Chapter 2
Lili and Em would have been getting excited about Halloween by now, the horror movies, the themed snacks and drinks. But this year Halloween was the anniversary of Em’s funeral – the service at least.
What if it hadn’t been her body taken for burial?
No! She wouldn’t listen to the nonsensical thoughts that had whirred through her head all last night. Perhaps Em’s number had been given to someone else. But Lili was sure someone had told her Em’s mobile network operator took the numbers of people who’d passed out of service, out of respect.
The doorbell jingled and for the umpteenth time that day Lili’s heart pounded.
But she knew there was no way Em was back in Cornwall.
A couple walked in. Despite the busyness a Saturday brought, she looked out of the window and scoured the pavement, kidding herself that she wasn’t searching for her friend’s shock of colourful hair and cocky walk.
She hadn’t tasted lunch, had burnt her tongue on coffee, nearly gave out too much change and almost tripped over a customer’s guide dog.
They’d have so much to catch up on! Like that final season of The Umbrella Academy , political elections, and those garlic-bread-flavoured chocolate bars the newsagents couldn’t get rid of.
Had Em’s low mood passed? The doctor had offered Em anti-depressants during the months before her death.
She’d been down after breaking up with that idiot, Sean, the first guy to ever mean more to her than simple fun.
But Em had worried the tablets would dampen her natural spirit, unable to see that had already happened.
Lili gritted her teeth. Someone going straight to the punchline of the Knock Knock joke didn’t prove a thing.
She folded her arms, forcing herself not to jump up and down hollering with joy, an impulsive urge that sent adrenaline rushing through her veins, as if she were stood on a surfboard riding a steep wave.
But what if ?
She wouldn’t text back again until after work, after she’d had time to calm down and let common sense prevail.
Lili focused on tidying a pile of information leaflets by the till.
Ware they only mate with the queen.’ Her eye twinkled. ‘Sure you don’t want me to give you his number?’
Ignoring the question Glenda had asked before, Lili rolled her eyes in a friendly manner. She was far too busy for a committed relationship, happy to go on dates but staying single. Em had agreed whilst they’d travelled, whilst they’d pursued their careers – until she’d met Sean, the liar.
‘And how are you, dear?’ Glenda asked gently, not saying the obvious. She’d gone to Em’s funeral, being a customer of Crystoffees when she could afford coffee and cake out. Em used to work there.
I don’t know. Fine! Scared! Elated! Confused!
‘I’m okay,’ she said and pointed to a rail, keen to move on.
‘That full-length anorak has just come in. Looks brand new. I reckon it will be snapped up when the weather turns colder, especially as it’s a festive plum colour.
And there are a couple of new romances on the bookshelf.
’ Glenda’s face lit up and she went to investigate.
Not all customers came in because money was tight.
Some sought out a vintage or antique piece out of admiration or to sell on eBay for a profit.
Dustbin bags of donations were like unopened treasure chests to Lili, with the ornate pottery, old embossed book covers, and the quirky fashion items Em loved to hear about.
One person’s junk was another person’s jewel.
As she studied the window display, Lili’s fingers ran over her phone in her pocket and she was just about to take it out when…
‘I’ve set out the newly priced goods. What shall I do now?’
Lili turned to face dimples and a sun-tanned face.
Meg was her only full-time worker, twenty-one and saving hard to fulfil her dream of opening an online vintage clothes shop.
Today Meg wore a 40s-style tea dress with a cardigan and her hair tied up with a scarf.
Lili stood in her usual uniform of smart jeans and a top.
Glenda had left, wearing her new coat, and the shop was empty now.
‘There’s only ten minutes left.’ Only ten minutes until she could reply to that Knock Knock text. ‘You might as well head off. Good job today. Are you out clubbing with Zoe tonight?’
‘No. We broke up.’ Meg sighed. ‘Apparently I’ve got no filter. Just because I said her trousers looked tight. She didn’t look comfortable and I said we should go shopping for a bigger size. It’s best to be honest, right? But she flipped. I even bought her chocolates as an apology.’
Lili smiled as she waved Meg off. Em never had much of a filter either.
Having locked up, Lili crossed the small car park at the back of the building.
Once in the driving seat, she took out her keys, but couldn’t wait a minute longer.
All day she’d been going over what to type, listening to her heart, which had done its best to silence her head, editing down all the news she had, all the questions.
In the end it came down to six simple words, with an exclamation mark added to emphasise her happiness…
or was it to soften anger, or disbelief?
Where the fuck have you been?!
She paused before continuing to write.
I’ve missed you.
Lili added a turtle emoji and pressed send.
Mouth dry, she turned the key and gripped the steering wheel.
The Saturday drive home from Mevagissey to Truro was never as bad as during the week, with the rush hour.
Twenty minutes later, she turned into her drive and parked up.
She peeked at her phone. No reply yet. Lili opened the front door and stepped inside the cottage, with its golden walls and mahogany ceiling beams, with the cosy lounge on the left and the farmhouse kitchen opposite.
The place felt like home, even though it was rented and they’d not been allowed to redecorate.
The property owner was a friendly sort. The cottage had used to belong to her grandfather and she’d drop in every six months to check up on things.
One day Lili hoped to buy a place like this.
She’d put money aside in recent years and then Em had left Lili her savings.
She’d felt awkward and discussed it with Colin and Shirl, but they’d insisted it was what their daughter had wanted.
Good thing Lili hadn’t spent any of the money, if Em was alive. She might have to give it back.
Lili exhaled, went into the lounge and dropped onto the chintz sofa, which wasn’t to her taste when she’d first moved in.
However, she’d grown to appreciate its cheeriness this last year.
A pile of books sat on the low coffee table.
Lili loved stories that reflected nature, and a series of novels about penguins were a current favourite.
Em had read mostly on her phone, scrolling through Instagram and laughing at reels.
Her phone flashed and Lili picked it up.
I’ve been travelling like you. Next stop Switzerland.
Oh my God! Oh my God! Em had put the green nauseated face emoji after the word travelling! It was part of the private joke they had, to do with the turtle one.
But wait… what…? Travelling?
Christ on a bike, or a ferry too, or hovercraft, plane, speedboat, coach!
Of course, that made sense, Em going off around the world, wanting to get away.
She read the text again. Like you . What did that mean?
Lili had recently forced herself to get away.
She’d gone on a four-day trip to London, booked an Airbnb and caught a West End Show, shopped in Covent Garden and ridden the London Eye.
She got up and went to the curtains, looking out, up and down the road.
Was Em back in England and spying on her?
But how could Em even travel abroad now?
Had her parents forgotten to cancel her passport?
Em’s mum, ever organised, never forgot a thing, not even in her grief.
The funeral couldn’t have run more smoothly.
And Switzerland? Em had always said that country was conservative and boring and that she’d only ever go for the chocolate.
The two of them needed to speak.
Lili typed back, requesting a call, and gave a little jig. But hours later, as she sat in the lounge, foot tapping, pretending to read a book, there was still no reply.
Something didn’t feel right.
And something stopped her from pressing dial.
Maybe someone else had ended up with Em’s number, despite her phone company’s policy.
But no, that would be unethical. The company could get into trouble for that.
And it wouldn’t explain the green-faced emoji.
Lili fetched her laptop from her bedroom and researched until late before picking up a notebook.
Surprised with the possibilities she’d discovered to explain the texts, Lili scribbled.
She sat back and re-read the list. Four concrete possibilities.
A car backfired outside and she jumped. What was she doing?
This was all so stupid. With a tut she tore out the page, screwed it up and tossed it onto the coffee table before heading upstairs.
Under the duvet, Lili determined not to think about Em.
Instead she mentally ran through the ceremony she’d be holding tomorrow afternoon in her cottage.
These ceremonies always took place on a Sunday and people only heard about them by word of mouth.
As she finally closed her eyes, downstairs a ray of moonlight snuck through the lounge curtains. It lit up the title and the list that Lili had written on the uncurled notebook page:
Is Em Really Alive?
Yes. The texts are from her. Em ran away. Maybe she was in some kind of trouble or so depressed she needed time out.
Kind of – a medium is passing on messages from Em’s spirit.
No, another person somehow has Em’s phone and knew to skip the punchline of that joke and send the green-faced emoji. Have I met them before? Why would they pretend to be Em?
No. There are companies that send pre-programmed texts to loved ones of the deceased.
The messages would have been written before her death and programmed to instigate a conversation with certain phone numbers.
They can be triggered by location or a date.
It might have been possible for Em to have programmed in responses to our favourite jokes.
Have her parents received pre-programmed texts too?
But if it is number four, had Em known she was going to die?