Free Hold My Hand by Serena Mackesy

raises it to her mouth. “Oh my God. So what did you do? Surely she’s used to going to sleep by herself?”
    “Well, yes… but not in a strange bed in a strange house.  She’s always just tucked up in my bed in our room, since Kieran left. You’ve never heard so much shrieking.”
    “I live in Streatham,” says Carol. “I hear it every night.”
    “It doesn’t help that it’s colder than a witch’s tit. He’s obviously had the heating off since the day I came down for the interview.  We’re going to have to go and buy some new bedclothes first thing tomorrow.  As it is, I’ve got her sleeping under a couple of coats, and I’ve taken down the living room curtains to put on my own bed. He’s bloody lucky the pipes haven’t frozen.”
    “Surely it’s warming up now?”
    “I’m sure it would be if I could only find the boiler. It’s obviously not on the same system as the house, but I’m damned if I can work out where it is. I’m too tired, to be honest. The lights were out when we got here and it took me half an hour of fumbling around in the dark with a cigarette lighter before I found the trip switch.”
    “Oh, honey, how horrible. Were you scared?”
    Bridget laughs.  “Naah.  What would I be scared for, wandering about a huge strange house in the dark? And Yasmin was hanging on to my trousers every step of the way, howling. Actually, I had too much on my hands to think about being scared.  It’s pissing it down here. Started raining at Launceston, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that wind wasn’t gale force.  It practically took me off the road a couple of times when we were crossing Bodmin moor. I was more worried that we were going to get hit by a flying roof slate than anything else.”
    “Have you eaten?”
    “Heinz Tomato Soup and cheese on toast. We weren’t very hungry. And she’d been eating crisps fairly solidly since junction 5.”
    “And she’s asleep now?”
    Bridget sighs. “Yes. Though I’ve had to leave her bedroom door open and all the lights on. I don’t suppose I’m going to be much longer myself.”
    “Get yourself a drink and get in the bath,” Carol advises.
    A lovely idea, thinks Bridget. A long hot bath is just what I need. And I’d have one if we had any hot water.  And if the bath wasn’t an inch deep in spiders.  “Yeah, you're right. That is what I need.”
    “By the way, I tucked a present for you into Madam's left wellington.  Half a bottle of vodka. Thought you might need it.”
    “Oh, Carol. You shouldn’t have.”
    “It’s only Asda,” says Carol, “nothing posh or anything. I just thought… well, I knew you wouldn’t have thought of anything like that yourself and I know what it’s like trying to get to sleep somewhere new. Even if you aren’t six years old.”
    “You’re a true friend. You know that?”
    “Sure am. Still, I’ll get my reward now I've got free summer hols for the rest of my life.”
    “You know you can come, any time.” Bridget suddenly feels lonely. The summer holidays are six months away. “You know you’re welcome,” she continues in a small voice. “Can’t you come sooner?”
    “No,” says Carol, and Bridget's stomach lurches. “You’re not to get maudlin on me,” she continues. “I’ll be down as soon as we can both manage. You know I will.”
    “Yes.” Bridget holds back a sniff, swipes the back of her hand across her eyes.
    “It’ll be fine. In the morning. Once you’ve got everything unpacked and started finding your way around. You’re doing the right thing, you know you are.”
    “Has he been round?” she asks, suddenly unable to stop herself thinking of Kieran.
    “You’ve only been gone half a day. He’s hardly had time. And anyway, the pub’s not let out yet, has it?”
    “He’s going to be so –”
    “Yeah, well,” Carol cuts her off, “it’s nothing more than he deserves. And nothing I can’t handle, either. Just stop it with that. That’s tired thinking. Go