on her sofa to avoid a late journey back across town. ‘Oh, Ellie, you must come, it’s ages since we saw you! How are you coping over there? How are things with you?’
Paula, bless her, was like a young mother hen. But she meant well and she had a good heart. Anyway, it would be lovely to see everyone again and catch up with all their news. Ellie was looking forward to it. And Todd, who had come over to show off his new car, was giving her a lift into the West End.
Ellie stepped out of the dress and changed into white jeans and a khaki tank top. As she was looping the spaghetti straps onto a hanger, the doorbell went and she called out, ‘Can you see who that is?’
Moments later Todd called back, ‘It’s Roo. She’s on her way up.’
‘I’ll be out in a sec. Did she say if she wants something?’
‘Not really. I think she’s crying.’
Ellie put down the coat hanger. ‘What?’
Roo was crying. But trying hard not to. Her bleached white hair looked as fraught as she did and her eyelids were puffy. When she saw that Ellie was made up and dressed up for her night out with the girls, she said, ‘Oh, you’re going out…’
‘Here, come and sit down. What’s happened?’
‘It’s Niall.’ Roo was clutching a balled-up tissue. ‘It’s all over.’
Todd raised an eyebrow. ‘He finished with you?’
Honestly, men. Ellie shook her head at his lack of tact.
But Roo said, ‘No, I finished with him. I can’t believe I did it. You know what? He was seeing someone else.’
Ellie gaped. ‘Besides you and Yasmin?’
‘Oh yes. Some girl he used to work with. They spent the weekend together.’ She wiped her eyes as a couple more tears seeped out. ‘He’s such a bastard.’
‘But you already knew that,’ Todd announced. ‘Good riddance, that’s what I say. You’re better off without him.’
‘I know.’
‘So I don’t get why you’re crying.’ He looked genuinely baffled.
‘Because I loved him. Because I thought he loved me.’ Roo sniffed and said miserably, ‘Because it’s the story of my stupid, pathetic, useless life.’
‘Oh, Roo…’ Torn, Ellie checked her watch; they really should be leaving now.
‘And he might come over,’ Roo went on, ‘to try and make me change my mind. I don’t want to be there in case he turns up. But you’re going out.’ She gazed beseechingly at Ellie. ‘Could I stay here, just for a couple of hours? Would that be all right?’
Ellie made up her mind. ‘Look, I’ll cancel. Let me just call Paula and explain, then I can stay here with you.’
‘No, no.’ Roo shook her head vehemently. ‘No way, that’s not fair. You’re not giving up your night out because of me. That’d just make me feel worse.’
‘Well, I’m not leaving you here on your own.’ Equally adamant, Ellie folded her arms. ‘I can’t.’
‘Look, I’ll stay with her.’ Todd picked up the keys to his precious new Toyota and turned to Roo. ‘OK?’
She blinked, taken aback. ‘You?’
Ellie had always been aware of the slightly tricky atmosphere between them. Todd had made no secret of the fact that he disapproved of Roo’s relationship with Niall. Roo, in turn, had reacted by becoming flippant and defensive.
‘I don’t know if that’s a good idea,’ said Ellie.
‘Come on, it’s the only way. I’ll drop you on Shaftesbury Avenue then come back and keep her company.’
Roo said warily, ‘And give me hassle all night? Because I’m telling you now, I’m not in the mood to be lectured to by Mr Morality.’
‘He won’t. He’ll be nice. Won’t you?’ Ellie pointed a warning finger at Todd. He was right, though; she was the main reason Paula had organized tonight’s get-together. It wouldn’t be fair to let her down now.
Todd said evenly, ‘Of course I’ll be nice.’
Fresh tears leaked out of Roo’s eyes as she picked at a loose thread on the frayed knee of her jeans. Clearly not trusting him for one minute, she mumbled, ‘And you’re not allowed to say you told me so, either.’
Todd didn’t reply.
‘Oh God.’ Roo let out a wail of despair. ‘What the hell, I deserve to be miserable. Just go ahead and say it.’ She shook her head in defeat. ‘It’s all my own fault.’
***
It was eleven o’clock and the most bizarre and powerful thing was happening. In her whole life, Roo had never known an experience like it. For the last three hours, she and Todd had talked nonstop. He had told her all about growing up