By six on Friday, everybody at the Portlight had become a little unreasonable. Helen wanted a chair moved four inches. The person moving it wanted to know which four inches. Ruth could not find the brooch that was pinned to her own collar. In wardrobe, Mina stood very still with a cup of tea in …
Mrs. Avery unzipped the garment bag and looked at the dress as if it were a dress, which was exactly what I needed from her. “Still lovely,” she said. “Yes.” “I’ll have to speak to the consignment buyer. I can’t promise what you’ll get for it.” “I know.” She spread the skirt across the clean …
The first time Rhys mentioned the premiere reception, I was holding a sleeve against Ruth’s shoulder and trying not to put a pin into either of us. “Two guests each,” he said from the doorway. “Names by five on the day. Passes collected from me, not invented by someone’s charming uncle.” Ruth turned her head. …
I woke to the sound of somebody losing an argument with my kitchen drawer. For a few seconds, I lay still. The other side of the bed was empty but warm. A line of sunlight had reached the floorboards. My clothes were on a chair where I had not put them carefully, and Nick’s watch …
Sophie was already on the bench when I arrived. She stood as if she meant to hug me, then sat down again before I reached her. “Hi.” “Hello.” The park was full of small weekday sounds: a gardener moving a hose, children in the playground beyond the hedge, a woman calling a dog that had …
Nick’s idea of a walk involved a map. Mine involved being able to see a place that sold coffee from wherever we stopped. “There’s a café,” he said, tracing the route with one finger. “At which end?” “The far one.” “A serious flaw.” He folded the map. “We can go straight there.” “No. You’ve brought …
Mum came on Saturday without ringing first. She brought a casserole in the dish she had once insisted was too good to lend me. “I thought you might not be eating properly.” “I’ve been eating.” “Well, it will keep.” She stood on the landing with the dish between us, looking older than she had in …
Nick looked at me for long enough when I opened the door that I checked the front of my dress. “What?” “Nothing. You look lovely.” “You made that sound like an accusation.” “I’m adjusting.” He wore a dark jacket without a tie. I had seen him in better clothes and less flattering ones, but I …
By Monday morning I had decided to behave normally, a plan immediately undermined by the fact that I no longer remembered how. I said good morning to a rack of coats, put my keys in the button drawer and asked Mina whether she had seen my glasses. I did not wear glasses. She looked up …
Daniel said he would be out between ten and twelve on Saturday. At ten past ten, he opened the door before I could use my key. “I thought we should talk.” I stood on the step with two empty bags and the peppermint tin in my coat pocket. Behind me, Mina’s car idled at the …
