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Hope sighed. “For teaching me that maybe it’s important that I have something of my own, that I don’t turn into my mother, that Alice learns from me what a sensible relationship should be like. I don’t… I don’t want her thinking that I sacrificed everything for her.”

“Even if you did?” Ava asked.

“I don’t want her to carry that guilt. So thank you.”

Ava blinked, her eyes feeling gritty and tired, her body feeling heavy. “I will be here.”

“What?”

“For the end of term, of course I’ll be here,” Ava said. “I’ve got no intention of running out and leaving the school in the lurch. I’ll stay until the end of term and then leave straight after.”

“Right.”

“Which means…” Ava swallowed. “I mean, that means you and I have a few weeks together. Not together-together, but—”

“I know what you mean,” Hope interrupted. “And it won’t be a problem.”

“Friends?” asked Ava, not at all sure that this wasn’t going to be a problem. Not at all sure that she could stop herself kissing Hope in the next five minutes, let alone the next five weeks.

“Friends,” Hope said. “And co-directors.”

“Ah, I see you have your heart set on next year’s Oscars,” Ava said. “Well, I’d better see that nativity script before we make any decisions.”

“I’ll dig it out for you,” Hope promised.

“You know, I was thinking about Alice for the role of Mary.”

“Were you?”

“Mmm,” Ava said. “But actually, I think she’s more suited to being a Wise Man. Well, Wise Woman, I suppose.”

Hope laughed. “I see your point.” She stood up, went to the cupboard to get her coat and bag. “We can talk about casting tomorrow, I’ll find the script and you can read it at lunch.”

“Sounds like a plan,” said Ava.

Hope pulled on her coat. “Alright then. Well, good night, I suppose. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

Ava watched her leave, heart aching, thinking that one day the leaving would be for real. One day she wouldn’t have the promise of seeing Hope in the morning. One day that she needed to prepare herself for, because leaving Hope was going to be a lot more difficult than she’d planned.

Chapter Thirty One

Hope looked out of the kitchen window, hands soapy with dishwater. She was tired. Bone-achingly, terribly tired. She was also no fool and knew damn well that she was depressed and miserable.

Like it or not, her feelings for Ava were stronger than she’d realized, and now, well, now things were broken.

As she watched, she saw Rosie jump up over the fence and stride confidently across the garden. She was about to grab some cat food when she saw something else. Another cat hopped up onto the fence then gingerly dropped down onto the lawn, following Rosie at a distance.

Rosie paused, the other cat caught up, rubbed its face against Rosie’s, then the two continued onward toward the back door. The cat flap opened, Rosie slipped through, followed closely by the other cat.

Hope just stood and watched, she had no clue what she was supposed to do about this interloper. Rosie yawled impatiently, looking up at Hope, and the male cat, because it was very clearly a male cat, stood behind her.

With a sigh, Hope got two bowls from the cupboard and filled both of them.

“What’s this?” Caz asked, coming into the kitchen.

“Looks like Rosie’s got a boyfriend.”