Hey Nikki

Hope you’re settling into London life and the new job is everything you could wish for. Life here is pretty much the same as ever. Except now everyone is convinced I’m a certified loony after seeing that girl in London. I’m sure you think that too, and I’m wondering if that’s why you haven’t replied to me. Sorry. I probably shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just difficult, because I’m used to telling you everything.

I’m sorry (see? You said I never apologise and now I’ve just done it twice in one email!). I know I messed up, Nikki. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make things better. I promise. Can we talk sometime? Please?

Love you,

Emer x

She sent the email, then regretted it as soon she had. But it was too late to do anything about that now. She spent the next twenty minutes scrolling through Nikki’s social media accounts. Lots of photos of Nikki with her new flatmates, her new work colleagues, living her shiny new London life that didn’t include Emer. When she couldn’t bear it any longer, Emer shut down the laptop and started to get ready for bed. It was still early but she couldn’t face going back downstairs for another – inevitable – confrontation with her mother.

She was in bed, reading a book, when Robert knocked on her door.

‘You got a few minutes?’ he asked.

‘Sure.’

‘I’m sorry about earlier,’ he said. ‘I know your mother can be difficult sometimes.’

An understatement if ever she’d heard one, Emer thought.

‘She means well, though,’ Robert said. ‘Surely you can see that, Emer?’

‘We’ve had this conversation so many times,’ Emer said. ‘Do we really have to do it again now?’

The truth was, it didn’t matter how her mother behaved. Robert would adore her no matter what she did. He never tired of telling people how he’d known, from the first moment he ever set eyes on her when she came to his office for a job interview, that she was the only woman for him. Except back then, Ursula was married to Emer’s father. Robert had had to wait another eight years before finally getting what he wanted.

‘Let’s agree to disagree then,’ Robert said. ‘Besides, your mother wasn’t the reason I wanted a chat. When you came back from London, the first time you told us about seeing the woman on the Underground, you said it wasn’t like the other times. Can you explain why not?’

‘I know it sounds crazy,’ Emer said. ‘And I can understand why you’re finding it hard to believe me. But those other times, when I thought I’d seen her, it was only for a moment.’

‘Not always,’ Robert said. ‘What about that girl you saw in Dublin a couple of years back?’