Page 107 of Special Delivery
She buckled Maeve into her car seat and put the nappy bag on the passenger seat, the neck of a shiraz bottle peeking out of it. As she turned the key, she spoke into the windscreen. ‘Siri, call Dani.’
Her phone in the centre console spoke back to her. ‘Calling Dar Nee.’
Her best friend answered on the first ring. ‘PARPEE!’
‘DARNEE! Mate, how are you?’
‘Same old, girlfriend. Watching Nella eat sand while I try to paint my toenails. What are you up to?’
‘Heading to dinner with Henry and Willa.’
‘Stop it! No! Why would you do that?!’
‘Our mums organised it.’
Dani made a hooting sound. ‘And are you okay with that?’
Poppy sighed. ‘I think I need it, for closure. I built up Willa so much in my mind. I was scared of her because she’d made it final that Henry and I would never be together again. I mean, I knew logically that was probably going to be the case, but she made it real. And god, now I realise how much I built up Henry in my mind too. Over those nine years with Patrick I had way too much distance to make the heart grow fonder.Now I’ve got my head sorted a bit, I think I can handle it. In fact, I need to handle it.’
Dani cackled.
‘What?’
‘Pops, we will piss ourselves laughing about this one day! It’s even a bit hilarious now. Your mums are setting you up on a play date.’
‘Oh god,’ yelped Poppy. ‘Am I the kid who needs a momager to make friends? This is so embarrassing!’
Dani chuckled. ‘Relax, Pops. I’m teasing. It’s great that you and Henry are back to being friends. You need to call me immediately after dinner for a full recap. Extra points if it’s Willa-related information. I want to know all. Even if she tells you about her bowel movements, you tell me that shit! Pun intended, obviously.’
‘I am making no promises to ask about her bowel movements, but if she volunteers that information, I solemnly swear to pass it on.’
‘Legend. That’s why I love you, Pops.’
‘Love you too, Dan.’
Poppy hung up as she pulled into a tree-lined street. The Marshalls’ house was bordered by an expertly pruned garden, with spheres of ornamental roses sitting behind laser-level hedges. An eggshell-white gravel path led visitors to the front door, which refracted blues, reds and yellows through its lead-light windows.
Poppy hoisted Maeve onto her hip and walked towards it. The lion’s head brass knocker clanged with an ear-splitting resonance and the door swung open. A tall girl in a white slipdress with a tiny diamond nose ring stood before her. ‘You must be Poppy!’ she said, and then a slow wave of recognition dawned across her blemish-free face. ‘Oh, heyyyy!’
‘What?!’ spluttered Poppy.The Woolworths Angel?! The woman who’d paid for her groceries?‘You’re Willa?’
‘Guilty.’
‘How old are you?!’ cried Poppy.
‘Er, twenty-nine. And a half, I guess, if we’re being specific.’
‘Oh my gosh, sorry. I didn’t mean to ask that. It’s just that, wow, you look nineteen or something. I thought you were a student.’
‘I technicallyamstill studying,’ Willa said with a laugh. ‘Eleven years and counting. Who’d do medicine, hey? At least I’m past the phase when people mistook me for that K-Pop man-child.’
Poppy laughed too, stunned. Willa spoke in the same gentle voice Poppy remembered from their previous encounter but delivered lines like a stand-up comedian. It was so disconcerting.
‘Come in,’ Willa said, and Poppy followed her into the hallway. It was adorned with the same pictures Poppy remembered from years ago: framed nineties photo shoots, beach holiday snaps and Madonna-esque wedding photos. The ceramic dish on the hallway table was still cluttered with keyrings.
‘Hey, Poppy,’ said Henry, not looking up as they walked into the kitchen. He had a tea towel over his shoulder and was carving the roast lamb. Poppy could guess the reason for the pink tinge on his ears. ‘I see you’ve met Willa.’
‘We’ve actually met before,’ announced Willa.
