Penny’s dad had taken off about two months after she was born. Miranda was four at the time and had been a difficult child, while Penny had reflux and spent most of her time crying. Their father had told her mum he couldn’t do it anymore, so their mum was left to look after two small girls all by herself.

‘At first it was just “get out of bed and you can have a coffee”,’ her mum explains. ‘But then it was “breakfast is done, and everyone is dressed, have another coffee!”’

Penny takes her mum’s hand, which is dry and scaly, unfamiliar to what it used to be like. Penny reaches for the moisturising cream and begins rubbing it gently into her mum’s hand.

‘Somehow I went from having a couple of coffees a day to having …’ She trails off. ‘Well, you know what I was like.’

For as long as Penelope can remember, her mum always had a coffee on the go.

‘And look what I’ve done to myself.’ She gestures to her decaying body, destined to spend the last of its days bedridden.

‘Mum, the coffee didn’t do this to you,’ Penny says.

But her mum speaks as though she hasn’t heard her. ‘Could have had more years with you girls if I’d just drunk green tea instead.’ Her mum shuts her eyes, exhaustion taking over again.

Penny’s throat closes over and she suffocates a sob as it tries to make its way out of her throat.

The end was too close.

Chapter 31

31

Hanna is sunbaking by the pool wearing dark sunglasses when Bonnie approaches and perches next to her on the pool chair. Bonnie doesn’t say anything to begin with, needing more courage than she thought she would.

Hanna glances up. ‘You okay?’

Bonnie can’t even pretend that she’s not agitated. As each day passes, it’s getting harder to live in the house. She gives a quick shake of the head. ‘Have you still got the phone?’ she asks in a hushed voice.

Hanna props herself up a little, quickly turning her head to check if anyone’s listening to them. With Hayley on a one-on-one date with Ty, the rest of the girls are using the time to hang out by the pool. Once Hanna realises no one else is paying attention she confirms, ‘Yeah, it’s in my red bag. There’s an inside zipper that has a safety pin on it. Just make sure you put it back.’

‘Thank you.’ Bonnie smiles and is about to get up from the chair when Hanna says, ‘If you need to talk …’