Chapter 13
Lili sat back in her seat, worried that Hannah wouldn’t let Maisie stay with her again after finding out she’d taken her on holiday without asking first. She’d never had to ask Hannah’s permission to do anything with Maisie in the past. Since when had she been interested?
Lili chewed her bottom lip. In hindsight, she shouldn’t have left Maisie. But she was okay with Nate, Ray and William looking after her at The Summerhouse. Besides, when Hannah turned up, she would recognise the place. There was nothing to worry about. She’d explain everything to Hannah when she arrived. Lili’s smile faded. She knew she’d have to tell Nate as well.
As the taxi turned up the drive, the driver commented, ‘I’ve never driven up to The Summerhouse before.’
Lili nodded. She’d heard that before.
As they approached the house, Lili saw a car already pulling up outside. Lili paid the driver and got out of the taxi. She could see Hannah getting out of the car parked in front.
Lili ran up to her. ‘Hannah!’ There was no one with her, so she’d obviously decided to make the journey on her own. She looked tanned. Blonde hair scraped back in a ponytail, thick foundation, bright red lipstick, and false eyelashes; she was heavily made up as usual. However, she had dressed down for the flight home in Nike leggings with a strip running down the outside, which matched her black and white trainers. She was also wearing a baggy, oversized Calvin Klein sweatshirt. With a pair of sunglasses balanced on her forehead, she resembled a celebrity failing miserably at going incognito.
Hannah turned around, her eyes wide. ‘What the hell – Lili?’
‘Look, I’m sorry I left Maisie while I ran an errand, but I know these people, and she was having a good time with her new friend. I was only gone a short while.’
They walked up to the front door together.
‘I’m not talking about that – I’m talking aboutthis!’ Hannah flung her arms wide, indicating the house.
‘Oh, yes, well, it’s what I was trying to tell you on the phone. Remember we went to that party when we were at school?’ Lili was about to mention Nate when the door opened.
‘What are you doing here?’ Maisie shouted at her mother.
‘I’ve come to pick you up and take you home.’
‘I don’t want to go home!’ Maisie screamed in her face. She ran off into the house to hide.
Her reaction did not surprise Lili.
Hannah followed her inside. ‘Why did you bring her here, of all places?’
Lili frowned. There was that phrase again,of all places. Then she remembered. This was where—
‘Maisie, come back this instant!’ Hannah shouted. ‘We are leavingright now!’
‘What’s going on?’ Nate walked into the hallway and halted when he caught sight of them.
Lili stepped forward. ‘Look, I can explain. This is—’
‘Hannah.’
Lili looked quite shocked. ‘You remember Hannah?’
‘Of course he remembers me,’ she said under her breath.
Lili heard the comment, although she didn’t understand why Nate would remember Hannah. That party years earlier had been packed with teenagers.
William came running down the stairs. ‘Why is Maisie crying? She says she wants her mum to go away.’ William stared at Lili. Lili was staring at Nate. And Nate was staring at Hannah.
‘Maisie, get down here right now! You do not want me to come up and fetch you.’
There was the sound of a toilet flushing. Ray emerged from the downstairs cloakroom to find Nate, Lili, and a stranger standing in the hallway. ‘Hello,’ he said in the awkward silence. ‘I’m Ray, Nate’s dad.’ Ray waited for an introduction, but none was forthcoming until Lili stepped in. ‘This is Hannah.’
Maisie appeared at the top of the stairs. ‘I don’t want to go home.’ She wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked down the stairs.
‘I don’t want Maisie to go either,’ William added, running up to her and holding her hand.