The Apartment - K. L. Slater Page 0,10

room. ‘I can play with my figurines on there and still see the cherry blossom out of the window.’

I’m impressed with the level of planning she’s managed.

‘Look at the colour of those late rhododendrons!’ I hear Viv shriek. She is a keen gardener, often out pottering in their tiny garden if the weather is fine.

I leave Skye debating where best to situate her props for her precious figurines, and join Viv at the window where she gazes down on the riot of colour. Again, it’s even more vivid than when we visited last. ‘The lupins are exquisite . . . and the peonies, too. Oh Freya, this place is just a dream.’

A man in grey overalls is kneeling by one of the flower beds, digging at the soil with a small handheld trowel.

‘Oh look, there’s the hired help,’ Brenna quips, peering over my shoulder. ‘You’ve fallen on your feet here my friend, no mistake.’

‘So your initial doubts about whether I’ve been a bit hasty have faded away, right?’ I say cheekily, remembering her comments about Dr Marsden when I called to tell her, and her questioning how everything had happened so incredibly quickly.

‘No trace of any concerns whatsoever now that I’ve seen the place.’ Brenna grins sheepishly. ‘Creepy old doc’s wife, or not.’

‘I trust everything is in order here?’ A voice fills the room.

My heart thumps when I look round and see Dr Marsden standing in the doorway. I didn’t hear him come in, but the front door is wide open for the removals men, so there would be no need for him to knock.

I glance at Brenna and see even her face is flushing. Serves her right. I hope and pray he didn’t hear her rude comment.

‘Everything is fine, thank you, Dr Marsden. It’s . . . just perfect.’

‘I’ll see you downstairs as soon as you’re free then,’ he says, throwing Brenna a blank glance before turning on his heel.

He pauses at Skye’s bedroom door, and I’m just about to follow him down the short hallway, when two puffing removals men appear with the first sticks of furniture and some boxes.

In just over an hour, the removals company have completed their job. They didn’t request a deposit when I booked, and when I query payment with the man in charge, he waves his hand dismissively.

‘The bill has already been sorted, madam.’

I’m not going to stand there arguing about it, I’m sure they’ll realise their mistake soon enough and send the invoice through, and having a bit longer to pay suits me fine.

There are heaps of packed boxes labelled by room stacked on the landing, and all the large pieces of furniture are in place. My stuff seemed perfectly fine in the old house but it looks a little jaded in here, kind of like when you repaint one room and then see how tired the rest of the house looks.

When the removals men leave, Brenna claps her hands. ‘OK, first things first. Viv and I will go and find the most important box; the one with the kettle and the mugs. You stay here with Skye. Back in a jiffy.’

I nod, happy to defer to Brenna’s bossy, organising nature. I can hardly believe we’re here, in a beautiful new apartment, when only a few weeks ago I was trying to come to terms with the very real possibility of the two of us temporarily crashing in Brenna and Viv’s spare room with its sole single bed.

When it comes to Adder House, I feel . . . I suppose the word is unworthy, in a way.

And yet this has happened, it is real, and we’re here.

Skye runs in with what looks like a white credit card. She holds it out to me.

‘Dr Marsden and Audrey gave me the special electronic key for you, Mummy. They said it was my job to make sure you got it safely.’ Her chin tilts slightly with the importance of the task bestowed on her, and I smile at their cleverness in getting Skye onside.

‘Thank you, sweetie.’ I take it from her. ‘And did they say anything else?’

‘Nothing really.’ Skye shrugs nonchalantly. ‘Dr Marsden asked me what my favourite thing was about my bedroom, and I said it was the confetti tree.’

‘That’s nice.’ I smile at her. ‘It’s such a pretty thing to have right outside your window.’

Skye nods. ‘When they left I heard them say that the little girl who lived here before loved it, too.’

And off she skips down the hallway, smiling back