Page 33 of Second Verse

‘What? It’s a dog,’ Poppy answered impatiently.

‘Where’s its hair?’ she asked. The owner looked up.

‘Luna, can you come over here please,’ Poppy hissed urgently.

Luna turned to the dog owner. ‘Did you shave it?’

The man frowned. ‘No, it’s the breed. It’s an American Hairless Terrier.’

‘It looks weird,’ Luna told him.

In her defence, she had a point. But Poppy didn’t care to back her on it, because the situation had forced her to come out from behind the counter to drag her away from the man, who was looking quite peeved about his dog’s beauty being called into question.

She pulled the girl back to her original table. ‘I need you to sit quietly.’

Luna frowned. ‘What shall I do?’

‘Uhh...’

‘Can I draw?’

‘I don’t have anything to draw with.’

‘Can I do Lego?’

‘I haven’t got your Lego,’ Poppy pointed out.

Luna let out an almighty sigh. ‘I’m so boreeeeed.’

‘You’ve been here all of five minutes, Luna. And you’re going to have to occupy yourself for a few hours yet.’

‘Hours!’ Luna almost yelled. The few occupants of The Sugar Cube turned to the loud whine.

‘Shh!’ Poppy begged. She didn’t know how the hell she was going to get this kid to chill.

‘Can I play with Freddie?’ Luna asked.

That threw Poppy. ‘He’s not here.’

Luna pointed out of the café window at the small square opposite. Freddie was rolling around on a scooter, gleefully speeding towards birds, causing them to fly up into the air in terror. Poppy couldn’t see Norah around.

But there was a blond man with a beard yelling, ‘Freds! Leave them!’ He had to be Freddie’s dad and, therefore, Norah’s partner. He was handsome enough to match Norah in the looks department, Poppy would give him that.

‘No, you can’t play with Freddie. You have to stay here,’ Poppy instructed Luna firmly.

‘Why? There’s nothing to do,’ Luna whined.

‘If Freddie comes in, sure. But you can’t go out there to him, OK?’ Poppy explained.

Luna looked unhappy. ‘OK.’

Poppy went back behind the counter, leaving Luna sitting at the table. She was wondering if there was some app she could put on her phone quickly for Luna to look at. Educational, if possible, but anything would have done. If the kid wanted to playCall of Duty, Poppy would have been OK with it if she could just get the kid to sit down.

But then she saw Luna heading for the door of the café. Poppy flew back round the counter in time to see Luna fling open the door and scream, ‘FREDDIE!’ with every bit of air in her lungs.

The boy turned instantly. ‘LUNA!’

Poppy reached Luna at the door. ‘Luna!’

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