Page 106 of The Vanishing Place
“I think Leanne’s lying.”
Tia shook her head again. “Leanne pinkie-swore it.” Her eyes widened. “I don’t want some stupid foster family and their eight stupid cats. I want Dad.”
Effie opened and closed her mouth, and glanced over at the packed rucksack. With her insides trembling, she looked back at her sister.
“Mum and Aiden are here too,” spluttered Tia, her face hard. “This is our home. If you make us leave, I will hate you forever.”
Effie closed her eyes, aching in her stomach and bones, and when she opened them again, Tia’s cheeks were damp.
“Please,” said Tia. “Please don’t make us leave.”
2025
The gray ofthe sky matched the gray of the sea, the line where the two met hard to distinguish. There was a heat to the afternoon though, a rare tenderness to the salt breeze, and the warmth of the sea air wrapped Effie up.
She stood in shorts and a singlet with her toes buried in the sand as the water lapped at her ankles. It was changing her—the West Coast air and the endless ashen sea.
As she looked out at the water, her phone buzzed in her pocket, stealing her attention from the crashing waves. After a moment, she pulled it out.
Prepare yourself, my friend…
Three dots appeared and flashed under Blair’s message.
It’s all Ewan’s doing. Nothing to do with me. The man has issues.
Effie rubbed her forehead, groaning, as her phone pinged and the image came through.
“Jesus, Blair.”
Rimu was sitting on Ewan’s knee in a checked hoodie, the drawcords tied into a bloody bow. It even had arms for Rimu’s front legs. Ewan was wearing a matching one.
Ewan got them made. Both with a “calming fleece interior.” Ewan says it makes the dog feel hugged. I swear to god.
Effie buried her face in her palm.
Honestly. I TOTALLY LOVE THEM. Ewan’s ordering one for me now.
Effie replied, almost smiling.
Well, we always knew you had issues.
The dots appeared again, dancing as Blair typed, but a figure caught Effie’s eye and she turned.
Lewis.
Effie stood still as he walked down the beach, her body rooted to the spot as he closed the gap between them. He kept his gaze set on her, not once looking away, not stopping until they were a few meters apart. Neither of them spoke as the waves rolled in behind them. Then Lewis took a step forward, and Effie’s breath caught in her throat.
“How did—” she began.
“Your car. I spotted it from the road.” Lewis’s face hardened, and he clenched and spread his fingers at his sides. “I…” He swore, then kicked at the sand. “I just…it’s like you’re always there, in my head, and I can’t—”
“Lewis, we’re not going to talk about this now.” Effie shook her head. “Look, you’re married—sorry, separated. I get it. We don’t need—”
“Yes.” His raised voice silenced her. “We are going to talk about it. Right now. Because not everything gets to be your decision. You’ve been like a petulant child since you got back, refusing to listen or to let anyone help you.” He threw his hands up. “And god forbid, Effie, that you let anyone get close to you.”
“Me?” she snapped. “You’re the one who was secretly married. You’re the one who pulled away from me.”
“It was never a secret.” He paused. “And you know that it wasn’t, that before…I couldn’t…”
