Chapter 2: Sherry Oak

For the first time in a few days, my alarm woke me. And I ached. Everywhere. My legs felt like lead, and my shoulders, arms, and back screamed the moment I shifted under the duvet.

My first thought was that agreeing to enter the singles tournament had been a poor decision. But I couldn’t back out now, so I forced myself out of bed despite the resistance from every single muscle in my body.

I don’t know which hurt more, my thighs, calves, or lower back. But a long, hot shower worked wonders, especially for my back. By the time I got dressed and headed downstairs for breakfast, I felt almost human again.

I was picking up Lana a little later now that I knew the route—quarter past eight instead of eight. I’d eaten and was getting ready to leave when my phone rang.

It was Vicky.

I swiped across the screen.

“Hey, sis.”

“Hey, Paul, sorry for calling so early on a Sunday, but I’ve got a huge favour to ask.”

“No problem. What do you need?”

“Some space.”

“Space?”

She took a deep breath. “You remember Dad’s old drinks cabinet. Well, your drinks cabinet, actually. He left it to you. And everything in it—all the glasses and bottles of booze.”

I paused. One heartbeat. Two. Three.

“Paul?”

“I remember.”

I hadn’t thought about that cabinet since—well, since before I left for America two and a half years ago. A sudden image filled my mind—that special bottle of Scotch I’d promised to open and share with Will in Dad’s honour.

But never had.

Then life got in the way. Or maybe I’d just let it.

“Well, the thing is, Paul...” She paused. “We’re getting new furniture for the lounge and, well, the cabinet doesn’t match. It seems a shame to put it in the garage or something, because it’s really a lovely piece, so I was wondering...”

“I’ll find room. I’ll make space for it even if I have to shift everything around.”

“Excellent! Can I bring it over this afternoon? I can use the restaurant’s van, and I’ll bubble-wrap all the glasses and bottles.”

“That’s fine, but I might not be here because I’m in a badminton tournament. I’ll make sure Mark is, though. He’ll help you get it into the house. And then I assume Imogen will find a place to put it.”

Vicky laughed. “It all sounds very ... domestic. I’ll be over after three. Hopefully I’ll see you then. Maybe you’ll get knocked out early. How good are you?”

“Terrible. I’ll almost certainly be back by three. I’ll see you this afternoon.”

I hung up the call and then, for a second, I stared at the phone’s screen.

Lana was once again waiting for me outside the building when I parked by the kerb. But I didn’t even need to turn off the engine this time because all she had with her was a small canvas messenger bag slung over her shoulder, big enough for her phone, purse, and whatever else she insisted on carrying around all the time.

She smiled at me and, as she buckled her seat belt, said, “You’re—”

“I know. I know. My sister called right when I was about to leave.”

“Oh, okay, I forgive you then.” She grinned.

I rolled my eyes, put the car into gear, and pulled away.

“What did she want?” Lana asked after we had left campus.

I looked at her and, in my usual, eloquent way, said, “Huh?”

Now she rolled her eyes. “Your sister. Nikki, is it? What did she want?”

“Vicky,” I said. “Well, Victoria, technically. But I don’t think I’ve ever called her that.”

“Right. Vicky. So what did she want? Did she tell you off about something? You been a naughty boy?”

I chuckled. “No. If I’d been ‘naughty,’ she’d leave it to Will to tell me off. No, she wanted...” I sighed. “My dad left me this drinks cabinet. Really nice. I think it’s an antique or something. It’s mine, Dad left it to me. And everything in it. But it’s been at Vic’s since she moved out of the old house. Only now she’s having new furniture, and says it doesn’t match, so she wants me to take it. Finally. I’m surprised she didn’t ask as soon as I moved in last Easter.”

“What’s in it?”

“In it?”

She smiled. “You said your dad left it to you. That must mean he made it a specific gift in his Will, right?”

I smirked. “You’re doing a ‘Wills and Probate’ module this term, aren’t you? I’m sure that’s one of the second-semester compulsories.”

She nodded. “We are.” Then she shrugged. “So if he left it to you as a specific gift, there must have been a reason. And I’m guessing it’s not the cabinet itself, but its contents. So ... what’s in it?”

I sighed again. I was approaching a roundabout, so I knew Lana wouldn’t expect me to answer until we’d passed it. But even when I didn’t answer immediately after the roundabout, she didn’t pressure me.