House of Sticks Read Free Page A

that now?’
    â€˜I don’t know,’ said Mel. ‘Must be a while. A year?’
    â€˜Yeah. Still freaks me out though.’ She glanced from the twins to the pram parked behind the row of parents. The mound of blankets was peacefully still, one tiny hand just visible, loosely curled. ‘Was it … was it actually a … rape?’ Her stomach twisted as she said the word. ‘Or was it just an … assault?’
    â€˜I think it was a rape. Well, that’s what was in the papers anyway.’
    â€˜God. That poor child. And her parents. I mean, obviously it would be just completely devastating for something like that to happen anywhere, but I guess you think … well, the library’s always felt like such a safe place.’
    â€˜I know. I used to leave Freddie in the kids’ area while I went off to get my own books.’ Mel made a face. ‘Josh’d kill me if he knew.’ She sighed. ‘Oh well. Not any more.’
    â€˜No way.’
    â€˜And now,’ the librarian was saying, disentangling herself at last from the headset, ‘we’re going to make some pigs of our own. We’re each going to get one paper plate …’
    â€˜Do you think we’re too paranoid?’ Bonnie said, as she and Mel went back over to the children.
    â€˜I don’t know.’
    â€˜Nobody worried about stuff like that when we were kids. I can remember sitting in the car for ages outside the shops waiting for my dad. And I reckon I was going to the milk bar by myself when I was not much older than these guys. Okay, maybe more like seven — but still, I can’t imagine letting Edie or Lou, even in another couple of years …’
    â€˜Yeah, but …’ Mel looked up from where she was crouched beside Freddie, a pink pipe-cleaner between her fingers. ‘Just because our parents didn’t worry about it doesn’t mean bad things didn’t happen. It’s just not worth the risk, is it? That’s what it comes down to.’
    Outside the cafe around the corner Bonnie opened her coat, lifted her jumper and latched Jess on. Her exposed skin tightened with the cold. ‘God,’ she said, ‘it’s freezing.’
    â€˜Sure is. Here.’ Mel scooted her seat closer and grabbed the edge of Bonnie’s coat, pulling it around and tucking it into the top of her jeans. ‘How’s that?’
    â€˜Better. Thanks.’
    â€˜No worries.’ Mel glanced over to the three older children, who were on a bench with their paper-plate pigs. ‘Freddie,’ she called, ‘if you sit like that you’re very likely to fall over backwards.’ She resettled in her seat. ‘So, what else is news?’
    â€˜Nothing much. Doug’s back.’
    â€˜Pete’s friend?’
    â€˜Yeah. You remember — you met him at that barbeque that time. You said you thought he had, you know, personality border whatsit.’
    â€˜Oh yeah, him. I thought they had a falling-out.’
    â€˜God, I don’t know.’ Bonnie looked down at Jess. ‘I mean, they did. But now he’s back. I think that’s what Doug does — he goes from friend to friend, sort of insinuating himself, and then because he’s so hard to be around eventually there’s a fight of some sort and he goes off in a huff. And moves on to the next person, I guess.’
    â€˜Yeah, right. Must be annoying.’
    â€˜The problem is … Well, it’s what you said, really: the boundaries aren’t clear. He’s Pete’s friend but he’s also working for Pete. And Pete’s kind of giving him the work as a favour. I mean, I don’t think he’s really qualified to do what he’s doing. God, he annoys me. He does —’ She found herself glancing around, leaning forward, lowering her voice. ‘He does all this really annoying kind of powerplay stuff, acting like he’s the