When they walked out into the front shop, they found Mack helping Sandra with the sweeping up, but Dexter was making everything harder by pouncing and barking at the brush.

“I thought I’d put her to work,” Sandra said.

When Mack looked up at them, she furrowed her eyebrows. “Hey, since when have you had a slush machine?”

“Flo keeps it back there, so it doesn’t mess with the Victorian vibe,” Isla said confidently.

Mack seemed surprised at Isla’s confidence in front of them all. “If I had known about the slush machine, I’d have been having one every day.”

Isla stuck out her now blue tongue at Mack, and Flora asked, “Would you like one?”

“Yeah, please?”

Flora turned to Isla. “Would you like to do the honours, Isla?”

“Use the machine, you mean?”

Flora nodded.

“Yes, please.” Isla hurried to the back of the shop again.

Mack gazed at her with soft eyes, put her hand on her heart, and mouthed Thank you.

Flora’s knees went weak at the gesture. In fact she was surprised that she kept upright. Mack was making her life lighter, her heart lighter. She only wished Mack would feel the same way.

* * *

Mack sat in one of the barber chairs with her feet up on the mirror unit in front of her. She scrolled aimlessly through Twitter while she waited on Flora closing up next door.

After a while Murdo came to pick up Isla, and Mack let Flora get on with cashing up. Liam had gone already, and Mack was waiting because Flora had promised to come in and finally see her shop.

Mack was completely alone because Dexter hadn’t wanted to leave Flora, so Mack left him there. Even her dog loved being with her.

She smiled as she remembered how well Isla had gotten on with Flora. Unlike with most adults, Flora was open with Isla. Mack could see so many issues that Isla shared with Flora and knew it was a good idea to introduce them.

Mack felt herself start to doze off and tried to stay alert. “I must be getting old.” Friday night, half past five? A few years ago, on the nights she wasn’t working with Nikki, Friday evenings didn’t start until eleven, when she’d head into The Reef for a pre-club drink before heading to The Deep.

But a few years later, and she was trying her best to stay awake at closing time. She jumped with she heard a knock on the shop door. Mack saw Flora standing there with Dexter. She moved quickly over to the door and opened up.

“Come in.”

Flora walked in and gazed around at the interior of the shop. “It really is beautiful, Mack.”

“Thanks, come in and see everything. I designed the inside to be steampunk style.”