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“Not really,” say, feeling even more uncomfortable
and square. “There’s just Andy.”
“Right—the guy you were with at the hotel? He’s
cute.” She grins. “Andy …”
nod silently, staring at my feet. Andy, who I’ve
left—again. Who I’ve broken my promise to.
Janine clears her throat.
“What else?” Kitty asks brightly. “Did you have any
pets, growing up? bet you’re cat person, aren’t you?
always wanted cat as child, but Mum fell for this great big soppy dog—” She looks at me quickly. “Oh, no, you’re
go
shrug. “I du
“Oh, right …” She falters. “What about hobbies?”
“Not really.”
“Sports?”
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shake my head.
She bites her lip, the sparkle fading from her eyes.
“Right …”
The car drifts into silence, and
stare out the
window, gazing at the tree-lined avenues and clapboard
houses as they rush past. Then see Kitty’s reflection in
the glass, and my heart aches. have so much to say, so
many questions—but how to ask them of this confident,
glamorous woman? She’s supposed to be my mother, but
besides our genes we’re nothing alike. We may be sitting
two feet away from each other, but we’re worlds apart.
Outside, people point and stare at the limo as we
pass, and remember the trip to Brighton with Trudie and
Sarah, how much fun we had in our pink limousine, our
wacky clothes, how hard we laughed
pick at
hole in my jeans and look around the
luxurious car, afraid to touch anything, wishing I’d had
chance to shower, to change into something more
suitable—wishing had anything suitable to change into.
Wishing had my mum.
Trudie.
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Holly
The fire burns swiftly in the metal can, the bright
flames licking the small pile of paper into powdery ash.
“Feel better?” Andy asks.
shrug. But
small part of my pain has subsided,
floating away through the window with the disappearing
smoke.
He nods, slides down from the window ledge and
crosses to the door. “Well,” he says, picking up his bag.
“Have nice life.”
“You’re leaving?” ask, surprised.
He pauses in the doorway. “It’s for the best.”
“Where will you go?”
He shrugs. “Back to the
and
for now, then
du
by now.”
“Washington?” look at him, considering. take
breath and hop down from the sill. “Let’s go.”
“What?” He looks at me, startled.
“Washington,” say. “Let’s go. Now.”
He watches me for moment, smile playing on his
lips, trying to decide if I’m serious.
am. Deadly.
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“No.” He shakes his head eventually. “You can’t just
leave—”
“I can.”
“Well, can’t.”
“Why?”
“I can’t just leave Ro—”
“Why? Why not? What’s so special about her?”
demand, the familiar heat returning to my cheeks.
“Weren’t you supposed to be spending the day together?”
“We are. We will—”
“Andy she’s gone for the whole day saw her! She’s gone to Boston.”
He stares at me. “What?”
nod.
“To Boston? What the hell? No, she wouldn’t—she
promised—”
shrug.
Andy’s eyes are wide, incredulous. He shakes his
head. “She just left?”
nod.
“Bloody
hell!
Bloody
Rosie!—After
she
promised
We were going to see the whales …”
look at him surprised. “Whales?”
“Yeah,” he sighs. “If there actually are any round
here—we saw bugger all last time.”
stare at him. Whale watching? In January?
“You didn’t see any?” ask, trying to keep straight
face.
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He shakes his head. “Nope. Wesley’s Whale- Spotter
my arse.”
“Oh, no—you didn’t go with them?”
laugh.
“They’re notorious—total rip-off!”
“Tell me about it,” Andy groans.
“You wa
him, the lies spilling out before can stop them. “You’ll go
straight across the Cape, see hundreds of whales.”
Andy stares at me. “Hundreds? Really?”
“Uh-huh,” say, avoiding his eyes. “Come on, let’s
go.”
“What, now?” He looks at me.
“Why not?”
look at him for
long moment, my
heart thumping.
Rosie’s not the only one who can go swa
Boston— not the only one who can take things that don’t belong to her …
“Unless of course you’d rather sit around here
twiddling your thumbs waiting until she bothers to come
back?” suggest. “Again.”
He looks at me, then drops his bag on the floor.
“Let’s go.”
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Rosie
“Look up,” Kitty instructs, and do as I’m told, the
bright lights making my eyes water. She strokes the
mascara wand over my lashes, and try not to blink. We’re
in the changing rooms at Chanel— Chanel! —and I’m
completely paranoid I’m going to damage something
expensive and get kicked out any moment, but Kitty
seems right at home. She’s picked out
dozen designer
outfits for me to try on and has insisted on doing my
makeup—she must have
ton of it stashed in that
massive Gucci bag.
“There!” She smiles. “All done.”
stand up and turn to face the full-length mirror.
“Oh, Rosie,” she gasps, her hand cool on my bare
shoulder. “You’re beautiful.”
“Stu
know just the
shoes you need …” She winks at Kitty and disappears
behind the black velvet curtain.
stare at the girl standing before me, struggling to
recognize myself. My lips are
weird purpley-blue color
to match my dress, which feels too tight round my ribs;
my nose has all but disappeared beneath concealer and
powder, while my eyes have become huge green saucers,
surrounded by thick black eyeliner and glittering eye
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shadow. seriously wouldn’t recognize myself. look like
look like someone out of
Then it hits me.
look like Kitty.
My cheeks flush as compare our reflections in the
mirror.
That’s what this makeover has been about—the
manicure and pedicure we had done together, the
makeup, the new clothes
all transforming me into the
daughter she wants me to be. Glamorous, sophisticated,
groomed.
Kitty Clare’s daughter.
“I love that color on you.” She smiles, stroking my
dress. It ripples like water beneath her touch, and goose
bumps prickle on my skin. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”
stare at myself. This isn’t me. None of this is—it’s
weird, it’s
swallow, pulling at the material, trying to
cover myself up, struggling to breathe.
“Rosie?” Kitty’s cool hand lands on my shoulder.
Her eyes search mine. “Are you okay?”
nod furiously, look away.
“Don’t you like the dress? think it’s beautiful.”
“It is!” insist. “It’s great. The dress, the makeup—
it’s
fabulous!”
gush, risking another glance at my
reflection and swallowing hard. “What makeover, huh?”
Kitty looks at me for
moment, then pulls over
stool.
“Look, I’ve got
confession to make.” She sighs,
sitting down and looking me in the eye. She takes deep