Free The Insect Rosary by Sarah Armstrong

silver fish underneath the rug. She’d imagined them being ten and twelve, and they weren’t. She felt cross that Bernadette didn’t understand what she wanted.
    â€˜So why are you here, then?’
    â€˜Answers.’ Bernadette looked back down the drive. ‘And knowing my enemies.’
    She began to walk to the hedge on the left. Nancy clenched her fists, but Bernadette wasn’t going to get away with her sniping. They were in their forties now. She caught her up.
    â€˜Look I know we grew apart, but that was decades ago. I’m not your enemy and I’m glad you seem so well and happy. I know it was really hard for you, and you went through it more than me, but it was hard to watch as well.’
    â€˜Oh, you only watched, did you?’
    â€˜Anything that happened was not my fault. You know what happened. It was the therapists, not me.’
    Bernadette was on her tiptoes, but couldn’t properly see over the hedge. ‘It was always about you.’ There was no emotion betrayed in her face at all. Her eyes were dry, her mouth making calm and considered words. ‘Children are never believed until an adult believes them, like someone hearing the tree fall in the forest. You let me down really badly, Nancy, and I told you I’d never forgive you. I meant it.’
    â€˜What?’ Nancy tried to control her voice. ‘When did everything become my fault?’
    Bernadette smoothed her hair behind her ears. ‘I didn’t agree to this as some kind of reconciliation. We were coming anyway. This summer isn’t about you, Nancy. We’re just all here in the same place.’
    â€˜What about Florence?’
    â€˜What about her? Do you even know what’s happening with her?’
    â€˜Yes!’ Nancy tried to think back to what she’d last seen on Facebook. Nothing came to mind.
    Bernadette laughed.
    Nancy said, ‘Why is it up to me to contact everyone? You could have called me. I’d loved you to have visited.’
    â€˜You never suggested it.’
    Nancy stumbled over her words. ‘I invited you to the wedding.’
    â€˜Yes, yes you did.’ Bernadette shrugged and looked up at the house. ‘Thanks.’ The paint on the windows was peeling and the cracked pane of the storage room between the two front bedrooms was highlighted by the angle of the sun. She held her hand to her eyes to glance at the few clouds. ‘Anyway, we’ll see you this evening.’
    No offer to take everyone and Nancy couldn’t ask. She would spend the day moving Hurley from her bedroom to Agatha’s room and see what happened next.
    Â 
    The girls had been bathed and were curled up in their pyjamas on the sofa, each with a DSi again.
    â€˜Your turn, Hurley,’ said Nancy.
    â€˜I only have showers.’
    The girls whispered to each other and giggled. Nancy frowned, ‘What did you two say?’ They shrugged. She had to start thinking of them by name. Erin and . . .? She turned back to Hurley. ‘The boiler has been kept on for you and you need to keep that leg clean. We’re seeing the doctor tomorrow. Now upstairs.’
    He grumbled but left the room. The girls looked at each other and then at Nancy.
    â€˜Should you be on those before bedtime?’
    â€˜Mum said.’
    â€˜I’ll just check with her, shall I?’
    They ignored her. She tried not to slam the door. Bernadette was in the parlour putting on some eyeliner. She lowered the small hand mirror.
    â€˜We’re going to pop out, Nancy. You don’t mind babysitting, do you?’
    â€˜I suppose not. Where are you going?’
    â€˜The pub.’
    Nancy thought of the windowless bars she’d seen by the road.
    â€˜Who’s driving?’
    â€˜We’ll do stone-paper-scissors,’ said Bernadette. She lifted up the mirror again.
    Nancy couldn’t remember when she’d last seen her with make-up on. Maybe it was when she was