Page 59 of The Scottish Island Inn

‘Hello. We saw you at the café,’ she said, brightly.

‘Yes. I’m sorry that I didn’t come and introduce myself. I was… a bit nervous, I suppose.’ Malcolm looked evasive. ‘Lots of feelings.’

‘Yes, I felt that.’ Heather nodded. ‘But you’ve cleared the air a little between you now, it seems.’

‘I think so. Begun to, at least.’ Malcolm nodded at Sorrel; she wasn’t sure if he was going to kiss her on the cheek, but he put his hands in his pockets and stood there awkwardly. ‘You have my number now. And you know where I am. Stay in touch, Sorrel.’

‘I will.’ She got into the car. Heather wound up her window, and Malcolm went back inside.

‘Goodness. I feel as though you have a lot to tell me,’ Heather said as she pulled out of the car park. ‘I have to warn you that the group chat is a little… divided about all of this, by the way.’

‘About all of what?’ Sorrel asked, as they started to drive back towards Portree. ‘Me?’

‘Yes. I mean, you have to accept that it’s pretty major news.’ Heather frowned at the road ahead.

‘I know it is… why, what are people saying? Divided, how?’

‘Umm. Well, I support you. You know that. And so do Primrose and Bloss.’

Sorrel turned to look at her sister. ‘Okay… which infers that Violet and Bluebell have a problem with it.’

‘I wouldn’t say they have a problem with it. More, they’re just… uncomfortable with it all, I guess? And we all feel our different ways about Mum and Dad. I added you to the chat after you shared your story with us all, because I thought it was unfair that everyone’s responses and thoughts were going on without you there. I hope that was all right.’

Sorrel had seen that Heather had added her to the sisters’ group chat on a messaging app, but, if she was being honest with herself, she’d been avoiding the chat. The messages kept pinging: she’d turned notifications off. There were over a hundred unread.

‘I see.’ Sorrel sighed. ‘And presumably, you told them all about what I just did?’

‘You didn’t say I couldn’t.’ Heather gave Sorrel an apologetic smile. ‘Sorry.’

Sorrel opened the chat, steeling herself.

Violet: It’s all very well to say ‘support Sorrel’. I do. I love her, she’s my sister. But where was she when we all needed support?

Blossom: Don’t be mean @Violet. You can’t blame Sorrel. No one is to blame here, not even Mum and Dad. If you had children you’d understand.

Violet: What’s that supposed to mean? @Blossom

Blossom: What it said @Violet As a parent I can see this from both sides. You don’t understand either what Sorrel must be feeling or why Mum and Dad made the decisions they did.

Blossom: @Violet I’m not defending it, I’m just saying I understand.

Violet: Please do not shame me for not falling into the trap of motherhood @Blossom. I know you love it. But it’s not for everyone. And I do have empathy, thank you.

Primrose: @Violet No one’s shaming you, for god’s sake. This isn’t about you. Get over yourself

Violet: Nice, thanks @Primrose Don’t blame me that I’m out here earning £££ in the sun going to parties and you’re breathing in teen boy stank 8 hrs a day in the drama studio

Primrose: @Violet Yeah I’d love to be felt up by sixty-year-olds at dodgy clubs and pretend to orgasm over lip balm for a living, 10/10 no notes

Heather: Can you all just stop fighting? This is upsetting. Why can’t we all just get on?

Violet: The Emotion Police have arrived

Primrose: @Violet Stop acting like you’re such a badass when we all know you didn’t get out of bed for a month when Eduardo left you.

Bluebell: Am I the only one who is really sad about all of this? I feel betrayed.

‘Oh dear.’ Sorrel looked up from her phone. ‘This isn’t good.’