So when Nat sees me grinning at her mother and Adelaide positively beaming at me, I get the feeling that this will be a bombshell of epic proportions for her. Adelaide, it seems, is handling my appearance far better than her daughter. ‘Oh my God!’ she cries, coming towards me, her arms already outstretched. ‘How on earth are you here? Do you two know each other?’ ‘Hi, Adelaide,’ I say, opting for full-wattage charm as a master stroke of deflection. ‘You look fantastic.’ I allow her to envelop me in a hug whose genuine warmth has my throat constricting with emotion. While I’ve never forgotten
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