Chapter Seventeen

The days leading up to Thursday passed by excruatingly slowly. Bette was getting more nervous every day, doubting whether this was the right thing to do. She hadn’t told Kit about her plans, because she was sure her sister would do everything she could to stop her. She hoped she read ms Kennard correctly. She hoped that ms Kennard wouldn’t go to the police, at least not immediately.

The hours leading up to 6.30 pm seemed to go backwards. By 4pm, Bette’s nerves were starting to make her sick and for a moment, she was scared that she wouldn’t be able to go with ms Kennard. That’d be horrible after this long wait.

At 6.15 pm, a car pulled up. Bette, who was sitting in the sofa trying to relax (she had been ready for an hour already – she just had to do something), jumped up and almost ran to the door. The sound of a car door closing, foot steps, the door bell… she opened it eagerly, never bothering to wait to give the impression she wasn’t waiting at the door.

To her disappointment, it was Richard who was smiling at her.

“Hey,” she said, letting him in.

“You expected someone else?” he asked. His dark skin was glowing, he looked so happy it made Bette even sicker.

“Sure. I didn’t know you were coming by tonight?”

“Neither did Kit.”

Kit came to the hall to see where all the voices were coming from. Her face cleared up when she saw her boyfriend. The moment that Kit and Richard kissed each other, another car turned into the street. Bette’s heart started beating faster. The car stopped at the neighbour’s house.

Bette was just about to close the door when yet another car turned into the street. She sucked in her breath, the car was driving so slowly it was almost killing her, and only released it when the car stopped in front of their appartment building and ms Kennard got out.

She immediately stepped out of the front door, closed it and ran to the car.

“I’m sorry to be so rude, but is it okay with you if I just get in the car? My sister thinks a friend is picking me up and -”