Page 61 of Tricks & Treats at The Cosy Cornish Bakery

Chloe sank against the work surface. Behind her the kettle boiled to a noisy crescendo. She ignored it. ‘She always says the kids are the best, doing really well at school.’

‘Of course they’re the best kids, they’re my kids.’ Hannah paused and then went on. ‘They’re only doing okay at school, though. Maddy can’t do maths to save her life and Isaak has a few issues.’

‘And Dulcie’s always said how fantastic your job is, how busy you are, how well you juggle the kids and the home and work, especially with Tyler working such long hours.’

‘Yeah well, I do. You do what you can, don’t you? And live with the guilt of what you haven’t done.’ Hannah flicked her a glance. ‘If I’m honest, I only manage to keep on top of things cos Mum has the kids a couple of days a week.’ She sighed. ‘And the job’s not all that. I push paper around a desk, answer a few phones.’ She hesitated, and then said in a rush, ‘It’s not like yours.’

‘I don’t have a job anymore,’ Chloe gloomily reminded her. ‘Technically I’m unemployed. And single. At least you have the lovely Tyler. I saw how kind he was when Mum was in hospital.’

Hannah sniffed. ‘He’s all right.’

‘Better than all right. I’d say you’re very lucky. At least you’ve got a husband and your boyfriend didn’t ditch you for a younger woman and, having said marriage wasn’t for him, promptly married her and got her pregnant.’

Hannah put a hand to her mouth. ‘He didn’t?’ Her eyes sparkled with glee.

‘Oh yes, he did. And then, to rub salt into the wound even more, he sat on the redundancy panel that decided I was out.’

‘Jeez, Chlo, that’s sick.’ She began to giggle.

‘Thanks a bunch,’ Chloe said drily.

‘Sorry. Can’t help it. But you’ve got to see the funny side. Here am I seeing you swan back, all thin and in designer gear, the prodigal daughter returned, Mum bending my ear nonstop about your swanky-wanky life in London and me struggling with a no-hoper of a part-time job in a bloody estate agents and wearing five-year-old jeans from Tesco.’

‘Well, if you put it like that…’ Chloe joined in with the laughter. ‘And all I saw was your two gorgeous children, a loving husband who would do anything for you–’

‘Hung like a donkey, too.’ Hannah’s giggles were getting out of control. She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

Chloe exploded. ‘Don’t make it any worse. He’s my brother-in-law, for God’s sake. I’m never going to get that image out of my head!’ Putting a hand on her sister’s shoulder, she rested her forehead on top, helpless with laughter.

When they’d sobered up, Chloe asked, ‘Truce?’

‘Maybe.’ Hannah’s mouth worked. ‘Depends how much you rub me up the wrong way.’

Chloe sighed. ‘Well, ditto, little sis. And I don’t mean to, really I don’t. Actually, lately I’ve begun to admire how well you deal with everything you’ve got on your plate.’

‘Me?’ Hannah gaped. ‘Blimey. Never thought I’d ever hear the great Chloe say that.’

‘Maybe it’s been running around after Mum these past few days.’ Chloe looked down and scuffed her trainers on the worn quarry tiles. ‘I’ve never had to look after anyone except myself. You’re pulled and twisted in fifty million directions at once.’

‘Tell me about it,’ Hannah said warmly. ‘You learn to take any favours when and where you can. Otherwise you end up doing it all. And don’t get me started on the cutting corners. Ready meals are my friend. We’re regulars at the chip van.’

‘Understood.’

Hannah was silent for a moment. She concentrated on finding the teabags and loading them into the pot. Then she turned back to her sister and said with an effort, ‘I’ve always been jealous of you, you know.’

‘Me?’

‘Too clever by half. Sailed through any exams without even trying.’ Hannah shrugged. ‘Drop-dead gorgeous. Living it up in London. All those ritzy holidays. I wouldn’t know a ski if it flipped up and hit me.’

Chloe crossed her arms and studied her sister, wondering if she was taking the piss. Hannah was a little flushed, her bottom lip compressed. She looked and sounded genuine. ‘There was no reason, Han. I worked hard for any exam success. It didn’t come easily and I didn’t have any kind of social life. You’re too young to remember all the hours I spent in my bedroom up there,’ she jerked her head towards the ceiling, ‘swotting over books until my eyes were on stalks. Half of me suspects that’s why I had to have glasses when I was fifteen. And that put the kibosh on any boys fancying me. We all know teenage boys go after the “pick me” girls, not the ones who prefer the library to the school disco. I was shy, too. Still am, I think, although I think my social skills have improved.’ She paused, worried she’d revealed too much. ‘University was awful.’

‘Was it?’ Hannah asked, sounding surprised.

Chloe nodded, rubbing a tired hand over her face. ‘I’d been desperate to escape the village for as long as I could remember. All my hopes were pinned on university. And when I got there, I couldn’t cope. With the social expectations or the academic. From being the cleverest in school, I went to being average at best. And the male undergrads. Sheesh. Just hope it’s better when Maddy goes. I got together with a few other freshers and we’d go out in a group. The boys would hunt in a pack, picking off the weak ones.’

‘Bloody hell, Chlo.’

‘You had to keep your wits about you. That’s why, when I joined the bank, I was instantly attracted to Jasper. He was cool, didn’t chase. Seemed a proper grown-up.’