“I think she needs a friend. All the other shopkeepers around us think she’s a weirdo—in their words—and that makes me angry. They have no idea what she’s been through. I don’t know anything apart from that one night we met, but she’s obviously a shy, sensitive soul.”

They both looked over at Isla carrying the ice cream, and Nikki said, “Like someone else we know.”

Isla put down the ice cream, and Mack said, “You forgot the most important thing.”

Isla’s face lit up in a smile, and then they both said at once, “Sauce and sprinkles!”

Mack got up to get them while Nikki dished out dessert. When she got back, Nikki said, “Tell me more about this woman Flora.”

“Who’s Flora?” Isla said.

“My next door neighbour at the barber’s. She runs a traditional sweet shop.”

“Really?” Isla’s face lit up.

“Yeah, when you come to get your hair cut, I’ll show you.”

Isla and Mack put the sprinkles on their ice cream liberally while Nikki kept hers plain.

“Is she pretty?” Nikki asked.

“She is beautiful, but she doesn’t know it. She hides under oversized cardigans and things like that. I don’t think she wants anyone to notice her.”

“But you did?” Nikki said.

“Yeah, I did.”

Nikki took a spoonful of dessert and said, “That’s a rare thing in our world. Women not knowing how beautiful they are.”

“She’s special, and I think I found my way back to her for a reason.”

“It’s not like you to talk like that. This Flora must be something special,” Nikki said.

Mack smiled. “She is. I feel it.”

* * *

Flora was eating dinner at the kitchen table. The TV was playing in the background. She was late with dinner tonight. When she returned home, her neighbours upstairs were at the front windows of their flat shouting and making sexual gestures at her.

She was so upset that she locked herself in her bedroom when she got in. Eventually hunger made her brave enough to go to the kitchen and cook. They hadn’t done anything else since, thank goodness.

It was a shame they’d ruined her excited, happy feeling. She could have skipped home this evening, after her conversation with Mack. Talking with her wasn’t hard, as it usually was with people, and she didn’t feel judged.

And Mack was so gorgeous. Everything about her made Flora’s heart flutter. Her kindness, understanding, and sensitivity—Flora didn’t think someone like that existed.

Maybe she could make a genuine friendship with her, and admire her from afar?

Flora took another forkful of her pasta dish and then remembered what Mack had said about her YouTube channel.