Her mobile rang, and she jumped. She glanced at the clock on the TV and took a deep, shuddering breath. Eleven thirty. At this time of night, it could only be Sue calling her. Probably wondering where she was, because—stupidly, she now realised—Max hadn’t called her at all this evening.

Oh God, how was she supposed to talk to her as if nothing much had happened, when exactly the opposite had occurred? She’d had her mouth and her fingers on another woman’s pussy. She’d had another woman fuck her from behind with a good, hard silicon cock.

And then, as if a dam had been broken with the insistent shrilling of her ringtone from deep inside her handbag, the sob that she had bitten back earlier broke free, followed by many, many more. The phone stopped ringing, and in the silence left behind, Max wept like she’d never wept before. All the fears and doubts and guilt and confusion over who she was, who Sue was, and who they were together overwhelmed her. Wrapped in a towel, she dropped to her knees in the middle of her hotel room floor.

Oh, fuck, what was she supposed to do now?

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4

Manchester, 1997

Mandy watched the removal men carry the last boxes into the house, squeezing her mum’s shoulder gently.

“You okay, Mum?”

Her mum turned in her direction; her eyes shimmered with tears.

“That’s it now, isn’t it?” Her mother’s voice quavered. The tears would surely start to fall soon.

She nodded and squeezed again. “Why don’t you go and put the kettle on, and I’ll see them out, okay?”

Her mum gave her a grateful look and headed down the hallway towards the kitchen.

Mandy turned to the removers and shook their hands.

“Thanks, guys. You did a good job. Appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” said the more senior of them. “If I could just get a signature?”

Once she’d finished with the paperwork, she waved them off and then shut the door. She found her mum in the kitchen, two mugs of tea on the counter. She was gazing out of the window at the small garden of her new home. Five months since Mandy’s dad had died, and her mum still looked as stricken as if it were yesterday. Mandy hoped the relocation, near to some of her closest friends, would help her move on with her grieving. Then it would be time for Mandy herself to move on. She’d given up her life in Australia to support her mum, but now she was getting antsy to proceed with her plans to get reestablished here at home.

Her mum turned as Mandy stepped further into the kitchen.

“Oh, sorry, darling, I didn’t see you there.” Her voice was quiet and thin, and it tugged at Mandy’s heart strings.