Heather bit her lip and closed her eyes, remembering the hideous year that had followed. Her friends had shunned her, and no one had believed her story. The months before and just after Arianna’s birth had been terrible, but her worst memory was of watching her fragile daughter struggle for her life in an incubator.

From her room, her mobile phone beeped irritatingly.

“Be back later,” she said, dashing out to pick up the phone.

“Hello, Mummy,” a small voice said as soon as she pressed the answer button.

“Arianna, sweetheart! Are you okay?”

“Mummy, I miss you.”

“I miss you too, sweetie, but I couldn’t bring you with me.”

“When will you come back home?”

“I’ll come and see you next weekend, I promise.”

“Why can’t I come and live with you?” Arianna’s voice was fast becoming a plaintive wail.

“There’s no one to look after you. As soon as I can, I’ll come back home and bring you to live with me. Now, can I speak to Granny?”

“Bye, Mommy,” Arianna said sadly, passing the phone silently to her grandmother.

“Heather?”

“Hi, mom!”

“How are you finding things there? Do you need anything?”

“Everything’s fine, but I miss you all. I’ll try to get back home sometime next weekend.”

“If you’ve promised Arianna, you’d better!” her mother laughed. “So far we’ve been getting along perfectly well, but I shudder to think of the tantrum that awaits us if you don’t turn up this weekend.”

“Okay, I’ll make it a point to get home, okay? Bye.”

“Bye.”

At half eight, the four new flatmates met in their living room. Carly was wearing a short black leather skirt and a red halter-necked top.

“Can we hurry up?” she asked, her sophisticated appearance making an odd contrast to her soft, girlish voice. “I have clients queuing up for me, you know!”

“Well, go!” Ron snapped.

Carly pushed back her chair and left, slamming the door behind her.

“Just our luck,” Ron groaned. “We get saddled with a prostitute.”

“Does it bother you?” Andre asked.

“Just that I don’t think I can stand having her hanging round the flat all day,” Ron shrugged. “That’s all. Please don’t tell me you’re a prostitute or something weird too.”

“I’m a history teacher,” Andre grinned. “Nothing weird about that, is there?”

“Not at all. I’m working at a local café during the day and doing a degree in computer hardware at the community college at night. What about you, Heather?”

“I’m working as an office clerk by day and starting an accountant’s degree course at night.”

“Neither of you is taking history, right?” Andre asked.

“Don’t tell me you’re teaching history at the community college?” Ron asked, stunned.

“Yup,” Andre grinned. “And I would love to have you two as my students.”

“Welcome back,” Ron greeted as Heather let herself into the apartment the next afternoon.

“Thanks. What time did you get back?”

“A few minutes ago. Carly’s just woken up, by the way, and as I was coming up the stairs a Neanderthal came down them.”

“Let’s hope it won’t be an everyday habit,” Heather said. “So, how was work?”

“Awful.” Ron pulled a face. “Annoying customers who keep changing their orders, obnoxious boss who won’t do anything to get his hands dirty, and co-workers who offload all the donkey work onto me. Office life any better?”

“Worse. Filing, making coffee for the boss, running errands and covering for the secretary’s overrun lunch break. College had better not be any worse.”

On Saturday morning, Heather forced herself to get out of bed at half six.

“About time you woke up,” Andre grinned –already sitting at the breakfast bar in the kitchen.

“What are you doing up so early?”

“Going to visit Josh, hon. I didn’t think it was wise to get him over here –not with Carly planning a party later on today!”

“Uh oh…. Does Ron know?”

“I don’t think so –and I would love to be here when he does find out!” Andre giggled like a hysterical schoolgirl.

Ron stumbled into the kitchen slowly, rubbing his eyes.

“Good morning,” Andre said sweetly. “I’d have thought you’d want to catch up on the sleep you won’t be getting tonight.”

“What are you implying?” Ron asked aggressively.

“Just that our dear flatmate is hosting a party here tonight, and Heather and I are fleeing for our lives.”

“Thanks for warning me. I’ll make sure I get back sometime tomorrow evening then, people. See you!” Rom turned back to his room to get a few more hours of sleep.

Heather smiled as she got on the train. Four people, so different from one another, yet so far there didn’t seem to be any obvious clashes… apart from Ron’s complaints against Carly –she completely sympathized with him, though.