threw herself at Merritt, knowing there was a conversation of importance in the room, and shoved a sultana into his mouth. Lucian cuddled Custard with great sincerity and Poppy moved away from the centre of the bed.
‘You better kiss Mummy now,’ she said and Merritt leaned over to Willow and looked into her eyes.
‘I love you Willow,’ he said and he kissed her on the lips, briefly but warmly.
Willow felt her heart soar and she kissed him back. ‘I love you too Mewwitt,’ she said, mimicking Poppy; but her eyes were serious and Merritt was happy.
‘Right, Saturday! What shall we do?’ he asked and jumped out of bed in his pyjama trousers. ‘Picnic? Day trip? What?’ he asked.
‘Picnic!’ cried Poppy, and Merritt clapped his hands together.
Merritt took the children downstairs with an old t-shirt over the top of his pyjama trousers and started breakfast, talking loudly. Willow dressed in her old sweats and walked into the hallway.
Kitty rushed past her looking stressed.
‘Hey, you OK?’ Willow asked.
‘I’m going out today and I have nothing to wear. I have one good outfit and I wore that last time he saw me,’ she said, her eyes filling with tears.
‘I’ll help you find something. Borrow something of mine,’ offered Willow as she pulled her hair up into a high ponytail.
‘That would be so weird. You’re my boss,’ said Kitty, frowning.
‘Boss schmoss,’ said Willow, taking Kitty by the hand and leading her towards Kitty’s bedroom. ‘If you hadn’t noticed, I am sleeping with your brother, so I think that allows certain boss–employee lines to be crossed.’
‘I’m fat,’ said Kitty, not listening. ‘Nothing would fit me.’
‘Shut up. You’re not fat and I can dress you for anything. Where’re you going?’ she asked.
‘I don’t know. He just said he would pick me up at nine this morning and he’ll be here soon,’ cried Kitty.
‘OK. Who’re you going out with?’ asked Willow, as she flipped through the hangers in her wardrobe.
‘Ivo,’ said Kitty quietly.
Willow spun around and put her hands on her hips. ‘Really? He’s a devil that one,’ she said archly. For some reason she felt protective over Kitty all of a sudden.
‘I know, but he hasn’t tried anything; we just talk. He’s quite funny and he’s really smart,’ said Kitty, dreamily.
‘Don’t expect too much,’ said Willow sagely. ‘I married a man like Ivo. They’re fun, but not the marrying kind.’
‘Oh I don’t plan on marrying him, but when I’m with him, I feel smarter and prettier and it’s nice,’ said Kitty, and her face lit up.
Willow smiled, thinking of Merritt. When she was with him, she felt sexy and interesting. She knew what Kitty felt like.
‘OK, so you have jeans?’
‘Yes, but I wore them last time,’ said Kitty mournfully.
‘Jeans again are fine. What shoes do you have with you?’ asked Willow, digging through Kitty’s messy wardrobe floor. ‘These are fine,’ she said, pulling out a pair of black suede flats. ‘Now come with me.’ And she led Kitty into her room and pulled open the drawers of the large oak dresser.
‘This, I think,’ she said, holding up a blue and white striped singlet, with draping on one side and a white strap on the other shoulder.
‘I don’t know,’ said Kitty doubtfully. ‘Stripes? With my boobs?’ She looked down at herself in her t-shirt.
‘These are large stripes. And the draping will actually enhance your breasts, not draw attention to them,’ said Willow.
Kitty took the top and looked at the label as Willow kept moving through the wardrobe and opening the drawers with abandon. ‘Do you like her stuff?’ she said, moving her head in the direction of the top Kitty was holding.
‘Who?’ asked Kitty, confused.
‘Hers,’ said Willow again, and Kitty looked again at the label.
‘I haven’t heard of her,’ said Kitty.
‘You haven’t heard of Vivienne Westwood?’ asked Willow. ‘Really?’
‘Um no,’ lied Kitty, her face flushing.
Willow took a black jacket down from the rail in her wardrobe. ‘This Chloé will work with that,’ she said, holding up a military-style jacket. ‘Tell me you’ve heard of Chloé.’
‘I have,’ lied Kitty again, and she took the jacket from Willow.
‘Alright, pop them on, let’s have a look at you,’ demanded Willow, and Kitty fled back to her room to get changed in peace. Changing in front of Willow would be too weird, she thought, and she pulled on her jeans and the top. It did work, she thought as she looked in the mirror.
Slipping the jacket on, Kitty felt unlike herself, but instead like a fashionable French girl with an eye