Page 86 of Second Verse

‘How?’ the girl begged with tears in her eyes.

‘Mainly at the pelvis,’ Poppy sniggered to herself and then glanced up at the window to see Mrs Cauldwell standing right outside, looking through the gap in the blinds at her. Poppy screamed and stood. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ she yelled.

‘What?’ Mrs Cauldwell asked boldly through the window.

Poppy paused the show and went to the front door, where Mrs Cauldwell was waiting. ‘You scared the piss out of me!’ Poppy said.

‘I knew you were in.’

‘So you decided to peep at me through the window?’ Poppy said, still trying to shake the adrenaline out of her system.

Mrs Cauldwell tutted. ‘I was just trying to get your attention. I don’t derive pleasure from watching people watch terrible television.’

‘My viewing habits are not on trial,’ Poppy said, embarrassed.

‘I don’t care about that,’ Mrs Caldwell dismissed. ‘I need to speak to you.’

Poppy blew out a breath, calming a bit. ‘You could have called.’

‘I don’t have your number.’

‘Then ask your daughter,’ Poppy said.

‘She can’t know I’m here.’

Poppy was struck by a strong sense of deja vu.

‘What’s up, Mrs Cauldwell?’ Poppy asked.

The woman gathered herself up to her full height—which was around five foot two—and fixed Poppy with a terrible stare. ‘Whatever you’re trying to do,stopit.’

‘What am I trying to do?’ Poppy asked.

‘Break up a family,’ Mrs Cauldwell said.

‘What family are you talking about?’ Poppy asked, though she knew where this was going now.

‘My daughter’s.’

‘Do you mean her marriage?’ Poppy asked.

‘Yes.’

‘I didn’t have anything to do with that ending,’ Poppy told her plainly.

‘Maybe. Maybe not. But don’t do anything to stop it getting back together.’

Poppy burst out laughing. ‘What?’

‘It’s over with that woman. He knows he made a mistake. He wants them to move back in,’ Mrs Cauldwell explained.

‘He told you that?’ Poppy said, unsurprised. Of course, he was crawling back. It was the next step in the shitbag playbook when an affair petered out.Take another run at your ex, see if there’s any drama left to squeeze out!Pathetic.

‘He’s been to see me,’ Mrs Cauldwell said. ‘He explained everything.’

Poppy was appalled. ‘Has he talked to Norah? Seems like she’s the one who ought to be consulted on whether they're getting back together.’

‘She’s being obstinate,’ Mrs Cauldwell said with a tut. ‘But she’ll talk to him eventually. Just make sure you don’t stand in the way.’

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