“When did you last see him?”
“The other day,” she said, shaking her head. “That afternoon when the catering cancelled. Oh, I’m such a fool. He was upstairs when you were in the kitchen.”
“The clay on the counter,” Ellie remembered. “You said it was a face mask.”
“I suppose I was acting.”
“I think that’s called lying without a camera,” Ellie said, feeling too sorry for her mother right now to push further. “That afternoon… that was when Thomas was killed.” She squinted. “I found Thomas’s body as soon as I left here. What time did James get here?”
“About half an hour before you did.”
She nodded. “And when did he leave?”
“Again, about half an hour after you did.”
Ellie nodded again, James’s alibi cementing itself. It might not have been the version he’d told Ellie, preferring to lie about being alone rather than admitting his model was Ellie’s mother, but it was concrete. Ellie had left the shop and gone straight to her mother’s.
“Are those upstairs windows still painted shut?”
“Yes, and it’s a nightmare this time of year.”
“Then James didn’t kill Thomas,” Ellie stated, “because James was here, and if you’d been paying a little more attention to what was going on across the green, you might have thought to mention that.”
She wafted her hand. “You know what I’m like, dear.”
“The only woman to watch The Truman Show and think it was a happy film.”
“But if this were The Carolyn Show, and the kitchen was a set, this would be the backstage area,” Carolyn said as though it were shocking, gesturing around the cluttered space. “I come out here when I need a break sometimes.”
Ellie looked around, taking in the jumble of terracotta pots, gardening tools, and dirt that seemed to cover everything. She was surprised to find herself warming to the chaotic charm of the place.
“I didn’t think you’d like how dirty and cluttered it is,” Ellie remarked, sinking into a chair opposite her mother.
Carolyn shrugged. “I don’t, but... I like it.”
“I do too,” Ellie admitted, cradling her mug.
A small smile played on Carolyn’s lips. “Look at us. We have at least one thing in common.”
“I’m sure there’s more,” Ellie replied, though she struggled to think of examples.
They both fell silent, slurping their hot chocolate. The quiet stretched between them, neither able to come up with another shared interest to break the stillness.
Ellie took another sip of her hot chocolate, feeling the warmth spread through her body. “This is nice,” she said, offering her mother a tentative smile.
Carolyn’s eyes lit up. “Remember how I used to make these for you when you were little?”
Ellie hesitated, not quite how she remembered it. “Didn’t Auntie Penny always make them?”
“Well, yes, but I’d handed them to you.” Seeing Ellie’s doubtful stare, Carolyn deflated. “Okay, sometimes, and since we’re being honest, Penny also made this one.”
Ellie couldn’t help but chuckle, taking another slurp of her drink. “I know,” she said, her voice gentle. “Penny just knows how to make them delicious. I’ve never seen you lift the kettle, Mum.”
“No, I don’t think I have. Worst mother of the century award.”
“I wouldn’t give you first prize.”
Carolyn’s eyes widened in mock offence. “Oh, so I can’t even win that award? Why break the habit of a lifetime?”
They both burst into laughter, the tension between them easing for a moment. As their chuckles subsided, Ellie noticed her mother studying her intently. It was disconcerting; she couldn’t remember the last time Carolyn had looked at her so directly, without fidgeting or adjusting her hair.
“You’re really here,” Carolyn said, a hint of wonder in her voice.
“Have been all week.”
“No, but really,” she insisted, edging closer. “You didn’t rush off after the first day. But you’re here and you haven’t gone, and I didn’t want to let myself believe it.” She paused, her voice growing tender. “My little Eleanor. I’m sorry, I know you hate that.”
“Not from you,” Ellie admitted, surprised by her own sincerity. “You chose it for me. I respect that.”
Carolyn looked touched, her eyes glistening slightly. “Eleanor Swan,” she mused. “I thought it sounded just like a movie star’s name.”
Guilt churned the hot chocolate settled in her stomach. “I’m sorry you ended up with a bookworm instead of an actress.”
Carolyn’s reaction was immediate and fierce. She wrapped her hand around Ellie’s shoulder, her grip firm but comforting. “Never say that again. Never ever,” she insisted. “I’m sorry you ended up with me. You deserved a mother who can read more than a few lines at a time. Thank God you had that granny of yours, eh? Even if she does hate me.”
“She...” Ellie hesitated, unable to deny the truth. “I don’t think the past feels as long ago for her.”
“I really messed their lives up at that karaoke finale in 1993, didn’t I? I should regret it, but I got you.” A small smile played on her lips. “I did one good thing right.”
