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Kelly swept the hair from under the chairs in the salon. She listened to the chatter of the women and the stylists – holidays, news stories, local gossip, sick husbands, troublesome children, you heard it all in Sarah’s salon.

Sarah finished her last highlight and set the timer. She nodded to Kelly and made a drinking gesture. Kelly put the broom away and followed her into the back room.She sat on the small orange couch while Sarah pressed buttons on the coffee machine.

‘Ah, for the love of God, I can’t work this fancy thing out at all. Darren keeps buying these complicated machines. I was happy with my kettle and instant coffee.’

Kelly grinned and got up. She took the cup from Sarah. ‘I’ll do it.’

‘Thanks, love.’ Sarah perched on the arm of the couch. She was very differentfrom Lucy – they were like opposites.

While Lucy was thin, bony, all sharp edges and huge brown eyes, Sarah was soft and cuddly. She had kind blue eyes and a gorgeous smile. She was a few sizes bigger than Lucy, but she was taller so she carried it well. Lucy was better-looking, if Kelly was being honest, but everyone loved Sarah because she was so kind and almost always in a good mood, exceptwhen Ollie did something totally mad or Shannon was being bolshie.

Sarah changed her hair colour all the time. It had been red for a while, but when she’d turned thirty-eight last month she’d dyed it peroxide blonde. Kelly thought she looked cool.She always wore black, ‘because it makes me look thinner’, but usually with bright lipstick so she looked cheerful.

Kelly handed her a cappuccino.

‘You’re a wonder with that machine. Thank you,’ Sarah said. ‘Now, tell me, how are you finding the new school?’

Kelly tried to sip her latte, but it stuck in her throat. She felt a lump forming and then, without seeing it coming, she burst into tears. She covered her face. She was mortified. She never cried.

‘Ah, now, come here to me.’ Sarah put her sturdy arms around Kelly and patted her onthe back. ‘It can’t be that bad after only a week.’

‘It is.’ Kelly sniffed. ‘I hate it.’

‘Moving to a new school at seventeen is hard. It’s normal that you’re finding it tough. But don’t worry, pet, it’ll get easier.’

Kelly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jumper. ‘I don’t think it will, Sarah. They all have their own groups – they’ve been friends for years. I’m a total outsider. There’sthis one girl Chloë who was all friendly and added me to the house WhatsApp group, but she has me down as “Kelly Scholarship”. It’s like I have a tattoo on my head – SCHOLARSHIP GIRL. Her friend Melissa seems like a real bitch. She looks at me like I’m scum.’

‘There are mean kids in every school. Sure, a boy in Ollie’s class asked him if he was retarded. Imagine, at ten years of age!’

‘What?’

‘I know, the cheek of him.’ Sarah blew on her hot coffee. ‘Now, come on, they can’t all be rotten like Melissa. What are the other kids like?’

Kelly shrugged. ‘Some of them seem okay, I guess, but they all have friends already. I haven’t really got to know anyof them. I just want to go back to Woodside and hang out with Shannon and Mandy. I wish Dylan had never got that scholarship.’

‘It’sa fantastic opportunity for him to train with a great coach, and it’s a brilliant school. A lot of very successful people went to St Jude’s and, soon enough, you’ll be one of them.’

Sarah felt she had to say what Lucy would want her to say. She knew how much all this meant to her friend, but it was hard to see poor Kelly so upset. If only she’d left Kelly at Woodside and just sent Dylan to StJude’s, everything would be fine.

Kelly threw her hands into the air. ‘I’m no good at sport so the “amazing facilities” Mum keeps banging on about make no difference to me, and I can work hard in any school. The Leaving Cert curriculum is the same. Besides,’ Kelly exhaled deeply, ‘don’t tell Mum because she’ll actually have a full-on heart attack and probably kill me, but I don’t want to studylaw. I want to go to art college and study fashion and design.’

Sarah took a sip of coffee to gather her thoughts. Lucywouldhave a heart attack if she thought Kelly wasn’t going to study law. Her heart and soul were set on it. Kelly was going to have the life Lucy should have had, and Lucy was incapable of seeing any other path for her. Sarah chose her words carefully. ‘Okay, pet, but you mightchange your mind. Shannon has a new plan every second day. And even if you do decide not to study law, although I really think you shouldn’t rule it out, you’re still getting a great education. And … well … it’s really important that you try your best. It means the world to your mum and you should show the St Jude’s teachers how great you are. Let all of them and the headmaster, all of the parentsand kids at the school, see what a fantastic girl Lucy raised.’

Kelly sighed. ‘You sound like Mum now. She keeps going on about how I have to shine and be perfect. It’s just a stupid school.’

Sarah paused. ‘Well, it’s not just any old school. It’s pretty special, so why not do your best and make yourself and your mum proud? Give it your best shot, Kelly, for your own sake.’

Kelly put her coffeedown. ‘Okay, I’ll try.’

‘Good for you, and remember, the first week of anything new is difficult. You’ll be okay. Just keep smiling your beautiful smile and they’ll all fall in love with you – the boys definitely will anyway. Are there any cute ones?’

Kelly smiled. ‘Well, yes, actually. There’s one guy, William, who’s pretty gorgeous.’

‘See? It’s not all bad.’ Sarah grinned. ‘Now I’ve to goand wash the colour out of Mrs Kilmore’s hair. No doubt it’ll be wrong – there’s no pleasing that one. But she always comes back.’

Kelly washed and dried the mugs and leant against the sink. She knew Sarah was right – she should try – but she was still furious that her life had been turned upside-down for Dylan. No one had asked her what she wanted. The decision was made and she was supposedto just suck it up. She wondered what her mother’s life would have been like if she hadn’t got pregnant. Would she have become a successful lawyer? Would she have got married? Would she be happy? Would she have had kids?