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‘I’m sure he’s been spoiled rotten,’ Theo replied. ‘Especially if Amelia has been down.’

Daisy chuckled lightly because she knew it was true. As long as Claire and Ian refused to get a dog of their own, Amelia would make the most of every second she could with Daisy’s. And Daisy understood. Even after the fancy hotel with the spa and luxury food, she wanted nothing more than a night curled up on theNarrow Escapewith her feet on Theo and Johnny’s head on her lap.

She took her bag from the boot of the car and was about to say as much to Theo, when a voice cut through the quiet.

‘No, this is it. I mean it this time!’

The tone of the shout shot into the deepest recesses of Daisy’s memory. Growing up, it felt like she had heard the same line spouted every other month in the same tone from the same person. She picked up her pace and raced through the gate from the car park to the canal.

‘Mum?’

Her mother was marching out of theJeanette, a heavy bag on her shoulders and her face contorted in anger.

‘Mum, is everything okay?’ Daisy asked.

Her mother turned to look at Daisy, sniffing back tears as she wiped her nose with the back of her hand.

‘Daisy, thank goodness you’re back,’ she said, a look of relief washing over her. ‘I’m going to need to stay at yours tonight.’

53

Everything seemed to happen so fast. One minute, Pippa was there, her arms wrapped tightly around Daisy, then the next moment she had spun on her heel and was marching up the towpath towards theSeptember Rose.Still confused by what was going on, Daisy turned around to find Theo standing there. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was going to say, but thankfully, he got there first.

‘It’s fine. You go be with your mum tonight. We’ve got plenty of time together.’

Daisy let out a groan. She had wanted to catch up with the girls. To thank them for taking care of the business, not to mention see Johnny after the weekend away, but she knew her mum and this situation too well.

‘I’ll come over to theEscapefirst,’ she said. ‘To give Mum some time to cool off before I try to talk to her. She’s got her own key to theSeptember Rose. I’m sure she’ll let herself in.’

‘Sounds like a good idea.’

A heavy weight filled Daisy’s chest. So much for a night with her feet up on Theo and with Johnny’s head on her lap. She watched until her mum had disappeared up ahead of her, thenwalked down to the lock and followed Theo over towards theNarrow Escape. They had barely set foot on the towpath when the barking started.

‘I guess someone is pleased to see you,’ Bex said as she appeared on the bow of the boat, only to be pushed to the side by Johnny as he leapt onto land before running back and forth between Daisy and Theo as if he couldn’t decide which of them he wanted to greet first.

‘It’s good to see you too, boy,’ Daisy said, crouching down and ruffling his fur. ‘Yes, I’ve missed you too. We’ve both missed you lots. Have you been good? Have you been a good boy for everybody?’

While Daisy continued to fuss over Johnny, Theo walked over to greet their two-legged friends. It was only when Daisy finally looked up after several belly rubs and ear scratches that she saw they were all on the towpath and with their bags in their hands.

‘You’re not going already, are you?’ Daisy said, leaving Johnny to run to Theo for attention. ‘Do you not have time for a drink first? Just a quick one?’

It was unlike her friends to turn down the offer of a drink, be it a glass of wine or a cup of tea, but following her question, Bex and Claire exchanged a look that appeared close to a grimace, though it was Amelia who spoke first.

‘I think they had enough drinks last night,’ she said, in a voice that sounded more like the adult of the group than a child. ‘Let’s just say it’s a good job I knew how to use your card machine, because if you’d left it up to them, you wouldn’t have been paid for a single drink.’

Daisy looked at Claire, who raised her eyebrows and twisted her lips in response.

‘That’s not entirely true. We could have taken cash.’

‘I don’t think you were in any fit state to count properly,’ Amelia said, shaking her head.

Daisy had no idea when Amelia had switched from being a young, carefree kid to this, but it was sweet how seriously she had taken her role in the coffee shop, even if she’d meant to be entertaining Johnny rather than working.

‘Well, it sounds to me like you’re the one who gets to keep all the tips,’ Daisy replied.

‘Oh, trust me, I have,’ Amelia said. ‘But we need to get off. I forgot to bring my homework. I need to get back so I can do it before tomorrow.’

At this, Claire stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Daisy in a tight hug. ‘Next girls’ weekend, she’s staying with her father,’ she said. Daisy let out a chuckle.