Excerpt: We Have Yet To Decide

He wants to keep listening but the twins, sensing a fight in the works, descend upon him. They tuck their arms under his, clasp their hands behind his back, and steer him out of the church and into the sun outside.

“But… but…” Cecil says, straining to look over his shoulder.

“Cecil, it’s none of our business.”

“But—”

“Really, Cecil. Come on outside, we’ll get you an ice cream. There’s a place down the street.”

“Oh-oh-oh.” Cecil wavers. He’s not allowed anywhere near an ice-cream store, but fortunately for him, the twins are—an oversight that demonstrates a profound lack of parental guile on the part of the Mums.

“Chocolate ice cream with sprinkles. You’ll like that,” Sophie giggles.

“Oh-oh.”

The twins, taking advantage of his lapsed concentration, pull him out through the crowds around the graveyard’s great iron gates, side-stepping well meaning relatives and Cecilia fans who want to pay their respects. Cecil waddles along between them, dizzy-legged and blinking in the sunlight. With his eyes half-focussed he’s aware only of the passing of smells, stiff aftershave and sweet perfumes and the salty-sad scent of fresh tears. He curls closer to Sophie, who kisses the top of his head.