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But deep down, the small flutter of attraction towards Norah was building. Or maybe it was more accurate to say that it was reigniting.

Twenty-Five

When Norah pulled up to her mother’s house in the white rental van, an unconsidered problem smacked her in the face. Poppy was with her. Norah didn’t know if her mother had noticed Poppy was back living on Orchid Street, but she definitely didn’t know Norah and Poppy were friends again. She didn’t know because Norah had made very sure never to tell her.

The whole situation had felt a bit fraught. Despite the length of Poppy’s absence, Norah didn’t know what her mother thought of Poppy now. She’d never liked her, and she was a legendary grudge holder.

But that wasn’t exactly what was worrying Norah at this moment.

‘Just wait in the van for a second. I’m going to get my mother ready for my arrival,’ Norah said carefully.

‘But she knows you're coming?’ Poppy asked, confused.

‘Yeah, but she doesn’t know...’ Norah trailed off.

Poppy’s lips parted in horror. ‘Oh. She doesn’t knowI’mcoming today?’

Norah licked her lips anxiously. ‘It just might seem a bit odd to her...’ she began. But she didn’t want to end the sentence. Because the end of the sentence was, ‘If you suddenly appear, it’s going to look to my mum like I left Max for an old flame, so maybe hang back?’

But Poppy wasn’t picking up on the subtext. ‘Does she still hate me after all this time?’ she asked.

Well, that was a simpler question to answer. ‘She neverhatedyou.’

Poppy’s brow deepened. ‘Maybe she won’t realise it’s me.’

Norah considered that. ‘Maybe.’

‘So I just... won’t introduce myself. You just say I’m your friend, your veryvaguefriend. I doubt she’ll ask,’ Poppy said.

Norah nodded. ‘OK, let’s try that.’ Honestly, she wasn’t sure it was gonna work, but what else could she do?

They climbed out of the van.

‘Hold on,’ Poppy said, running around to the back of the van and coming back with a large rolled-up rug held in front of her face.

Norah laughed. ‘Jesus. Are you scared of her?’

Poppy looked at her in astonishment. ‘Obviously. Where have you been?’

Norah chuckled her way to the door and rang the bell. Freddie opened the door. He’d been there all morning, under his grandma’s/new roommate’s watch.

‘Hey, look at you answering doors, big kid!’ Norah greeted him and swooped in for a hug.

As Norah was squeezing him, she saw her mother step out into the hall. She looked straight past Norah, at Poppy, hiding behind her rug.

‘Poppy Jennings, is thatyou?’ she said immediately.

OK, so that was that.

Norah turned to see Poppy give a little sigh from behind the rug. She lowered it, fear in her eyes. ‘Hi, Mrs Cauldwell.’

‘She moved back to the area recently,’ Norah jumped in.

‘I’m aware ofthat. You have that ridiculous car,’ Norah’s mother said.

‘I sold it,’ Poppy said apologetically.

It was weird for Norah to see her like this—so apologetic and cowed.