Neatly on its cover, in nine-year-old Catrin’s handwriting, it declared:

THE BOOK OF SECRET PROMISES

by

Catrin Kelly

Judith Harris

&

Lana Lloyd

On the front page, still held in place with yellowing Sellotape, was a faded and fragile Curly Wurly wrapper – the same wrapper upon which they’d sworn an oath in 1976. Every December the thirty-first for several consecutive years, they had each written a resolution. In 1978, Catrin had promised to pass her grade two ballet, Judith had vowed to stop biting her nails and Lana had pledged to learn all the words to every Abba song ever written, as printed in Smash Hits.

The last entry was dated 1985, when they’d attempted to predict their A-level results and promised each other they’d have the best time ever in Greece.

‘Well, we certainly did that,’ said Judith, remembering.

Catrin turned to the first blank page and wrote neatly in big letters:

New Year’s Eve, 2018

‘Right, who’s first?’ she said, a bright smile lighting up her face.

‘Me!’ said Lana. And she took a deep breath, along with the book and a pen. ‘In 2019, I resolve …’ She thought about it for a moment, tapping the biro against her chin before launching forth, ‘I resolve to plan a massive joint birthday party for us three. To celebrate turning fifty-two in style! Seeing as we did bugger all for our fiftieths.’

‘Bloody hell, do we have to be reminded of how old we are?’ said Judith with a sigh.

‘Fifty’s the new thirty, give or take,’ exclaimed Lana as she scribbled. ‘Don’t be such a whinge-bag.’

Cat laughed, taking the book from Lana and handing it to Judith. ‘Come on, Jude – your turn.’

‘Right, well, my plan is to get a transfer at work and finally move back to Wales.’

‘Seriously? You’re gonna move back?’ said Lana, shocked.

‘Yep. Little cottage in the hills maybe. Gareth’s wanted to for years.’

‘Yass Queen!’ shouted Lana.

The other two shot her a confused look and she shrugged. ‘It’s what all the young people are sayin’ these days, d’yamean?’

‘You’re ridiculous, you know that?’ laughed Judith and Lana poked her tongue out.

‘Hey! You know what else we should do?’ Lana added. ‘Next summer?’

Judith and Catrin shrugged.

‘We should go back to Greece. We should go island-hopping again.’ Her voice was filled with glee.

‘Oh my God!’ said Judith. ‘What, for like a week or something?’

‘Hang on a minute,’ said Cat quietly.

‘Come on, girls, it’s five to!’ shouted Huw Kelly from downstairs.

‘Be there now,’ Cat shouted back, before turning to her friends.

‘And Cyprus, of course,’ said Lana.

‘Well yeah, we’d have to go to Cyprus! So we’d need longer than a week, I suppose …’ Judith mused.

‘Girls, there’s something—’

Judith and Lana looked at Cat.

‘Look, I think it’s the best thing ever that you’re moving back, Jude,’ she said.

‘But what?’ asked Lana.

‘The thing is …’ said Catrin, treading carefully.

Suddenly the mood in the room changed.