She points a finger at me as she leaves the room.

The baby shower passes quickly in a hail of champagne and gifts. The highlight was watching Sarah try and pretend that she liked a few of the presents I know she had already earmarked for taking back, having pocketed the gift receipt.

At half past six, another knock on the door interrupts Sarah pouring yet another round of drinks for her, by now, very merry guests. She walks down the hallway and opens the door, before shouting my name. I collect my belongings and make my way towards the door, ignoring Sarah’s furtive glances.

Standing at the open door is Tom, who is here to pick me up and drive us to The Book Club in the city centre. He is wearing a blue shirt tucked into a pair of maroon chinos. I give Sarah a hug and bid her farewell.

‘So that’s why you’re wearing that dress,’ she whispers to me as I step out the door, though I pretend I haven’t heard her.

‘Have a good night, you two! Behave yourselves!’ she shouts after us as we walk down the path towards the gate. I spin around and hold my hand up, middle finger protruding.

We walk to his car which is parked just around the corner and I slide into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut as Tom turns his key in the ignition.

Whilst he is setting the sat nav, I pull my phone out of my bag, having realised I haven’t checked it all afternoon. I’m surprised to see a message from Sarah. Maybe I’ve forgotten something. I open the message and feel my face flush at its content.

It doesn’t take a detective to understand what a GIF of Churchill the Dog chanting ‘Oh Yes’ over and over again is in reference to. I sneak a glance at Tom – who has pretended not to notice the dog’s incantation, though he does have a wide smile on his face – before making a mental note to kill my sister.

11

The Book Club is a small, independent book shop located on a side street in the Northern Quarter area of Manchester. If you weren’t actively seeking it out, it’s possible you’d never set eyes on it. The lime green sign above our heads shows the shop’s name in bold lettering and the window display on one side of the door is dedicated to debut authors and books from indie publishers.

On the other side of the door, the books all share a Mancunian theme; either books about the rich history of the city or literature showcasing home-grown talents.

The small shop has a homely feel. Wooden bookshelves line each of the four walls, proudly housing books of every genre from floor to ceiling. Colourful pieces of card are sporadically placed, giving recommendations from the staff as to what they think you should read next.

A small desk with a cash register has been placed in the centre of the room, taking up as little space as possible to allow maximum exposure of the merchandise.