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Lydia’s face heated when Mia and Freda got hot and heavy on the screen. She almost strained her eyeballs, making sure she didn’t look in Halle’s direction. As the credits rolled, Lydia inhaled deeply. “That was gorgeous. I can’t believe I’d never heard of it before today.”

“I told you so,” Halle answered, her attention on her buzzing phone. Lydia gathered the mugs and bowl, leaving Halle to message whoever had contacted her. When she returned, there was a frown on Halle’s face.

“Everything okay?”

“Absolutely. Do you want to watch some TV, or do you want to call it a night?”

“We can see what’s on.”

They were 20 minutes into a Dr. Who episode when the doorbell went off. It was nine in the evening, and Lydia was less than impressed she had to drag her arse from her comfy spot. Ready to give whoever it was a piece of her mind; Lydia was surprised to see Fe. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” Fe answered, pushing herself past Lydia.

“Well, because it’s a bit late for a social visit.”

“Halle, you’re still here?”

Lydia watched the odd exchange between Fe and Halle. Had she missed something? “Do you want a drink, Fe, or some food?”

“A cuppa would be great. I’ll tell you; parents’ evenings are rough.”

And just like that, Lydia’s night alone with Halle came to an abrupt end.

* * *

“You’re looking brighter today.” Cathy smushed Lydia’s face with affection.

It was day three into Aunt Flo’s visit, and Lydia had woken to the sun shining and birds chirping. Her sullen mood had finally buggered off. Life was looking up, even if she was still cramping and bleeding profusely. It all seemed a little easier to cope with when the black clouds had cleared.

“I’m feeling better. You, however, look…” Lydia let her comment trail off. Cathy, who usually had an immaculate appearance, was looking rather dishevelled.

“I’m never having kids. They’re monsters.”

“Oh my, what happened?” Lydia rolled her lips in, trying not to laugh at Cathy’s misery.

“A school trip, that’s what happened.”

“Hang on, you have something…” Lydia peeled what looked like Silly String off Cathy’s left shoulder.

“That’s just perfect. I’ve been walking around with cheese string on me. Wonderful.”

“Why have you got cheese string on you?” Lydia made them both a cup of tea. First, because Cathy looked as if she was going to murder someone. Second, because Lydia couldn’t hide her laugh any longer.

“I swear to God they were feral, the lot of them. And I can state, categorically, I detest Night at The Museum!”

“Um… Okay, care to elaborate.”

“The entire group was convinced the models were going to come alive. One little boy, who looked like he was jacked up on sugar, started running round the exhibits, hitting them with his cheese string, which he pretended was a sword. The teachers did bugger all!”

“Oh shit,” Lydia sniggered.

“Of course, I intervened before someone got hurt or the display got damaged. Can you imagine what Norris would’ve said? Anyway, the little shit with the cheese string turned it on me.”

“Cathy, what the hell?” Both Lydia and Cathy jumped at Harrison’s voice booming through the breakroom. “You abandoned me with a bunch of devil kids!”

“I did no such thing!”

“Yes, you did. You radioed me and asked me to help with something and then scampered the moment I arrived. I got poked in the eye with a Chupa Chups!”