He was trying to stay awake until his mum got home. She had gone to work at Larkins tonight. There was a Christmas party. Before she had left that evening, wearing a pretty red dress and smelling of hairspray and perfume, she had asked him to think about what he would like Father Christmas to bring him. He didn’t believe in Father Christmas anymore, and even if he had been real, he couldn’t give Treasure the two things he wanted most in the world. Even God hadn’t been able to deliver, and Treasure had been asking him for long enough. All he wanted was to rescue Star. And to be white.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Now

Billie sat in the trendy cocktail bar wearing half a glass of gunpowder pepper gin and artisan tonic water down the front of her favourite white shirt.

‘Oh God! I’m so sorry!’ One of her best friends, Julia, was trying to mop up the pool of expensive liquid on the table with a flimsy paper coaster, while the other, Annie, searched in her bag for some tissues, which she handed to Billie.

‘That’s the best part of twelve quid I’m drenched in,’ Billie joked, dabbing herself with the tissues.

‘I know. I know. I’m really sorry. It was just the shock. You could have broken it to us gently. I can’t believe you haven’t said anything before now.’ Julia sipped what was left of the drink she had knocked over in surprise when Billie had shared her latest news with them.

‘I was working out what to say. And anyway, I haven’t known for that long myself.’

‘Well, I’m going to buy myself another drink, and then you have to tell us everything!’

Julia headed for the bar.

‘Are you okay?’ Annie was rarely ruffled by anything. She was a lecturer at the university where Billie had worked. They had met in the refectory on Billie’s first day and had been friends ever since.

‘I think so. I mean, it was a hell of a shock at first, but now it just feels weird. I’m not sure what to do about it, or even if I should do anything. Sleeping dogs and all that . . .’

Annie fixed her with the steady gaze she used on her students when they tried to fob her off with some bullshit answer to one of her questions.

‘What?’ Billie shrugged, and busied herself with more shirt dabbing.

‘I hope I haven’t missed anything.’ Julia arrived back with her drink and a cloth to wipe up the rest of the spillage. ‘The barman was very sweet. He gave me another gin and tonic on the house.’