She gets up and starts looking in the various sections of my wardrobe. I slide my legs off the bed and edge nearer the bedside cabinet that holds Will's gift. I don't want April to see that I keep it so close.
When she opens the closet door instead, a heap of colourful toys falls out. A collection of My Little Pony figures, Trolls, Barbie dolls and other plastic debris spill over my cream-toned carpet.
'Hannah,' she laughs. 'Is this your idea of tidying up? Imagine if Mum saw how you've just stuffed everything in here like this!'
She rummages in the pile on the floor and pulls out what she knows to be my favourite Barbie. Or rather, what was my favourite, back when I still played with them.
She sits down on the bed with me again and strips the doll unceremoniously. She pulls the dress over the plastic figure and fastens the Velcro at the back.
'There,' she says, admiring the effect at arm's length. 'You can call her Pearly Rose after you.'
'But my name isn't really Rose, though is it?' I say with annoyance. 'I don't know why you call me that all the time. Maybe we should call her something else.'
'We've named her now. You can't take it back or it would be bad luck. I think she looks great. It's a really cute design.'
My teeth grit at the word cute and at the fact that April places the doll firmly on display on my dressing table. I get a shock when I catch sight of my irritated reflection and do my best to look pleased. 'Yes, it's nice,' I manage to say. 'Thanks.'
Luckily, my sister is so busy balancing the doll in between my hairbrush and cassette player that she doesn't notice my expression.
Considering it isn't even yet lunchtime, I find it unusual that April has already dressed in the outfit that she had set out over a week ago for this date. Normally she would save changing into her dark tartan skirt and black top with long, see-through sleeves until the last minute.
'Why are you ready so early?' I ask. 'Will doesn't get here until six … You haven't changed the time without telling me, have you?'
A flash of panic surprises me as I think about all the preparation I've decided I need to do before I see Will later. I am sure I need at least half an hour to get myself ready.
April casts me an odd look via the mirror and I catch something unusual in her eyes.
'Of course not,' she says, unnecessarily adjusting objects on my table to her liking. 'Will's plans haven't changed. I'm just going somewhere else first.'
'Where?'
She huffs and tilts her head impatiently to the side. 'I knew you were going to ask me that. I'm only going over to Reg and Viv's house. Reg is paying me to tidy his garage for him.'
'Why do you need to be dressed like that to tidy his garage?'
April avoids my eye and an infuriating smirk plays upon her face, as though she is enjoying a private joke with herself.
'I don't get it,' I say, confused. 'Anyway, I thought Vivienne went to dance classes on a Saturday?'
April shrugs. 'I think she does. So what?'
'Didn't Mum say we weren't supposed to go over to their house when Vivienne isn't there?'
'Yeah, right. Mum worries too much. Besides, I need the money.'
'What for?'
'Well, you won't understand this, but when you aren't a little kid any more, you have to pay for things. Things like cinema tickets, for instance.'
'Will said he didn't mind paying for my ticket.'
'Whatever. It's just not nice to accept charity off strangers, that's all. It was rude to accept it.'
'Will isn't a stranger.'
'OK, Hannah. Whatever. I've got to get going. I don't want to be late for Reg.'
She disappears out the door and I am left looking at my confused reflection in the mirror, behind Pearly Rose.
As soon as I hear the front door close behind April, I move over and snatch up the doll from the dressing table. It gets added to the bundle I stow away more securely back in the closet.
I shut the door with a snap and tell myself that April won't notice anyway. She has been so busy with her boyfriend lately.
She is becoming careless.
11
The doorbell rings. It is Penny. She has come for the pre-agreed dinner that I feel like I have simply got caught in the middle of. I wonder how long this arrangement has been going on and what Penny is hoping to gain from it.
Even though Dad has been playing it down all week, he can't hide from me how much effort he has put in for what he assures me is a casual occasion. I know it to be rare that Dad himself cooks a multi-course meal from scratch. Perhaps his recent experience as a B&B host is what has inspired such a change in him?
Penny appears in the dining room. 'Hiya, how are you?'
'Good, thanks,' I say, pouring wine. 'Red or white?'
'White, please. I brought dessert.'
She sets a flimsy box down on the worktop.
'It looks great,' I say, eyeing the store-bought cheesecake.
She has applied more dark eyeliner than I have seen on her before and her top seems overly low cut after seeing her wearing a work polo shirt.
'I got you a little something too, Hannah.' She hands me a large flat box wrapped in shiny paper.
'Oh? I wasn't expecting anything.' My fingers tug at the seams of the foil paper with difficulty and reveal a box of ornamental butterflies.
Penny looks at me expectantly. 'I thought they would brighten up the outside of your house.'
'My house?'
'Yes, those sort of terraces can look a little bland, can't they?'
'Oh … Do you know someone that lives near me?'
She laughs. 'No, just you. Well, I mean, your father has told me so much about you, I feel as if I know you already.'
'And you can imagine what my house looks like from what he has told you?'
'Well, I have to admit I did take a little sneaky peek with help from Mr Google.'
She gives me a playful wink.
'I see.'
'Well, we have all been there, haven't we? You can't say you've never looked up someone's address just to get the measure of where they live?'
'No, I guess not.'
'Well, there you go then.'
Dad appears in the dining room. 'You two ladies getting acquainted? Take a seat, Penny. You are making the place look cluttered.' He pulls out a chair for her and she sits down, giggling girlishly.
'Your Dad is such a gentleman, Hannah. I suppose your Will is like that? Where is he anyway?'
'He got called out on a job. A dentist in Telford couldn't get their system working this afternoon. They need it fixed by tomorrow morning.'
'Oh, that's funny. I thought I saw your car on the other side of the village on my way over. Must have been someone else.'
'Yes, it must have.'
'I hope he gets paid well for disappearing off like this when he has already made plans.'
'Yes, he does. He charges out of hours rates, so he rarely turns down jobs like this.'
'And he leaves you all on your lonesome? That's a shame. I would have liked to have finally met him in person after hearing so much about him. As I said, I feel like I know you all already.'