Page 75 of Coming Home to Hope Street

The argument with Hannah was running on a loop through Livvy’s mind. How could Hannah think she’d come back because she had money? Okay, it was valid reasoning because she had turned up out of the blue. But Livvy believed she and her sister were getting on; assumed she’d shown Hannah what she was really like.

Another thought struck her, did everyone think she’d come back because of Doug? Wouldn’t they see things from her point of view now?

She flopped into the settee, picturing her mum sitting in the chair across from her. The disappointed look she imagined on her face was more than she could bear. Tears of frustration escaped, and she sobbed for everything she’d now lost.

At half-past six, she rang Pip to tell her to come home. When Livvy heard the front door go a few minutes later, she braced herself for the wrath of her daughter. Pip had gone to Tilly’s house straight after school, so she was obviously still sulking. No doubt she’d be moaning about everything to Tilly, but at least she might have got it all off her chest now. Livvy didn’t want a repeat of the last time Kieran left. Pip hadn’t spoken to her for a week and it had been awful to go through.

Pip walked straight past her without speaking and went into the kitchen. Livvy joined her.

‘Have you heard from Dad yet?’ Pip asked, hiding behind the open fridge door.

‘No, have you?’

Pip closed the door with a half slam. ‘No, he must have forgotten to switch his phone on because he doesn’t want to speak to you.’

‘Whatever you think can happen between me and your dad, it’s never going to change things. We’re not a couple and we haven’t been for a long time.’

‘Because you won’t let him near you, that’s why.’

‘Did he tell you that?’ Livvy felt her blood boil. ‘Because if he did, he had no right—’

‘Of course he didn’t tell me.’ Pip rolled her eyes. ‘I can just tell.’

‘How? Because you’re fifteen and have an adult intuition?’ Livvy snapped.

‘I’msixteennext month and just because I’m young it doesn’t mean I can’t see what’s going on. He wants to come back and you won’t let him. It’s selfish.’

‘You don’t know the meaning of the word,’ she muttered, moving back to the living room before she said something she regretted.

But Pip followed her, so she continued.

‘Your dad isn’t always the blue-eyed boy he portrays. He’s been mean and thoughtless in the past.’ She prodded herself in the chest. ‘I’ve kept so much from you and perhaps I shouldn’t have. Maybe I should have told you every last detail.’

Silence dropped on the room. Livvy cursed under her breath.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Nothing. Forget I said anything.’

‘You’re just bad-mouthing him to get back at me. Aren’t you?’

‘Not everything is about you, Pip.’ Livvy pushed past her. ‘I’m going to take a shower.’

As the hot water ran over her, Livvy let her tears flow once more. She wished she could turn back the clock and still be in Manchester, scraping together enough money to stop the eviction. It was a hovel, but it had been her place of safety.

Yet she hadn’t wanted to live her life that way any longer. She deserved better. It was she who’d had to be strong and do something drastic to change their situation.

Now she had no one to turn to, she’d made a complete mess of things. Pip wasn’t speaking to her. She had the argument with Hannah hanging over her, even wondering if she could face going into work tomorrow. Perhaps it would be best to fake a headache or some minor ailment.

No matter what, her problems would still be there the next day, and the day after.

Chapter Forty-Six

When Livvy came out of the bathroom, Pip was in the kitchen. Within minutes, they were arguing again. This time it was about Hannah. Livvy was trying not to rise to the bait.

‘You’ve still never told me why you stayed away from your family all these years.’

‘Not now, Pip, please,’ Livvy replied. ‘I have enough on my plate without this.’

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