Plum’s sitting up even straighter. ‘I could do with some of those too. If I can catch Rye at the fire station, I’ll grab yours while I’m there, Suze.’
I’m looking round the circle of eager faces. Whatever happened to friends and family solidarity? ‘If you’rethatdesperate, I’ll go to B&Q myself and treat you both.’
Mum frowns at me. ‘Take a chill pill, Floss. Smoke alarms will make us all safer, no one needs to lose their shizzle.’ ‘No one’ meaning very specifically –me.
I’m realistic enough to know there are bigger fires to fight than this one. ‘Right. I take your point. They’re free, with no link to High Tides other than Rye. Whynotgrab them?’
My mum smiles at me. ‘Good girl.’ She pats my hand. ‘I’m on my way to the paint shop, shall I get some for you while I’m there?’
I can’t help smiling that her way of expressing her affection slash appreciation is to offer to buy me some decorating materials.
She turns and looks at the walls. ‘You’re in the right place for inspiration, with all Clemmie’s different colours. A feature wall would look fabulous at yours behind the paper swallows.’
I’d never have thought of it myself, but now she’s said it I know in my gut she’s right. ‘Okay. Dark, dark navy blue with a hint of green, like the sea when it’s angry and the sun comes out. And deep cerise please.’ I’d say Sophie’s nails but a shade lighter, except I don’t want to sound demanding.
Mum looks at me patiently. ‘The whole point of a feature wall is that it “features” one colour, not two, Floss.’
Clemmie laughs. ‘From where I’m sitting in my rainbow interior, I’d say all the best decorating rules are made to be broken. Pink plant pots would look awesome!’
That encouragement fires me up. ‘You’d better get me some brushes too, Mum! And a painting gang.’
Mum’s pushing back her hair. ‘Best avoid a crowd in a small space, sweetheart. You and I will nail this ourselves.’
It’s too weird to admit the thought is giving me butterflies because it’s years since I last had those. Apart from Kit obviously. Except what I felt that first day when Kit walked across the beach towards us, and every day since if I’m honest, has more to do with huge beating gull wings and feeling so sick it’s almost as bad as chemo. Nothing to do with nice associations at all.
‘So lots to look forward to!’ I’m beaming round the group.
Nell nods. ‘Don’t take too long to pick a date for the joint singles night. If it goes well, we could do more!’
Maybe I spoke too soon about looking forward to things – Plum chasing Rye all over town is fine for her, but I draw the line at liaising with Kit.
And then Sophie chimes in too. ‘I’ll bring you some old towels for Saturday. Tallulah and some of the others want to dye their hair.’
This sounds like a secret plan of Sophie’s to put a stop to my Hideaway days. ‘What colour are they thinking? Some subtle blonde on blonde?’
Sophie grins. ‘They’re not sixty, Floss!’ My mum winces at that. ‘They’re mostly going shades of pink!’
Clemmie grins. ‘They’ll match the plant pots!’
Sophie nods. ‘So long as she’s painted them by then.’ She turns to the others to justify this comment. ‘Floss tends to prevaricate with her interiors. Don’t you,sweetheart?’
It would be more accurate to say, ‘Floss doesn’t do homes, full stop,’ but I’m not going to argue. And the second comment is her long-running gripe with our mum, for callingmepet names whenshedoesn’t have any. Between us, it’s her own fault for never tolerating them back in the day.
Mum sends Sophie a look. ‘Give her a chance, please, for once in your life.’
‘Fine.’ Sophie’s sticking her chin out. ‘For once in your life,sweetiewould be nice.’
Clemmie jumps to my defence to move this on. ‘Withthosecolours andthatblank canvas, I doubt Floss will be hanging back this time.’ She gives Sophie a placating pat on the knee. ‘And the hair dye sounds wild!’
Sophie turns to me. ‘So long as Milla doesn’t come home with pink hair, everything will be fine.’
Plum says, ‘Can you handle that, Flo? If not, I can always come and help.’
And we all know why that is.
How come I feel like the most popular woman in the village,andthe most unpopular, all at the same time?
13
