Being asked to cut the ribbon at the small opening ceremony had been an unexpected honour and one Prue felt she really did not deserve, but it had all been her idea, as so many kept reminding her, even if circumstances had prevented her from playing an active part in most of its construction. She had coiled the shiny red ribbon up afterwards and slipped it into her pocket. A keepsake, to look back on. She smiled as she realised it was almost the exact same shade of red as her new T-shirt, the one with all the zips that she’d bought in Oxford Street and still hadn’t quite found the nerve to wear.

It must have been her being thumped over the head and the shocking news of Miss Parker’s involvement, right here under their own roof, that had jolted so many of the other residents into backing the scheme and contributing a few pounds towards the costs. Either that, or Aaron shaking a bucket on their doorsteps until the guilt kicked in. She could just picture him, staring them in the eyes, not moving an inch until the coins, or better still notes, had landed. She had laughed when he’d told her about it, but it seemed to have got results.

One or two had even helped with the digging and carrying, so she’d been told. But she knew it was Suzy who had really made it all happen. She had finally agreed to sell Miss Parker’s flat to Simon’s uncle, and Simon had told her on the quiet that Suzy had made what was meant to be an anonymous, but considerable, donation to the garden fund, pushing a large wad of cash into his hand to buy supplies. Prue wouldn’t let on that she knew, not if Suzy wanted to keep it a secret, but she felt immensely grateful, just the same.

There had been a huge change in Suzy since she had found out she had a brother. Prue had heard all about it from her many phone calls with both Madi and Aaron over the last few weeks, and seen it for herself whenever she came up to see Simon, with Madi letting her stay for a night or two in her spare room. Suzy had even invited her in for tea, saying with a laugh that her cakes were probably nowhere near as good as Emily Parker’s, but to blame Mr Tesco if they weren’t.

Whatever feelings Suzy had had about her father’s affairs, and her understandable animosity towards his many mistresses, none of that had shown itself in her blossoming relationship with George. Believing yourself to have no family and then discovering that you did after all must be a strange notion to come to terms with, Prue thought, wondering how she herself would feel if an unknown brother or sister suddenly crept out of the woodwork. But it was different for Prue. She still had two living parents, and the possibility that either of them might harbour memories of long-distant affairs or have created secret children was quite frankly unthinkable.