“Anyway, I need to make sure she’s okay, but there’s no way she’s going to talk to me. She didn’t even want me to save her,” I explain, shaking my head in irritation. I run my hand through my hair. “I need to know she’s okay, Red. I can’t get her out of my head, and I don’t want her doing anything stupid.”
“What can I do?” she asks.
“Joker suggested that you befriend her, get to know her, and hopefully, she’ll confide in you.”
“I can try, but I’m not the easiest person to get on with, as you all discovered.”
“Please, Red. I don’t know what I would do if she actually managed to go through with it.”
“You know it’s not your responsibility, though, right?” she asks, and I nod. But deep down, it is. I needed to save her.
“She works at the coffee shop on London Road and leaves at about five-thirty. Maybe you could happen to be passing at some point. She has nobody else.”
“Okay, I’ll try my best, but I can’t make any promises.”
“Thanks, I owe you.”
“Right, I best go sort those two out. I’m not sure who the toddler is some days, but I can guarantee I’ll get up there and he will be asleep on the bed with her on the tablet.”
Chapter Four
Bella
I’m leaving the coffee shop when a young woman walks past with a little girl screaming in her pushchair. Her mum looks stressed, and I recall the days well. I smile at her sympathetically, remembering the number of times I would get dirty looks from other mums who were judging, making me question everything.
“Meli,” the mum says, crouching down in front of the pushchair, clearly trying to rationalise with the toddler. “We can’t get ice cream yet. Dinner is soon.”
“Noooooo,” she cries, pulling a frown. “Daddy, say yes.”
“Daddy’s going to get my foot up his arse,” she growls under her breath, and I let out a giggle. I put my hand over my mouth, conscious I’m interrupting in their moment.
The mum looks my way and smiles.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper.
The mother laughs too, standing in front of the pushchair.
“Please don’t be. We’ve had half an hour of this. She’s relentless.”
“She’s beautiful.”
The child lets out another whine.
“Meli,” her mum says sternly. “You aren’t even crying.” She lets out a fresh wail, and her mum runs her hands over her face. I crouch down to the little one in the pushchair.
“Hey, Meli,” I say, and she stops squealing to look at me. “Meli is a beautiful name.” She grins from ear to ear and looks up at her mum.
“My name is Bella. It’s lovely to meet you,” I say, putting out my hand. She high-fives me and giggles.
“Wow. Do you want a job?” Her mum laughs. “She’s very particular and doesn’t talk to strangers at all, so you must have the magic touch.”
“Plenty of experience,” I answer as I stand. “At least she knows what she wants, she won’t be walked all over in a hurry.”
“Fancy joining us for a walk around the park?” she asks casually, and I look past her towards the route home. Her eyes plead with me, and I battle with myself.
“Of course,” I say, even though it goes against my usual grain.
She sighs in relief. “Sorry,” she giggles nervously. “I don’t get much other mum company recently.”
