Page 99 of The World Outside My Window

Laura looks from one to the other and back again, wondering what’s going on. But they both refuse to look her in the eye so she sighs and starts clearing the worktop, shoving things into black bin bags.

The three of them work in comfortable silence until the kitchen is back to its former sparkling self. Laura straightens up and groans. ‘I’m going to ache like mad tomorrow,’ she says. ‘I’m not used to working this hard.’

‘You love it,’ Debbie says, throwing a damp tea towel at her.

‘You’re right, I really do.’ She stretches her arms above her head and yawns. ‘But right now I just want to go home and collapse on the sofa and watch some terrible TV.’ She glances at Ben to see if he’s with her, but instead catches him looking at Debbie again. ‘Right, what’s going on with you two?’ she demands.

‘What? I don’t know what you mean.’ Ben smiles at her sweetly.

‘You’re imagining things,’ Debbie adds, picking up her bag and slinging it over her shoulder decisively. ‘Let’s get you home.’

Still not convinced, Laura follows them out of the room. When she reaches the door she casts one last glance back into the room and smiles. This is all hers. Then she switches off the lights, locks the door behind her, and follows Debbie and Ben down the stairs, clutching Ben’s hand all the way home.

When they get back to Willow Crescent, however, Debbie and Ben both start acting strangely again, peering over their shoulders, jumping at the slightest bang, and Laura feels Ben’s hand tighten its grip. She stops dead in the street and crosses her arms over her chest. They both stop and face her.

‘Come on, out with it.’

Debbie and Ben glance at each other but say nothing.

‘Okay, well, if you’re not going to tell me what you’re up to then I’m not moving another step,’ she says.

They glance at each other again, then Ben steps forward and takes her hands again. ‘Okay, don’t get mad.’

Laura looks from Ben’s face to Debbie. ‘Oh no, what have you two done?’

‘It’s nothing bad, it’s just—’ Ben stops.

‘Look, it’s nothing to worry about, okay,’ Debbie says. ‘You just need to trust us.’

Laura’s not convinced, but what choice does she have? They’re clearly not going to tell her. ‘Okay, but you two are in serious trouble later.’

Ben grins. ‘I look forward to it.’

They reach Laura’s front door and step inside the hallway. All the lights are off and she stands for moment, listening for any movement inside. But there’s nothing. She flicks the light on, takes her shoes off, and Ben and Debbie do the same.

She’s just beginning to relax when she steps into the kitchen and light floods the room. She gasps as she takes in the scene in front of her.

The first thing she sees are the people – her new friends and neighbours, all squeezed into the small room, smiling at her. Then she sees someone else, someone she hasn’t seen for a long time, and her heart does a somersault.

‘Hello, love,’ her mum says as she steps forward uncertainly. And in that instant, all the pain and regret and heartache over the last few years evaporates and she throws herself into her mum’s arms, enveloping her into a tight bear hug. She feels as though she could stand there all day, but eventually she pulls away. Tears course down her face and she can see her mum is crying too.

It's so good to see you,’ she squeaks.

‘I wasn’t sure if—’ Her mum stops, the words caught in her throat. ‘I’ve missed you, Lorrie.’

‘I’ve missed you too, Mum.’ She frowns. ‘But how are you here?’

Her mum looks sheepish.

‘It was me,’ Debbie says, behind her. ‘Well, me and Ben. We both thought it was about time you patched things up…’ She trails off.

‘Tonight seemed as good a time as any, so we invited her along,’ Ben adds. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’

Laura looks at her mum and her heart floods with love. She’s missed her so much. She swallows down the lump in her throat.

‘No, I don’t mind.’ She hooks her arm through her mum’s and rests her head on her shoulder.

There’s so much more to say, but now is not the time. Instead, she takes a glass of something sparkling that Carol’s proffering, and turns to look at everyone again in awe.

‘I do mind that there seem to be about a dozen people standing in my kitchen and I knew nothing about it though.’ Her eyes sparkle as she speaks, and that’s when she notices the transformation in the room. She spins in a circle, taking it all in: the freshly-painted cupboards, no longer a faded pine but a soft, pale grey; new pans hanging from hooks along the wall, the tiles, freshly scrubbed and gleaming.

‘We wanted to do something to celebrate,’ Jane says.

‘You did all this in one day?’ Laura says, in awe.

‘With a little help,’ Jane says. ‘We knew you were redecorating and that you’d struggle for time now you’re so busy with work and – well, other things.’ She gives Ben a wink and he flushes a deep crimson. ‘We all know what a tough time you’ve had recently and – we care about you. All of us.’ She holds her glass in the air. ‘To Laura. And Ben. And fresh beginnings,’ she says. ‘Cheers.’

‘Cheers,’ everyone chants.

As she takes a sip of her champagne, Laura is filled with happiness. She spent so long in a dark place that she could never have imagined her life would turn out like this: new friends, a new home. New love.

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