Page 28 of Coming Home to Hope Street

‘Everything all right in here?’ Hannah asked as she came back in. ‘I need a bowl to put these crisps in.’

Phoebe reached for one, giving Livvy time to dart out of the room.

‘What have you said to her?’ Hannah’s tone was accusatory. ‘She’s as red as a tomato.’

‘I just mentioned she needed to look after you and not be here purposely for her own means.’

‘Oh, Phoebe. I told you to go easy on her.’

‘Believe me, I did. I wanted to say a lot worse than that.’

Hannah shook her head. ‘Let it drop, now. For me, please.’

‘But—’

‘Phoebe!’

‘Okay, okay.’ Phoebe’s hand went up to pacify Hannah. ‘I promise to be on my best behaviour from now on.’

‘Good.’

Phoebe followed Hannah into the living room. Livvy was sitting on the settee next to Pip, looking all hot and bothered. It served her right. She had to be straight with her.

She didn’t want to see Hannah getting hurt, not after she’d been so happy since Doug had come along. And she didn’t want anyone driving a wedge between the couple either. This was Hannah’s time for happiness.

Besides, she still needed to find out why she’d come back. Phoebe was determined to get to the real reason Livvy had returned with her daughter. There had to be a good explanation.

And she wanted to know what it was.

Chapter Eighteen

Livvy’s first week in Somerley had turned out much better than she’d expected. She’d been welcomed by Hannah and, even if they were still pussy footing around trying to please each other, things had been okay.

On Monday, Pip started school and seemed to settle in well. They’d had coffee in the indoor market afterwards and Pip had brought Tilly with her.

Hannah and Kate didn’t need her to start work until the following Monday and she’d thought it might drag now she was on her own. But her second week in Somerley was flying by as she gathered her bearings again, re-learning the layout of the town and all it had to offer. In many ways it had changed over the past twenty years but in others it was still the same and she found she liked its charm much more.

On Thursday lunch, Hannah had dragged her to the community centre where she’d helped out serving hot dinners for the lunch club. Despite her doubts, she found it was fun. The group were lively, and she hadn’t heard so much laughter coming from herself in a good while.

When she’d declined going to the Hope and Anchor that first Friday, Hannah had insisted she went this week. Hannah wanted her to get it over and done with. Doug had said no one would think any ill of her, and once she’d been there five minutes, she’d be old news, anyway. Even Phoebe had offered for Pip to spend the evening at her home with Tilly because she hadn’t got a babysitter again when Travis had cried off. “I have to stay in, so you might as well take advantage of it,” she’d said. But still it felt wrong.

It was all due to nerves. She recalled the last time she’d been in the pub. She’d legally been able to have a drink as her eighteenth birthday had been a few months before. She and her friend, Stacey, had downed a few snakebites and she’d been really drunk, to the point of throwing up in the kerb outside.

Back then, she’d known everyone. It was a place she met friends, and saw the neighbours, and got to know the regulars. There were some nights she’d been caught up to no good, perhaps having a little more than a snogging session in the beer garden. But for the most of it, she’d behaved.

That night she’d been with several friends from school who she had kept in touch with. They were sharing tales about their plans for the future. Livvy had listened to them talking about going backpacking around Australia, Thailand, and the Greek Isles, summer jobs overseas and one even starting their own online business selling personalised printed T-shirts.

It had been right at that moment when she’d realised what her future would be like if she stayed in Somerley. Because she’d have to fit it in around looking after her mum with Hannah, she’d probably get a job in the market or maybe an office job in Hedworth. Nothing exciting, just boring, predictable, and safe. It had been a defining evening for her. The following month she’d left for Manchester without a backward glance.

‘Someone’s looking good.’ Doug smiled at her when he answered the door. ‘Come in for a moment. Hannah’s nearly ready – which usually means she needs at least another twenty minutes.’

‘Cheeky bugger,’ Hannah chided, appearing by his side in a cloud of something that transported Livvy back to her teenage years. It smelled so much of her sister that it took her by surprise; so familiar to her, she almost felt light-headed.

Hannah wore a long-sleeved red dress, fitted at the waist and flaring out ever so slightly, resting above her knee. Her hair was in an up-do, tendrils hanging down sexily. She’d ramped up her make-up enough so that it wasn’t overbearing but gave her allure.

It made Livvy feel dowdy. Not having many clothes in her possession, she’d had no choice but to wear jeans, the only pair of heels she owned, and a pale blue blouse. Next to Hannah, she must look as if she was going to work, not out for the night.

But Livvy could see so much of Pip in Hannah as she gave a little twirl. Doug rolled his eyes, making her laugh.

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