Dangerous Affection

Chapter Forty-Two

Maisie doesn’t want to go to her dance lesson, but I insist.

As far as I’m concerned, part of the problem is that her world has somehow become far too narrow. Me and Mum, Shaun, Joanne and Piper are the only people she sees regularly.

Besides, I have an idea, if I can get her there.

With tremendous effort, I push the anonymous letter I just received from my mind. Maisie is what matters most. I might have lost sight of it temporarily, but without doubt my focus is back on track.

‘I think it’s time to reconnect to your friends, poppet. It’s been a few weeks since you had Sandeep over, or when you visited one of your pals’ houses. Why do you think that is?’

Maisie shrugs. ‘Nobody likes me any more,’ she says flatly.

‘Oh sweetie, whatever gives you that idea?’

‘They all like Piper more than me. I think she’s been telling them nasty things about me.’

I feel cold inside. I can still remember what it’s like to be the odd one out at school, when you’re not in favour for no reason you can understand.

Shaun’s reaction to this would be so predictable, if I tried to discuss it. There’s no way he’d accept that Piper could be so conniving and heartless. I have no problem at all imagining it, but it’s not going to be helpful to agree with Maisie. She’ll just feel more isolated than ever.

‘You’ve been friends with those girls for a long time, Maisie, they can’t just dislike you for no reason, in the space of a few weeks. You should try and join in with them again. Ignore Piper.’

She pulls a face but stays quiet.

‘There are friends at school I never hear you mention any more, too. Friends that don’t even go to the dance school or know Piper.’

‘Nobody wants to be my friend at school either. I think the dance girls have told the others horrible things about me.’

I feel so helpless. Maisie’s usual teacher has been off sick for a while, so I can’t just have a quiet word with her.

‘If I need to speak to the head teacher, then I will,’ I say in a steely tone.

‘No!’ Maisie stomps past me. ‘Just leave it, Mum. You don’t know anything about it and you’ll just make everything worse. I don’t want to talk about it any more.’

Just up the road from the dance studio, Maisie kisses me on the cheek and gets out of the car. I watch as she walks limply to the entrance. Gone are the days of her bounding in, excited to see her friends and get to class.

Groups of mums and girls – most of whom I recognise – stand around talking, but nobody turns to acknowledge Maisie, much less speak to her.

She climbs the steps and disappears inside, and I’m about to pull away when I see Joanne’s Mercedes slide into her unofficial double-yellow parking spot directly outside the building.

Piper, sheathed in a bundle of sparkling pink net, skips out onto the pavement, posturing and preening to Sandeep and her mum, Sarita, who have just arrived on foot.

Joanne half gets out of the car and shouts something to Sarita, who laughs and waves.

It’s all I can do not to stomp over there and dress Joanne and her daughter down in front of all the other mums. I’d like to ask my boss what she thinks she’s playing at, allowing her daughter to demonise Maisie to the other girls.

But I know Maisie will never forgive me, and Shaun will think I’m off my trolley.

No. It’s best that I stick to my original plan.