this happens!’

She looked for a moment like she might cry, but went back to unloading.

The only words on Will’s lips were ‘are you still with him?’ but he didn’t dare to ask.