Page 35 of Darling Girls

‘Do we answer it?’

The questions kept coming. Jessica didn’t have any answers. Neither did Alicia or Norah. Jessica was about to suggest that they turn off the lights and hide when Norah started striding towards the door.

‘No!’ Jessica and Alicia hissed, jogging after her. ‘Norah! Wait!’

But she was too quick. By the time they’d caught up with her she was already at the door. As she opened it, her two sisters pressed themselves against the wall, out of sight of the visitor.

‘Yes?’ Her tone was haughty, expectant.

Alicia stifled a giggle.

‘Package for Holly Fairchild.’

Norah reached for the package. ‘Thanks.’

‘I need a signature.’

‘Sure thing.’ Norah leaned against the doorframe. ‘Where?’

Her confidence was impressive, Jessica had to admit. As Alicia’s shoulders shook with repressed mirth, Jessica found herself stifling her own giggles.

‘Sorry, sweetie, you need to be over eighteen.’ A pause. ‘Is Holly home?’

‘I’m Holly,’ Norah said, cool as a cucumber.

Alicia slid down the wall, biting her fist to stop from laughing.

‘No you’re not.’

‘How would you know?’

‘Because I’ve met Holly several times down at the post office.’

Jessica and Alicia exchanged glances, eyes wide and worried.

Norah rallied quickly. ‘Of course! I almost didn’t recognise you. Good to see you again, Logan.’

The guy’s patience had run out. ‘Listen, kid, I know you’re not Holly. You’re wearing Polly Pocket pyjamas.’ Logan sounded tired. ‘And Holly looks . . . different.’

‘I didn’t want to bring this up, butyou’rewearing a bottle-green uniform. And, frankly,youlook different too. How do I know you’re actually Logan?’

Now, Jessica was shaking with laughter as Alicia wiped away tears.

‘Just give me my package, Logan, if that’s really your name.’

Logan had clearly had enough, because the next thing they knew, Norah was closing the door, package in hand.

‘Logan was an imbecile,’ she said, and the three of them broke into fresh gales of stomach-aching laughter that lasted the rest of the night.

16

ALICIA

‘Ihave a good mind to leave you two and the dogs here and drive back to Melbourne,’ Jessica said crossly. ‘I don’t understand how it can smell so bad. My eyes are watering.’

They’d had to pull over and stand in the ditch at the side of the highway while they waited for the smell to clear from Jessica’s car. Jessica’s complete inability to see the funny side had Alicia and Norah in stitches.

‘Youbrought the treats!’ Norah said, wiping tears of laughter from her own eyes.