Background: Angela is shocked when William, an old friend from her past, who she hoped never to see again, comes back into her life, after he applies for a role at her work and successfully secures the job. William’s sudden reappearance puts Angela on edge. She’s terrified he’s discovered her secret, which she needs to protect her family from. William’s convinced Angela knows what happened to his former girlfriend, Caz, who hasn't been seen for twenty years, and that something terrible happened to her. The only person, who can help Angela, is her once best friend, Michelle, but Angela hasn’t seen Michelle for more than a decade. Faced with the threat of William’s return, they know they’ll need to work together to save their future, even if this does mean reopening old wounds, and revisiting a past they'd rather keep buried.

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September 1998

It’s hard to believe it’s been less than a month since we all moved in together and already it seems we’ve had our first major argument. If this is how things are starting out, then I can’t see it lasting. We’ll be back with our parents by Christmas, at least that’ll please Mum; she’ll never let me forget it. She certainly won’t entertain the idea of me moving out again, until I’m ready to buy a place, which’ll likely be never with what I’m currently earning.

Hayley’s given me no further sign she’s unhappy about being here, since our conversation out in the garden.  

I’m walking back from the local Sainsbury’s with Lauren. She’s going on about the latest Friends episode we’d watched last night, although I’m not really listening. I hadn’t been focusing on the episode either. Michelle can’t stand the series, so she grabbed a book and took it into our bedroom, murmuring something to herself I didn’t quite catch, something else which got my back up. Perhaps if she did make an effort to look into the series more, she might have more to talk to Hayley and Lauren about. But once Michelle decides she doesn’t like something, there’s no changing her mind about it. As much as I do like her, and value her as a friend, that’s what can be so frustrating about her.

I’m focusing on our apartment a couple of hundred yards away. There’s someone standing outside. Then it clicks. The red hair. My heart leaps.

‘Caz,’ I call out and wave.

She beams and waves back. As we draw closer, her face comes into view. She’s holding onto a big bunch of flowers. How long has she been waiting outside? She wasn’t outside when we left forty minutes ago. Perhaps she saw us leave and decided to wait till we got back.

‘Angela, hi, and Lauren, hi,’ she says, running over to us, and giving us air kisses. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I sort of wanted to thank Michelle for her hospitality the other day you know.’ She gestures to the bunch of flowers. ‘I know she wasn’t too pleased about me staying, so I wanted to apologise. If she’s not up to seeing me, that’s fine. But can you pass these over to her?’

‘That’s really kind of you, she’ll love the flowers,’ I say, the smell of lilies hitting me in the face. ‘Listen, we’re about to have dinner. Why don’t you join us?’

Caz rubs her arms. She looks for a brief moment, like she wants to make a beeline for the nearest tube station.

‘I’m not sure. What about Michelle, she won’t mind?’

I shake my head vigorously. ‘No, not at all, she’ll be grateful you came round to say thank you. Come on through.’

She smiles and follows us down the flight of steps. She and Lauren begin chatting. Already I can feel adrenaline surging through me. I’ve no idea how Michelle will react when she sees Caz with us. I’m not sure why I invited Caz to dinner, but I felt so overjoyed when I saw her, there was no way I could’ve just taken the flowers and sent her on her way. Perhaps Caz had been nervous about knocking, in case Michelle was the one who answered. I wouldn’t blame her for feeling nervous. I try to picture Michelle’s reaction if that had been the case, and my skin erupts in goosebumps.

‘Michelle,’ I call out.

The Spice Girl’s Viva Forever booms from the kitchen.

Michelle appears, her face lit up, and then it darkens. She’s seen Caz.

‘Oh, I didn’t realise we were having company,’ she says, not looking me in the eye. She sounds like she’s swallowed an ice cube. Her eyes are fixed on Caz’s.  

The last conversation we had about Caz buzzes around inside my head. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. Perhaps I should’ve just asked Caz for her number, and told her we would arrange to do something on our own. But I’ve jumped into the frying pan now.

‘We found her outside,’ I say, although that makes it sound as though Caz has been stalking us. I know what Michelle will think about that. She’ll have images in her head now of Caz lingering outside on the road, waiting for one of us to make an appearance. My forehead’s burning. ‘She actually came to thank you for sort of letting her stay the other night.’

‘I’m sorry about that, Michelle,’ Caz says, taking over, putting on a big smile. ‘I felt pretty bad that I descended on you like that, so I brought you these.’

Caz holds the flowers out. Michelle stares at them as though Caz is passing her a bomb that might go off at any moment. Her eyes flick from Caz’s to mine. It’s like she’s looking to me for validation that the flowers are safe. It’s laughable. I look away. She’s not going to say she’s allergic and throw them back to Caz, is she?

‘We’ve said she can stay for dinner.’ Lauren blurts out.

I close my eyes, resisting the urge to sigh. I needed to be the one to tell Michelle that. Not Lauren. Actually, Michelle needed to be the one to extend the invitation, and for Caz to accept. That would’ve been better for all of us. At least then it would’ve avoided any awkwardness. Caz shifts backwards.

‘Oh, thank you,’ Michelle says, her voice brightening, which sends relief sweeping through me. She accepts the flowers with a smile. I’ve a feeling the flowers will most likely end up in the bin once Caz leaves. ‘Well, I suppose as you’re here, do you want a drink? We’re having lasagne tonight so we’re just about to open a bottle of red wine.’

‘Oh, lasagne sounds amazing,’ Caz says. ‘You can’t beat Italian. If there’s one place in Europe I’d move to it would be Italy. I’ve got Italian heritage on my mum’s side, a couple of generation’s back you know. Not that I’ve ever met any of my Italian relatives.’

Lauren slams the door shut behind her and we move further into the kitchen. I notice the redness in Michelle’s knuckles, from where she’s holding the flowers tight in her hands. I shiver. Thank God Caz hasn’t seen.

************

Character List:

Angela Watkins - Protagonist 

Paul Watkins - Angela's husband

Rebecca Watkins - Angela's daughter 

Michelle Blake - Angela's former best friend 

Kirsty - Receptionist (Angela's friend) 

Olivia - Angela's boss

William Harris - Angela's former friend 

Caroline (Caz) - Angela's friend 

Hayley - Angela's former friend

Lauren - Angela's former friend