Page 8 of Coming Home to Hope Street

Hannah punched him playfully in the arm.

‘Seriously, I’m sure you’ll do all you can.’ Doug kissed her. ‘Let me know if there’s anything I can do too.’

‘You could make your own tea?’

‘I think I’ll go to the pub for a swift half to while away the time. Steak and chips sound good to me.’

Hannah grinned. ‘Now I know why you’re so keen to get rid of me for a few hours!’

The sound of Doug’s laughter made her smile as he left the room. She breathed in the scent of him, his aftershave still lingering in the air even after a heavy day at work.

With a feeling of trepidation, she picked up the shopping she’d fetched and made the few steps across the cobbles to number thirty-four.

Chapter Five

Livvy was sitting on the settee waiting for Hannah to arrive. It had been a long day, she was exhausted, and all she wanted to do was have a bath and go to bed. It would take her mind off things in an instant.

But the day wasn’t over by a long shot. She had to give Hannah some home truths and for the past hour had been working out how much to tell her, and what to say to explain everything.

It hadn’t exactly been a spur-of-the-moment decision to leave that morning. Yet telling Pip had been something she’d wanted to do at the last minute, knowing she would be upset. She thought back to the look her daughter had given her when she’d told her of their plans. They’d been sitting ready to eat their dinner the night before.

‘I don’t want to leave,’ Pip had retorted, putting down her knife and fork noisily.

‘We don’t have any choice, I’m afraid. Your dad left us with no means of paying the rent.’

‘But if you’d been nicer to him, he’d still be with us, wouldn’t he?’ she snapped. ‘I can’t understand why you were always so mean.’

‘Grown-ups often don’t get along forever, Pip. That’s just the way it is.’

‘No, it isn’t. You’re just stupid enough to make Dad leave.’

Livvy remembered closing her eyes while Pip had ranted at her. Why did children think that kissing and making up would keep their parents together? Pip hadn’t got a clue what she’d been through since she and Kieran had met. The broken promises and the lack of money; the control he had over her. Sure, it was hard for any teenager to go through their parents breaking up, but it wasn’t as if Livvy hadn’t tried to keep their marriage going.

There were so many things she couldn’t tell her, that would probably make sense. Pip was still a child, no matter what she thought.

‘Where are we going?’ Pip had asked then.

‘Somerley.’

‘Where?’

‘It’s half an hour away on the train.’

‘But what about school? And all my friends?’

‘It can’t be helped, I’m sorry.’ Livvy leaned across the table to reach for her daughter’s hands. ‘There’s something I have to tell you. I have a sister who lives there.’

Pip’s face screwed up in confusion.

‘You mean I have an auntie?’

‘Yes, that’s right. She’s name Hannah.’

‘How old is she?’

‘Forty.’

‘And I’ve never met her? Why haven’t you told me about her before?’

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