‘Oh.’ I need more Blue Nun too. ‘He said that?’

Edie purses her lips. ‘Something along those lines.’

‘Good.’ Or do I mean bad?

I wish my mother would hurry up with that sherry. I sink back into my chair, mind whirring. ‘It’s been a bit of a day for shocks, hasn’t it?’

‘Yes,’ Edie agrees.

I’m not sure what else to say.

Chapter eighty-one

Chapter eighty-one

That’s about it then, really. I’ve booked my ticket on the cheapo, cheapo airlines and am due to fly off to my new life later this afternoon. Ooo. How scary is that? I left My Baby with a modicum of fuss and a cheque for two and a half thousand pounds, which has more than funded my placement. I think they were glad to give me the money to get rid of me once and for all. Monica and Charlotte shed a few tears and promised to email me, but maybe they’ll grow tired of it when I can’t provide them with a steady stream of gossip.

It’s a bright, sunny winter’s day, pretending with all its heart that it’s spring, and I feel like whistling. My trusty rucksack has been pressed into service again, so much sooner than it ever expected. I imagine it was looking forward to a long, languishing retirement in the back of my understairs cupboard—it just goes to show that you should always expect the unexpected. And I feel this is a good time to be leaving. My sister is going to be well and truly preoccupied with preparations for her new arrival, and I don’t feel guilty about abandoning my mother now that she’s turned over a new leaf and is no longer a man-hater but is getting hitched to a well-heeled Regis Philbin lookalike. It’s all happened so quickly that I haven’t really had time to sit and contemplate my actions—which is just as well, as I could get a severe case of cold feet otherwise.

All my clothes are laid out on the bed as I try to decide which few articles from my current life I can’t live without. Surprisingly few of them really. There’s an uncertain knock at the door and Jake puts his head round.

‘Hi.’ I see him take in the jumble. He shuffles into my room and lurks awkwardly by the door. ‘So you’re really going?’

‘Yes.’ Jake and I have been studiously avoiding contact with each other for the last few days.

‘And there’s nothing I can do to change your mind?’

‘No,’ I say softly.

‘Thought not.’ He gives me a weary smile. ‘Can I at least take you to the airport?’

I shake my head. ‘I’d rather go on my own,’ I say. ‘I’ve got a few things to do on the way.’