Page 80 of Coming Home to Hope Street

‘I know. And at least the two of them aren’t as bad as us when we were younger.’ Phoebe laughed and nudged Livvy. ‘Can you remember when the fair came to town? Me and Han were sixteen, so you’d have been fourteen, and we all got blotto on that Bluebird stuff? Ugh, I’ve never been able to face that drink since!’

‘I threw up all over your shoes.’

When she heard Livvy chuckling, Phoebe knew everything was going to be fine.

‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I doubted you had a good reason for returning too. I should have known better, knowing Hannah as I do. There isn’t a bad bone in her body, so it stands to reason you’d be the same.’

‘I’m glad Hannah had you to get her through everything. I should have helped her too but instead I turned my back on her.’

‘Why didn’t you ever come home? It doesn’t make sense to stay away for such a long time about something so trivial.’

‘It was easier, I guess, than to face up to being wrong. And what would have happened if I’d come back and Mum didn’t want to know me?’

‘Nothing.’ Phoebe shook her head vehemently. ‘Martha was a sweet woman. She wouldn’t have turned you away.’

‘I know.’ Livvy burst into tears. ‘And now I won’t ever get the chance to tell her that. What a fool I’ve been.’

As Phoebe reached across to comfort Livvy, she could see two figures walking towards them.

‘Thought you might need some company,’ Hannah said as they drew level. ‘Look who came to see me.’

‘I’m sorry, Mum.’ Pip flew into Livvy’s arms and began to cry.

Livvy embraced her, pulling her in tight to her chest. ‘It’s okay, Pipsqueak,’ she soothed, mouthing ‘thank you’ to Hannah.

Phoebe stood up then. ‘Come on, Han. Let’s leave these two to have a chat.’

‘I have to say sorry too, before I go.’ Hannah gave Livvy a weak smile.

‘No, you don’t.’ Livvy wiped away her tears. ‘There’s absolutely nothing to apologise about.’

‘Okay, let’s talk tomorrow. At work?’

Livvy nodded.

Phoebe smiled at Hannah as they left mother and daughter to it. She hooked her arm through Hannah’s.

‘Blimey.’ She laughed. ‘Hope Street gets more likeCorrieevery day!’

Chapter Fifty

Once out of hearing range, Phoebe and Hannah caught up on the separate conversations they’d had with Livvy and Pip.

‘What a mess,’ Hannah said. ‘I hope it sorts itself out.’

‘I think I misunderstood Livvy,’ Phoebe admitted.

‘You don’t say!’ Hannah rolled her eyes in a playful fashion. ‘I think we all did, to be fair.’

‘I know one thing that’s clear from speaking to her. She’s so scared she’s made a mess of everything and really, she wants to stay and be part of your family again.’

‘She can do that. She knows she can.’

‘Have you said that to her?’

‘Not really. I said she could stay as long as she wants – well, before we had a huge row.’

‘She’s missed you, more than she can explain and more than she’ll ever know, I think. Coming back to Somerley has done her good, and it’s got rid of that idiot she was married to because, believe me, if he shows his face around here again, we’ll all be glad to have a hand in turfing him out.’

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