Page 15 of Coming Home to Hope Street

Or maybe they weren’t so spontaneous. Maybe she’d wanted to come back for a while, make her peace? Hannah shook her head. That was wishful thinking on her part. Livvy was probably in trouble with nowhere to go. Although she’d like to think she could help with that if so. It wasn’t in her nature not to lend a hand.

Tea made for Thelma, and a list of shopping to pick up, Hannah left for work. Within minutes, she pressed down the handle on the door of Hope Street Hair and went inside.

Chapter Ten

Hope Street Hair was owned by father and daughter, Morris and Scarlett Helton. They had bought the shop when it was run down, had renovated it, and then employed Phoebe to manage it for them. They lived in London, and at first one of them had come to visit on a monthly basis. But for the past year, they’d left it all to Phoebe as she did such a good job. It was pleasing for all concerned.

The salon’s walls were painted pale lemon, making the room feel bright whatever the weather outside. Grey chairs, black-framed mirrors, and all number of chrome accessories gave it a modern feel. Music played in the background, often drowned out by the chatter and the noise from the hairdryers.

‘Morning,’ Hannah said as she rushed through the door.

‘What have you been doing up until now, or shouldn’t I ask?’ Phoebe cried. ‘I’ve been dying to catch-up!’

‘Let me get through the door before you start interrogating me,’ she protested. ‘And I wasn’t doing anything, cheeky. I popped in to see Thelma.’

The salon wasn’t due to open for another ten minutes so there were only the two of them. Phoebe waited for Hannah to come back through from the staff room before rounding on her again. ‘Come on, you know you want to tell me all about it.’

‘There’s nothing to say, really.’

Phoebe’s eyes widened. ‘I need more than that.’ Her long hair, in two blonde plaits, bobbed up and down as she nodded.

Hannah told her enough to whet her appetite, but not a word more. ‘She and Pip are here for as long as they want to be,’ she added. ‘I’ve said she can stay at number thirty-four.’

‘So you’ve moved in permanently with Doug? You sly cat.’

Hannah rolled her eyes at Phoebe as she raced past her to switch the main lights on.

‘I’ve been telling you for months to go for it. We need a wedding on Hope Street. We haven’t had one in ages.’

Hannah smiled. ‘It’s way too early for wedding bells, but I am enjoying being part of a couple.’

‘It’s good to see you so in love, Han.’ Phoebe was back in an instant. She sat on a chair and twirled round to face her. ‘What’s Livvy like now?’

‘In some ways she hasn’t changed at all. Of course, she looks older, and dear God, so do I. But… I don’t know. She’s just… Livvy. My little sister.’ Hannah sat next to Phoebe, glancing through the mirror to see how tired she looked. If truth be told, she hadn’t had much sleep last night, worrying about everything.

‘I gave her mum’s letter,’ she said.

Hannah watched for Phoebe’s reaction. Before she died, Martha Lockley had written several letters, one to each of her children and a further one to Hannah to try to explain her actions. That’s when she’d dropped the bombshell that she had a brother who’d been adopted at birth.

‘Ohhh.’ Phoebe nodded, the plaits taking on a life of their own again. ‘What did it say?’

‘I left her to read it on her own.’

Phoebe gasped. ‘But she might never tell you now! Hannah.’ She pressed a finger to her temple. ‘Think before you do things as important as that.’

‘I did think.’ Hannah wasn’t amused by Phoebe’s actions anymore. ‘I thought of Livvy, and I thought of me, and I thought of Mum. She would have liked Livvy to read that letter when no one was with her, I’m sure of that. And if Livvy doesn’t want to tell me what it says, then I have to respect her for it. Besides, I only gave it to her yesterday. Remember how long it took me to readmyletter from Mum.’

‘Three months! I can’t wait that long for gossip.’

Hannah glared at her.

‘Okay, okay.’ Phoebe held her hands up in mock surrender. ‘I know I always go too far but I’m so intrigued. I can’t wait to see her. Do you think she’ll come to the pub at the weekend?’

‘She might, if she can get a babysitter. Or she might not want to be interrogated.’

‘I should introduce Pip to Tilly,’ Phoebe said.

Hannah groaned inwardly. Either Phoebe had missed the latter part of what she’d said, or she was ignoring it purposely. And poor Livvy if Phoebe did get her talking. She’d want to know everything and also show her disapproval that she’d stayed away for so long without any contact.

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