New Year, New Friends

A silly muddle had boosted the girls’ friendship – but could the grown-ups become good pals, too?

- Sue Moorcroft

Jade, are you sure Alice’s mum said you weren’t allowed to play with Alice any more?’

Stephanie gazed down at her little girl and tried not to jump to conclusions. She didn’t know the family next door very well as they’d only moved in at the beginning of September. Not like their old neighbours, Melissa and Mark, who’d moved in at the same time as Stephanie and her husband, Rick. Stephanie still missed them. The idea that seven-year-old Jade wasn’t allowed to play with Alice, who she’d made fast friends with at school, felt like a slight. Saturdays were made for kids to have fun together, weren’t they?

Jade’s brown eyes were wide. ‘She told me over the fence when I was in the garden. I think Alice has an early Christmas present and her mum doesn’t want her to share it.’

Stephanie found another activity to distract her daughter but then, as Rick was home, hurried next door to have a quiet word with Alice’s mum. All she knew about her so far was that her name was Emily.

‘Hi!’ she said the moment Emily opened the door. ‘I’m just wondering if we have a problem? Only I’d much rather have it out in the open.’

Emily had begun to smile, but now it faded. ‘I’m sorry? What kind of problem?’

Noticing she wasn’t being invited in, Stephanie had to work at keeping her voice pleasant. ‘Jade says she’s not allowed to play with Alice any more.’