_OceanofPDF.com_The_Girl_on_the_Train_-_Paula_Hawkins

ANNA
• • •
MONDAY, JULY 22, 2013
MORNING
Tom woke me up early with a kiss and a cheeky grin. He has a late
meeting this morning, so he suggested we take Evie around the corner
for breakfast. It’s a place where we used to meet when we first started
seeing each other. We’d sit in the window—she was at work in London
so there was no danger of her walking past and noticing us. But there
was that thrill, even so—perhaps she’d come home early for some
reason: perhaps she’d be feeling ill or have forgotten some vital papers. I
dreamed of it. I willed her to come along one day, to see him with me, to
know in an instant that he was no longer hers. It’s hard to believe now
that there was once a time when I wanted her to appear.
Since Megan went missing I’ve avoided walking this way whenever
possible—it gives me the creeps passing that house—but to get to the
café it’s the only route. Tom walks a little way ahead of me, pushing the
buggy; he’s singing something to Evie, making her laugh. I love it when
we’re out like this, the three of us. I can see the way people look at us; I
can see them thinking, What a beautiful family. It makes me proud—
prouder than I’ve ever been of anything in my life.
So I’m sailing along in my bubble of happiness, and we’re almost at
number fifteen when the door opens. For a moment I think I’m
hallucinating, because she walks out. Rachel. She comes out of the front
door and stands there for a second, sees us and stops dead. It’s horrible.
She gives us the strangest smile, a grimace almost, and I can’t help
myself, I lunge forward and grab Evie out of her buggy, startling her in
the process. She starts to cry.
Rachel walks quickly away from us.
Tom calls after her, “Rachel! What are you doing here? Rachel!” But
she keeps going, faster and faster until she’s almost running, and the two