‘That’s it!’ yelled Nanna, and everyone stared at her in surprise. ‘Angela, we’ve all had enough of you. I’ve tried to be understanding about your issues. But this has got to stop! None of this was Ellie’s fault. You keep acting like Ellie deserved this, and she didn’t! The first person to throw her to those wolves was her own family’ – Mark’s shoulders slumped in shame – ‘and you think I don’t know about the bills you let her pay with her savings? Ellie’s been more sensible then the two of you put together!’ She glared at Mark and her mum, who both squirmed under her reprimand.
‘It’s okay, Nanna,’ Ellie said weakly, not wanting her nanna to get upset.
‘No, it’s not okay!’ Nanna said firmly, her grey head switching between mother and son with equal ferocity in her eyes. ‘We’re a family, and we stick together through good times and bad. We support one another, not pull each other down. Angela, you need to stop with all the negative comments and look in a mirror. You are putting all of your fears and self-hatred on your own daughter. No wonder she’s been so desperate to leave home. And, Mark, I know you’re trying, darling, but at some pointyou need to take accountability. Stop looking for easy fixes and money from your sister to bail you out.’
Mark and her mum looked as if they’d been hit by a truck and not by a pensioner laying out some hard home truths.
‘Mum’s right though…’ said Ellie, feeling as if all the strength had left her body. ‘I was an idiot to think this wouldn’t all go wrong. Nobody knows how cruel society can be like a fat girl, and well… I should have learned my lesson after David.’
Everyone looked at her with a mixture of surprise and worry, including her mother. She knew they were shocked to see her like this. Ellie was usually the optimist, but even she couldn’t see the bright side of this mess.
‘David was lying scum,’ said Mark firmly, followed by a gentle, ‘and I’m sorry, Ellie. I’ll pay you back every penny, I mean it.’
‘I don’t want it.’ Ellie shook her head miserably. She didn’t want her deposit, or the flat, or her hush money, or even her job. Her stomach rolled with the sickening realisation that all she really wanted was Alex. ‘I’ve behaved like a prize idiot, and the worst thing is… I still love him.’
Her mum moved closer and took Ellie’s hand with tears in her eyes. ‘You’re not an idiot. We’ve all been there – me, more times than most…’ She gave a sad chuckle as she wrapped Ellie in a hug. ‘I’ve always been so scared for you. You’re so beautiful and so full of life, I didn’t want you to get hurt. I thought I was protecting you, but Nanna’s right, I’ve just been making things worse. I’m going to work on it, I promise.’ Ellie sank against her and sobbed. In a rare display of affection, her mother kissed her head.
‘Thanks, Mum.’ Ellie sniffed away her snotty tears.
Some gravel from their yard hit their window with a rattle that made them all leap in their seats and shriek.
‘BASTARDS! They’ve got in the yard again.’ Mark stormed over to the window and yanked aside the curtain. ‘THIS ISPRIVATE PROPERTY—’ His angry words died in his throat as he looked down at the person below.
‘Hannah?’
Ellie lurched from her seat to join him.
Sure enough, Hannah stood with Martin in the yard below. ‘Sorry. You weren’t answering your phones. Let us in.’ Hannah looked fearfully behind her as paparazzi began shouting and climbing the walls of the yard to get a picture.
Ellie ran down the stairs so fast she almost missed the last step. When she flung the door open, Hannah and her father barrelled in, and Martin quickly shut the door after them.
‘What are you doing here?’ Ellie gasped, staring at her friend in amazement, before quickly bursting into yet more tears.
‘Oh hun.’ Hannah wrapped her arms around her waist and snuggled close. Hannah was too little to really give hugs; she usually allowed Ellie to envelop her, as if she were a much-loved doll. Today was no different, except the hair beneath her chin was no longer mousy but a sun-bleached blonde. Ellie pulled away and mopped at her tear-swollen face so she could look at her friend more closely.
‘You look amazing,’ she said, and Hannah laughed.
‘Trust you to compliment me at a time like this.’
‘Come on, girls. Let’s go put the kettle on,’ said Martin, ushering them up the stairs with a nervous look over his shoulder.
A short time later, with a cup of tea in both their hands, they settled on Ellie’s single bed for a more private reunion.
‘Look at you, beach babe,’ Ellie said, her vision blurry. It had only been a couple of months but the change was extraordinary.Hannah’s body, which had always been petite, was now strong and toned, her skin a shade of honey that suited her.
Hannah smiled at the compliment, but she wasn’t easily distracted. ‘What the hell happened?’
Ellie couldn’t keep anything from Hannah, who was more like a sister than a friend, but her body was wrung out and exhausted, and she could only mutter, ‘What always happens. I made a fool of myself.’
‘No, I don’t believe that.’ Hannah shook her head vehemently. Always so loyal.
Ellie sighed. ‘I fell in love with him. I fell in love with the movie star, and almost believed he felt the same. Turns out I’m just a joke, as always.’
Sympathy rolled off Hannah in waves, and Ellie bent her head against her friend and sobbed until her throat was raw.
Eventually, she ran out of tears. They sat side by side, propped up against the wall with their feet hanging over the bed like they were kids again. ‘You shouldn’t have come back, you know,’ said Ellie.
‘Yes, I bloody should have,’ replied Hannah with zero hesitation.
