Page 69 of Two Hit Wonder

They circled the school at approximately four miles per hour while Mo waved regally out the window at a group of girls who looked like they were about to pass out from shock. Maeve tried very hard not to laugh.

"This is the best day of my life," Mo announced, finally settling back into her seat. "I mean it. Nothing will ever top this."

"I'm glad I could be of service."

Mo pulled out her phone and started typing furiously. "I'm posting this everywhere. Instagram, TikTok, everywhere. They're going to die."

"Is that healthy? The desire to make your classmates die?"

"It's a figure of speech." Mo grinned at her, and for a second, she looked exactly like Iona. The same bright, uncomplicated joy. "Thank you. Seriously. You didn't have to do this."

"It sounded like you needed it." Maeve couldn’t believe herself that she’d done it. But then she’d remembered being fourteen, and it had seemed the greatest idea in the world.

"Yeah, but you could have just sent a selfie or something. This is…" She gestured around at the limo. "This is extra. In a good way."

They drove through London, Mo chattering about school and music and which of her classmates she particularly wanted to impress. Maeve found herself relaxing, the tension from last night slowly unknotting.

"Can I ask you something?" Mo said eventually, her tone shifting.

"You can ask. I might not answer."

Mo fiddled with her phone case, not meeting Maeve's eyes. "My mum. Is she happy? With the band and everything?"

Maeve considered the question. "I think so. Why?"

"It's just… Dunno." Mo shrugged, teenage discomfort radiating off her. "She's never really happy. Not properly. She tries, and she's good at pretending, but there's always something missing. Like she's looking for something she can't find." She glanced up at Maeve. "I thought maybe the band would fix it. Like, she’s missed playing. But I don't know if it has. I think she was pretty depressed after Calinda left and all."

Maeve didn't have an answer for that. The words sat heavy in the silence between them. "I think," she said carefully, "that your mum is figuring things out. Same as the rest of us."

Mo nodded slowly. "Yeah. I guess."

THE LIMO DROPPED them outside Iona's building. Maeve walked Mo to the door, ignoring the curious stares from neighbors.

"Thanks again," Mo said. "For the limo thing. And the talking thing."

"Anytime."

Mo reached for the buzzer, pressed it. Footsteps in the hall, getting closer.

The door opened.

Iona stood there, her face caught somewhere between relief and uncertainty, her eyes flicking from Mo to Maeve and back again.

Nobody said anything.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Nobody said anything for what felt like a very long time.

Mo broke first. "I'm just getting my bag," she said, already pushing past Iona into the flat. "I forgot it this morning when I left."

"Right," Iona said. "Of course."

Maeve stood on the doorstep like she wasn't sure if she was allowed inside. Which was ridiculous. Except last night had changed things. Iona could see it in the way Maeve was holding herself, shoulders tight, jaw set. She’d been thinking all night and all day and knew what she’d done wrong.

"Come in," she said, stepping back. "It's Shepherd's night. Mo's just grabbing her things and then she's off."

Maeve nodded and crossed the threshold like a vampire being invited in. Iona breathed.