Flora was in the back of the sweet shop waiting for Mack to come and get her. She was going for her first appointment with her therapist today and had been so nervous and exhausted because she hadn’t slept properly. She had absolute fear and dread about today, and even watching Mack’s ASMR videos hadn’t calmed her enough for sleep.

She’d spent the last hour separating some fruit sherbets by colour, then putting the separate colours in bags to take with her for the museum. At least gaining some control of the chaos of the fruit sherbets helped a tiny bit.

Flora jumped when the bell on the shop door rang. Her heart pounded. The time had come, and it felt like torture.

Sandra stuck her head around the partition and said, “Mack is here.”

Flora nodded and said, “I’ll be right out.”

Sandra took the hint and left. Flora immediately fell into her OCD ritual to try to bring some calm, but it wasn’t helping. She felt sick and didn’t think she could get her legs to move. But yet she kept going, caught in the cycle of her OCD until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Flora jumped and turned to find a smiling Mack. “I thought you might be struggling, so Sandra said it would be all right to come back and see you.”

Flora looked Mack up and down. “You look nice.”

She really did. Flora loved Mack’s jeans, shirt, and T-shirt look, but today she was wearing a grey suit with an open-necked white shirt.

“Thanks, I thought I’d better dress a bit nicer for the doctor and your fancy museum.”

“It’s not some formal museum—you didn’t have to do that. I like you how you are.”

“But you like this too?” Mack said, holding her jacket out.

“Oh yes.” Flora brushed her hand over Mack’s lapel. “You brush up very nicely.”

Mack smiled and held out her hand. “You look beautiful too. Is that dress new?”

“Yes, are you sure it looks okay? I’m not used to wearing this kind of thing.”

Flora had been expanding her wardrobe since she met Mack. It was silly, but her friendship was giving her the confidence to stand out just a little more.

“It’s perfect. Let’s go, wee mouse. You’ll feel better once this first appointment is done.”

Flora said nothing and still couldn’t move.

“Take my hand. I’ll be with you every step of the way. Trust me. I’m your guardian angel, remember?”

Flora grasped her hand. She did trust Mack, and that was the only thing that was keeping her going.

“Come on. I’ve got a taxi waiting outside.”