‘Do that, my love, and I’ll get to work on everything else,’ Emily said. ‘I’ve got to start unpacking – like sheets, pillows, and our clothes. I’m fine with the catering, but not sure it was such a smart idea to invite my parents for Christmas lunch.’

‘I’m not sure it’s ever a good idea to invite your parents to anything,’ he murmured, under his breath.

Emily looked cross, suddenly. ‘What did you say?’

‘Nothing, darling.’

‘You did, your lips moved!’

‘I just said it’ll be lovely having your parents here for Christmas Day.’

A female voice shouted out from the kitchen, ‘No you didn’t!’

9

Friday 14 December

Emily and Jason both looked around in shock.

He jumped up. ‘What the…?’

‘Who said that? Who said it?’ Emily asked. ‘Who is it, who is in here with us?’

‘I thought we’d turned the bloody television off!’ he ran through into the kitchen.

The television was off.

As he stared at it, Emily’s demeanour changed, and she stopped smiling. ‘It is off?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where did that voice come from?’

‘I don’t know, some glitch with the command box, I would think. Maybe it switched the television back on and then off again?’

‘Maybe it didn’t. Maybe there’s someone playing a game with us? Is there someone in the house?’

‘What?’

‘I mean it.’

‘Of course there’s no one here, babes!’

‘That voice – that was not the television,’ she said.

They pulled on their clothes, then he fetched their glasses, refilled them, and they sat at the kitchen table. He sipped his drink in pensive silence.

‘What was it?’ she pressed.

‘Listen, we…’ He fell silent again, holding his glass in his hand.

‘We what? We heard it,’ she said. ‘We both bloody heard it.’

‘There has to be a rational explanation.’

‘Good. Tell me, I’m all ears.’

‘I think –’ he hesitated – ‘maybe the command turned on the television and then switched it off again. That must be it.’ He sipped the remains in his glass. ‘Shall I open another bottle?’

‘I think we’ve had enough.’

‘I need another drink. Just one glass, OK? We can have the rest tomorrow.’

‘Why don’t you ask our uninvited guest to open it for us?’

He laughed.

‘I’m glad you’re finding it funny, because I’m not.’

‘There has to be a rational explanation,’ he repeated.

‘I’m waiting for it.’

He stood up and went over to the fridge, opened the door and removed the bottle of champagne he’d bought to celebrate their moving in, before finding the one the estate agent had left them.

‘Telepathy?’

‘Telepathy? What do you mean by that?’

He shrugged. ‘Maybe we’re in a heightened state, you know – moving home. It’s a pretty big and traumatic upheaval – probably more than we realize.’

‘So, we’re picking up each other’s thoughts via telepathy? Is that what you’re saying?’

‘As one explanation.’

‘So, let’s go with that, for the moment, OK?’

He nodded.

‘In which case, what you said about it not being a good idea to invite my parents to anything is not very kind – considering how much they helped us buying our first home, and always willing to help with this. A damned sight more than your parents have ever done.’