‘Christ, that’s the last time I eat one of those buggers.’
‘Oh no, my reaction was out of proportion. There are studies that …’ Millie blew out a breath of air. ‘Sorry, you don’t want a run down of all the studies. I find it hard to stop myself sometimes.’
‘You’re pretty unique, aren’t you?’ said Allegra through a smile.
‘If by unique you mean strange, then yes, you’d be right.’
‘I like it.’
‘Uh … thanks?’
‘You’re not my brother’s normal type.’
Millie’s smile died and she focused on her hands in her lap. ‘I know,’ she whispered.
‘That’s not a bad thing,’ Allegra rushed to say. ‘If you’d met some of the other birds he’s brought home …’ She trailed off and sucked in a breath through her teeth. ‘Let’s just say, it’s good you’re a bit … different.’
‘I don’t think your mother thinks that,’ Millie said, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat.
‘Oh!’ Allegra said, clearly surprised that the unfailingly friendly Talia could have taken a dislike to anyone. ‘I mean … sorry. She’s usually –’
Millie waved her hand as if to dismiss it. ‘Don’t worry. Pav already told me she loves everyone. I’m a special case. I … I’m not good with people. My panic attacks can be like yours just was, or they can be more of a sustained anxiety reaction which makes it really tricky for me to speak or smile or … well, it makes me seem … cold.’
‘What a pain in the arse for you.’
Millie sighed. ‘Yes, it is.’
They sat in silence for another minute. Millie began to wonder if she should climb out of the coats in case Pav was looking for her.
‘I’m pregnant,’ Allegra said out of the blue.
‘Uh … okay,’ replied Millie, not quite knowing what to say in this circumstance.
Allegra let out a stuttering breath and handed Millie back the paper bag.
‘I found out yesterday and … ’ She sighed and looked up at the ceiling. ‘My sisters’ weddings were perfect. Everything just how Mama wanted, and now I’m –’ she sniffed as a lone tear tracked down her cheek ‘– I’m going to be a huge blimp on my wedding day. And we won’t be able to afford all the John Lewis nursery furniture I’ve had on Pinterest since I got engaged, not with all the money we’re ploughing into the wedding.
‘But Mama’s excited. She’s over the bloody moon. Already picking out baby stuff, taking over. She doesn’t understand why I’m upset.’ Allegra huffed and leaned back against the wall. ‘My family can be suffocating. All this fuss. We’re not even at the wedding yet and still everything is so … so much.’
Millie shrugged. ‘They love you. Your happiness will be important to them. Tell them what you wantyourwedding to be like.’
‘Is your family like this?’
‘No.’
‘Must be nice.’
Millie forced herself to look up into Allegra’s eyes; she needed to maintain eye contact when she imparted this next piece of information. ‘My … parents are about as far from your family as you can get, and I promise you it is not nice. Not even close.’
‘Right,’ Allegra whispered, her eyes going soft as she scanned Millie’s face. Millie looked away quickly and started pushing to her feet. She’d given away far too much, but nobody who was surrounded by as much love as Allegra should ever resent it or the family giving it. That was a waste. Allegra stood with Millie and caught her hand.
‘My mascara okay?’
Millie took in the racoon eyes and shook her head. ‘Wait a minute.’ Within seconds she’d extracted cleansing wipes with which she took away the black marks; powder foundation, which she swept over Allegra’s face; liquid eye shadow that she blended over her lids in seconds; and mascara that she applied with even strokes. Allegra looked at herself in Millie’s hand-held mirror.
‘Bloody hell! You’re like some sort of make-up ninja. This is insane. I look better than when I arrived. Thanks so much.’
‘Um …’ Millie trailed off as she bit her lip, stuffing the rescue kit she never left the house with into her clutch.
