Alice-Miranda held on to Esma and Hatice’s hands as they skipped around into the back garden at Caledonia Manor. She was expecting Zahra to meet her there at three. But what Alice-Miranda didn’t expect to see was Ada Abboud and the twins. The babies were lying on a blanket on their tummies, kicking their legs and gurgling in the middle of the lawn with their new double pram parked nearby.

‘Mama!’ Hatice pulled away and ran towards her mother.

‘Hello girls,’ Ada called, getting to her feet. She enveloped Hatice and gave her a kiss on the head. ‘It was such a beautiful day I couldn’t resist the sunshine and this garden is quite something.’

Esma dragged Alice-Miranda towards her mother. ‘We met Bony,’ the girl said. ‘He’s Alice-Miranda’s pony and he’s very naughty.’

‘He showed us his teeth like this.’ Hatice bared hers and made a whinnying sound.

Ada laughed. ‘Did you give him a treat?’

Hatice shook her head. ‘Alice-Miranda did, but he tried to chomp her finger. He has very bad manners.’

‘And stinky poos.’ Esma fanned her hand in front of her face. ‘Like the twins.’

‘I don’t think you can talk.’ Ada grinned. ‘Where is Zahra?’ she asked, looking behind them.

‘She ducked off to the bathroom,’ Alice-Miranda said, wishing the girl would appear. She hated telling tales, even when they were for a good reason. Fortunately, Esma and Hatice had spotted Cleopatra at the far end of the garden and ran off to play with her. ‘How’s Mr Abboud?’ Alice-Miranda asked. She sat on the blanket and reached out for Hamza’s tiny hand.

‘The doctors are happy with his progress. They may even bring him out of the coma later in the week,’ Ada said. She picked up Miray and cuddled the snuffly infant to her chest.

‘That’s good news. The festival plans are coming along well too,’ Alice-Miranda said.

‘You must let me know how we can help,’ Ada said. ‘Perhaps I can cook if we can find some babysitters.’

Alice-Miranda nodded. She launched into a detailed description of everything the committee had planned but made the mistake of glancing at her watch.

Ada’s eyes narrowed. ‘Where is Zahra, really?’ she asked.

Right at that moment, Zahra sped around the corner. Seeing her mother, she quickly tore off her headphones and dumped them and her backpack among the dahlias. ‘Sorry, I had to get a drink,’ she puffed.

Ada raised an eyebrow. ‘And go to the toilet?’

‘Yes, I was busting,’ the girl replied, flashing her mother a smile.

Alice-Miranda sighed with relief. ‘I was just telling your mother about the festival.’

Zahra hoped she hadn’t said anything about the talent quest.

‘Your mother thought she might help with the food,’ Alice-Miranda said, her brown eyes wide.

Ada stood up and placed Miray into the double pram that had been part of Mrs Parker’s procurement. She then lifted Hamza in beside her. ‘Come along, Esma, Hatice,’ Ada called. ‘I need to make a start on supper.’

The pair lingered, not wanting to leave their new friend.

‘Thank you for looking after the girls,’ Ada said, smiling at Alice-Miranda. ‘You are our guardian angel.’

‘Mrs Abboud. Would it be all right for Zahra to come and have dinner with us in the boarding house tonight?’ the girl asked.

‘Oh, I am afraid I need her to help me with the children,’ Ada replied. Spotting the disappointment on her oldest daughter’s face, she added, ‘But perhaps another time. I know it is hard for Zahra to always be minding the little ones.’

‘Thank you, Mama,’ Zahra said, brightening.

Ada walked ahead, pushing the twins while Esma and Hatice danced along beside her.

‘How was it?’ Alice-Miranda whispered.

‘Wonderful,’ Zahra said, beaming. ‘I have a new song and it’s exquisite.’

‘You know, Esma and Hatice might still spill the beans,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘In any case, you should tell your mother about your lessons.’

Zahra nodded. ‘I will, but not just yet. It would be far better that she sees me perform on the day and then afterwards I will tell her everything and deal with the consequences. I promise.’

Percy Pratt leaned his elbows on the desk and rubbed his throbbing temples. He’d been marking all afternoon and had already downed two paracetamol to deal with the pain, but there was one more thing he had to finish before he could rest. He picked up his pen and began to write. It was all going well until the phone rang, causing him to smear the page.

‘Drat it!’ Percy cursed. He pushed back his chair and hurried over to answer the call. ‘Hello Mother,’ he sighed. ‘Of course I was going to ring you. It’s …’ He pulled the phone away from his ear as the elderly woman berated him for his tardiness, which was not fair at all. Percy’s life was as neat and tidy as the bottles lined up by order of height on the shelves in the Science storeroom. His living quarters were immaculate too. The single bed was made with perfect hospital corners and topped with a hand-made crocheted rug his mother had insisted he bring with him. There wasn’t a speck of dust despite his penchant for collecting all manner of scientific curiosities, which adorned the coffee table and bookshelves. He had mazes and several versions of Newton’s cradle with the silver balls he liked to set off all at the same time. There were balancing men and spinners and magnets suspended in liquid, some of which he had made himself.

His eyes fell upon the framed poster he’d purchased at the Science fair a few weeks back. It was hanging proudly on the wall with a host of others, proclaiming that If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the precipitate. When he’d shown it to Josiah on their way home, the man had stared at him blankly. He’d had to explain what it meant and was greeted with hearty guffaws. Honestly, the fellow was a disgrace to the profession.

‘Mother, I have something I need to finish. I’ll call you back later,’ Percy said, and hung up the phone.

He considered the ruined page, then bunched it into a little ball and tossed it away. It rolled and skipped to the edge of the desk, where it teetered for a few moments before falling through the open window and into the garden below. Percy was so busy redoing his work that he didn’t notice it disappear.