Never Close Your Eyes Read Online Free PDF

which had been blown out of place by the wind. She wasn’t bad-looking, really. But her eyes were sad.
    She felt the tears welling again and bit her lip. If she could only hate him. Then it would be easier. Instead, she hated herself for hoping like some stupid, lovestruck fool that he’d change his mind. She stuck her tongue out at her reflection and turned away. She was tired, that’s all. She needed to sleep. She’d feel better after a good sleep.
    There was no sound from upstairs, which was a relief. Michael was supposed to go to bed at 9 p.m. on weekdays and Freya no later than ten, but when Evie went to check on her she was often awake still, chatting to her friends on the computer. No wonder she found it so hard to get up in the mornings.
    Evie didn’t like leaving Freya to babysit – she’d only just turned thirteen – but there wasn’t a lot of choice. Money was tight now. It was either that or not go out.
    She tiptoed into the kitchen and turned on the light. That empty feeling in the pit of her stomach had returned: a strange, gnawing sensation. It wasn’t hunger but she needed to fill it. She opened the fridge and peered inside. There were yoghurts, milk, cheese and a piece of old quiche on a plate covered in clingfilm.
    She pulled out the quiche and took a bite. It was so cold that it hurt her teeth and the cheese tasted sharp. She pulled a face, wrapped the clingfilm back over the plate and shoved it in the fridge again.
    She got a glass of water, turned out the light and padded upstairs, past the hole in the wall made by Michael’s cricket ball. Seven years they’d lived in this house and how long had the hole been there – five? She’d had such big plans when they’d moved in, too. It was her dream home: Victorian, with six big bedrooms and a large, south-facing garden. But it had needed a lot of work even before the kids had given it a battering and Neil hadn’t been prepared to pay.
    Evie shivered. She’d felt so angry and frustrated. She simply hadn’t been able to understand his attitude. What a fool! It was all so clear now she knew that he’d started seeing someone else and didn’t know how much longer he’d be around. She felt herself sway slightly. She closed her eyes and steadied herself on the handrail.
    The bathroom door was open on the first floor and the light was on. Someone had left a wet towel on the lino. She bent down to pick it up. There was scum around the bath, too, and hairs on the soap in the sink. She put the soap on the edge of the bath and brushed her teeth quickly. She’d do a big clean-up tomorrow.
    Across the landing, Freya’s room was in darkness. Evie poked her head round the door and waited until she could hear her daughter’s soft breathing, in and out, in and out. She felt a rush of love – her big girl. Freya was such a support, always asking if she was OK. Evie pulled the door to gently.
    Michael, in the next room, had left his radio playing quietly. For company, probably. Even at nine years old he still didn’t like it when his mother went out. She tiptoed in and turned the music off, taking care not to wake him either.
    Evie went up another small flight of steps to the third floor in the attic and her heart gave a little skip as she entered her own bedroom. It was the one place that she’d managed to decorate before Neil left and it was gorgeous: her haven. She’d chosen a thick, coffee-coloured carpet and a queen-size bed with a squishy brown suede headboard that was really comfortable to lean against when she was reading.
    There were full-length, cream silk curtains across the bay window with a motif of trellis and classical vases overflowing with flowers. She’d taken ages choosing that curtain fabric. It had cost a fortune but it was just right – cool and elegant without being boring. And she’d gone for lots of silk scatter cushions in different