The Mirror: Released Today + Sneak Peek!

I’m really excited to let you all know that my new novel, The Mirror is available now.

The eBook is available via Amazon for £2.36 ($2.95).

If, like me, you prefer a “real” book I am selling paperback copies directly through the blog. Create Space just works out as way too expensive for readers.

You can purchase a paperback copy now through my side bar or at the end of this post. Please make sure to select your region as the postage cost is included per region.

Anyway, I recently posted the blurb and a sneak peek of Chapter One. And because I’m so excited to share this with you all today, I thought I would give you all a second sneak peek – Chapter Two is below.

Don’t forget to go back and read Chapter One if you haven’t already.

The Mirror – Chapter Two

Amy kissed Lilly’s forehead and straightened up. She smiled down at her and brushed a stray strand of her soft hair off her face.

“Night honey, love you,” Amy said.

“Wait,” Lilly called as Amy headed for the door. “One more story mum. Please.”

Amy sighed but it was a good natured sigh. This was their nightly routine. Amy was glad they had a routine. After what had almost happened… No, Amy thought, I won’t think about that.

She walked back to Lilly where she lay all tucked up in her bed. She sat beside her and reached for a book.

“This one?” she asked, showing Lilly the cover.

Lilly nodded.

Amy started reading the book. She was about three pages in when she saw Lilly’s eyes closing. After four pages, Lilly was fast asleep. Amy sat on her bed a moment longer, watching Lilly. Her slightly pursed lips, the smattering of freckles across her nose.

Amy smiled down on Lilly. She was her entire world. Her and Scott. Amy gently stood up from the bed, being careful not to wake Lilly.

As she walked towards the door, she felt her eyes being drawn to the mirror. She smiled. It was really quite spectacular.

Between her and Lilly, although mostly her, they had cleaned the frame up, then polished it until it shone. The gilt frame reflected the light in the day time, sparkling and glittering. They had taken care to get in every tiny nook and cranny and their work had paid off Amy thought. The glass in the mirror shone.

The mirror had been given pride of place above Lilly’s bed, although Amy had drawn the line against it being above her head. Instead, it hung beside her bed which was pushed up flush to the wall. It was opposite the large window, and when the curtains were open, it reflected the lovely view of the countryside outside their windows.

Amy stood for a moment looking at her reflection. Her make-up was removed and her hair was still damp from her shower. She looked even younger without the make-up, vulnerable. But she was stronger now, she told herself. She wasn’t vulnerable anymore.

She smiled at herself in the mirror, watching her lips curl upwards and getting a glimpse of her white teeth.

She tiptoed out of the room, pulling the door almost shut behind her. Amy went down the stairs and into the lounge.

Scott looked up and smiled when she entered. “Is she asleep?”

Amy nodded. She moved to the couch and sat beside Scott. She hated that she felt less vulnerable curled up beside him, but she did. He was her rock. The one that kept her safe and grounded at the same time. She loved nothing more than being wrapped up in his warm, strong arms. He was only two years older than her, but she often felt as though he was old beyond his years.

Not that anyone would think that looking at him. He had a boyish face, and his brown hair had a slight wave in it that made him look younger. His dark brown eyes were always full of warmth and mischief. Amy knew she should be grateful for having him. It wasn’t his fault she sometimes felt so reliant on him that she lost herself a little.

Scott noticed Amy looking at him and smiled. “I’ve poured you some wine,” he said, nodding at the large glass of white wine that sat beside his can of lager on the coffee table.

“Thanks,” she grinned. She picked it up and took a sip. It was nice. She took another larger swallow and put it back on the table.

She settled back on the couch, tucking her feet up underneath her. Scott wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in to him. Amy let out a contented sigh.

“Do you like it here?” Scott asked. They had just moved house. Not too far away from where they were, just out of the main city and into the countryside. They had both agreed that the country air would be good for them all, especially Lilly.

“I love it,” Amy said. “And Lilly is growing to love it too I think.”

“We’ll see about that when it’s time for school on Monday” Scott laughed. Lilly had been in the new school for a few weeks now and she was making friends, but she still missed her old school and her old friends.

Amy smiled. “Yeah,” she said. “So, what are we watching?”

Scott reached to the arm of the couch and grabbed the remote control.

“This,” he said mischievously. He pressed play and the screen of the large TV sprang to life showing the opening credits for Hostel. “I thought you might get so scared, you needed me to protect you.”

Amy heard the laugh in his voice and felt herself laughing along. She pushed away the thought that tried to enter her mind. The one that said he hadn’t protected her when she needed it most of all.

“We’ll see about that,” she said. “Maybe it’ll be the other way around.”

“Nah,” Scott laughed. “I’ve seen it before so I know what to expect.”

“That’s not fair,” Amy laughed.

***

Amy woke with a start. She glanced at the clock. 3.15am. She didn’t know what had awakened her, only that something had. She lay listening to the silence, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.

Scott lay beside her, his deep breathing soothing. She felt the warmth coming off him in waves.

Amy felt her eyes closing again. It must have been a cat or something outside made a noise she decided. As she drifted back into sleep, she heard it again. Louder this time.

Her eyes flew open and she was on her feet. It had been Lilly. Calling her name, her voice laced with panic.

Amy rushed to Lilly’s room. She pushed open the door.

“It’s ok,” she said as she went in. “It was just a nightmare. Mummy’s here now.”

Her sentence stopped short as she stepped fully into the room. Lilly lay fast asleep, her thumb in her mouth, her breathing slow and even. She looked so peaceful. Amy knew she couldn’t have been awake only seconds ago.

But the voice. It had been Lilly’s voice. Who else could it have been?

Amy shook her head. She stood in the centre of Lilly’s room, undecided about what to do next. She couldn’t wake her. That would be stupid. She decided to stand there a moment in case Lilly called out again. Maybe she was trapped in a nightmare and needed Amy to wake her.

Amy dismissed the thought. Lilly was so still, so peaceful. That wasn’t the sleep born of nightmares.

Amy quietly left the room. If Lilly did wake up, she would be scared half to death at seeing someone in her room before she realised it was only Amy.

Amy slipped back into bed. I must have been dreaming myself she thought. Sure, I felt like I was awake, but sometimes dreams do feel really real don’t they.

She pressed up against Scott. He stirred slightly and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her in close. His breathing evened back out as he fell back into a deep sleep. Amy laid awake listening.

She heard nothing except the gradually increasing wind outside and Scott’s breathing coupled with an occasional murmur from him. She didn’t know how long she laid awake listening, but she must have fallen back to sleep eventually.

***

Amy jumped as the blaring noise cut through her sleep. Clumsily, she rolled over and hit the snooze button. Just five more minutes she thought as she snuggled back down under the duvet, her eyes still closed.

Amy’s eyes sprang open, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up. She could feel eyes on her; watching her.

She gave a half laugh as she jumped into a sitting position and saw Lilly standing at the end of her bed.

“Lilly, you scared me,” she laughed. Her voice was shaky with relief. She shook her head a little. What was I expecting she thought? She pushed the thought away. It was an area she didn’t want to explore. Of course she had only been expecting Lilly. Her extreme reaction was because she was still half asleep.

“Are you alright honey?” Amy asked.

Lilly nodded. “I’m hungry,” she announced. Reluctantly, Amy pushed back the duvet, knowing that her chance of an extra five minutes had long passed. She flicked the alarm off. One of us might as well get some sleep she thought, glancing at Scott.

Amy walked down the stairs and into the kitchen, Lilly running happily ahead of her. Amy thought back to last night, when she had thought she heard Lilly calling out for her.

“Did you sleep ok?” she asked, keeping her tone casual as she poured coco pops into a bowl. She turned to the fridge and got the milk.

“Yes,” Lilly said.

Amy frowned. It wasn’t like Lilly to give one word answers. She would usually chatter on for ages about the most mundane things. And she would normally add a question or two of her own. Amy shook her head. She was being silly. Scott always said she liked to look for problems where there weren’t any.

Amy put the bowl of cereal down in front of Lilly and put the kettle on for her coffee. Lilly picked up her spoon and began eating. Amy smiled as she watched her. There was nothing wrong with her appetite.

Lilly was about half way through the cereal when Scott came into the kitchen.

“Morning,” he smiled. He kissed Amy and ruffled Lilly’s hair.

“Dad!” Lilly shouted, jumping up and wrapping her arms around Scott’s neck.

Scott laughed. “Wow, that’s some greeting,” he said.

“Will you read me my story tonight?” Lilly asked, sitting back down and picking her spoon up.

“Sure,” Scott said, reaching for the cup Amy held out to him.

Scott glanced at Amy. If he noticed that her smile was forced, he didn’t comment. Amy tried to push away the feeling that Lilly was punishing her for something. She always read her the bedtime story.

Amy remembered the time she had the flu and felt so ill she could hardly move. Lilly had been four at the time. She had cried so hard and for so long when she was informed that Scott would be reading her bedtime story, that Amy had dragged herself out of bed and read the story. And now she was being tossed aside like an old newspaper.

Amy dismissed the thought. It was stupid. She was being paranoid and she knew it. She should be pleased at how much Lilly loved Scott. She wasn’t being rejected. Was she?

“Dad will you take me to the park today?” Lilly asked, her face hopeful.

“I think Mum’s taking you isn’t she?” Scott said, glancing at Amy uncertainly. Amy felt her paranoia rush back in. Lilly knew she was taking her. She had talked about it non-stop since Amy suggested it. Until today.

“But I want you to take me,” Lilly insisted with a frown. “Please?”

Scott glanced at Amy again. She shrugged, hoping it looked casual but fearing that it didn’t. It certainly didn’t feel casual.

“I tell you what,” Scott said, “How about we all go?”

Lilly seemed to consider his words. She shrugged one shoulder. “Ok,” she agreed. To Amy it sounded like she was agreeing because she had no real choice. She didn’t want Amy along, and she was making no effort to hide it.

Amy turned to the sink, throwing out the dregs of her coffee and rinsing the cup. She didn’t want Lilly to see how hurt she was. She didn’t want Scott to see either. He would tell her she was being paranoid. That kids are partial to whims, and their affections come and go. He would tell her that Lilly wasn’t trying to hurt her.

Deep down, Amy knew those things were true, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something had changed in her daughter overnight.

“Let’s go get dressed,” Amy said, turning back around and forcing a bright smile onto her face. If anyone noticed the high red circles on her cheeks that always gave away when she was close to tears, they didn’t comment.

What do you think so far? Let me know in the comments 🙂

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