“What did you have last time, Madeleine?” Hæra continued. “The sausage roll?”

Madeleine’s hand crept up to touch Hæra’s where it rested on her shoulder. It covered the rip where she’d torn Madeleine’s jacket with her teeth.

Hæra’s fingers stiffened. She clearly anticipated rejection. She began to move her hand away.

Madeleine placed her own hand over it and held it in place.

“Yes, that’s what I had,” she said, looking at Arjun. “It was really good. I’d just gotten here, and it was the first thing I tried.” She took a deep breath. “But I wanted to come back and try something else.”

Arjun looked at Hæra’s hand on Madeleine’s shoulder. Then his mouth quirked up halfway. “Never too late to try something new,” he said. “Especially if it’s something you’ve been wanting to try for a while. Jeremy could tell you so.”

Madeleine blushed again and smiled at someone who was like her and whom she did not have to fear, unless she chose to. He smiled back.

“We’ll have whatever you suggest,” Hæra told him. Her thumb rubbed against Madeleine’s shoulder. Madeleine kept her own hand over Hæra’s, using it to protect the tear beneath.

CHAPTER THIRTY

You kissed her!! Oh honey!!!!

I’m so happy for you

I mean assuming you’re happy too. Are you happy??

Madeleine, sitting on the bed, stared down at Becca’s texts. There was not a single indication of surprise in them. Typical Becca.

Yes, I am. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m happy.

She bit her lip, then, and her eyes stung with tears.

I’m so happy I don’t know what to do with it.

On the screen, green bubbles started, and then stopped, and then started again. Madeleine could picture Becca with her tongue between her lips, concentrating as she worked out the right thing to say. Finally, Becca replied:

Embrace it. Don’t let that Catholic guilt eat you up, there’s other ways of being faithful, and we can talk about that later, but for now I just want you to hold on to this feeling. Ok? You deserve it

Madeleine dipped her head. This time, a tear made its way down her cheek.

Keep saying that, and I might believe it.

I’ll say it as many times as you need. Want me to call?

A phone call. One where Madeleine and a friend could hash out all the details of a thrilling kiss, of a new romance. The sort of experience Madeleine never had growing up but had watched other girls having, and always wondered what it was like. Her heart raced with eagerness.

Yes!

Moments later, the phone rang, its bright tone lighting up the room with promise. Smiling, crying a bit, Madeleine finally answered.