“It’s not ruthless to have respect for oneself. And being selective about who you spend your time with is part of self-care. Maybe it’s to do with getting older. Time is precious. Time is always precious of course, but when we’re young we squander it dreadfully.”

Clare had a feeling she wasn’t doing it right. “So you not only decluttered your house, you decluttered your social calendar.”

“I did. And I can honestly say that I enjoy all my current friends immensely.” She leaned forward. “Did you enjoy Becca? Really? Did you have fun together? Did you laugh? Did you know that she had your back and would always fight for you? I don’t think so. Friendship has much in common with romantic love—caring about someone, loving them, should make you generous. You should want the best for them. You don’t try to use them for your own ends.”

Clare blew on her tea to cool it. Did her mother somehow know what she was carrying? Had she guessed?

“Becca was complicated.”

“You won’t find me arguing with that. I don’t know what she did to upset you so, and perhaps it’s best if you don’t tell me because it might not be good for my blood pressure, but it’s time to do what you couldn’t do when she was alive and let her go. And you can do that without guilt. You have my permission. Don’t let her control your life any longer. And remember it’s never too late to make new friends.” Her mother helped herself to another cookie. “Talking of which, how have you been getting on with Flora?”

Clare felt herself blush, knowing her mother wouldn’t have been proud of her if she’d witnessed the first day of Flora’s visit. “I’ve never been good with strangers, as you know, and it felt a little strange having her in the house. I had this ridiculous feeling that I was being disloyal to Becca.”

“And now?”

Clare sat up a little straighter. “Flora is a special person. She’s very relaxing to be with. She lacks Becca’s competitive instinct. I’d never realized how exhausting that side of her was.”

“Poor Becca. She felt she had to prove herself continually. It must have been exhausting for her, too.”

Clare turned back to the photos. There was Becca in a swimsuit, her arm looped around Clare. “I remember that day. She challenged me to a race. I won, and she sulked for two days so I made sure I never beat her again. It wasn’t worth paying the price.” And in that way she’d been a people pleaser, too. Just like Flora, she’d taken the easy route to keep someone happy.

It was ironic to admit that she and Flora probably had more in common than she and Becca ever had.