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say my name behind me, I jumped and screamed before quickly scrambled back against the wall, wrapping my arms around myself as my heart tried to recover from the shock.
    ‘Shit, I’m so sorry,’ came Lexi’s voice. ‘I was looking for you in the bedroom and heard you in here.’ I put my hand over my heaving chest as I looked up at her standing in the dressing room doorway.
    ‘It’s ok, I just … I thought I was on my own, you scared me.’
    ‘I hate seeing you like this. What can I do?’ she asked as she grabbed a facecloth and wet it, then crouched down next to me and wiped my mouth, cleaning it for me.
    ‘Exactly what you’re already doing,’ I smiled.
    ‘Chicken dinner’s nearly ready and if you’re a really good girl and eat it all up, I’ll fetch you some Juicy Pear Jelly Belly’s for pudding,’ she coaxed.
    ‘Sod off,’ I giggled.
    ‘Wow, I hate to think what you would have said if I’d offered you liquorice flavour.’
    ‘A lot worse than sod off,’ I smiled. She knew I hated those. ‘Lex?’
    ‘Yeah?’
    ‘Please will you keep on treating me like nothing’s happened? Everyone else is pussyfooting around me and I get it, I really do, they’re finding it hard, but it’s nice to just be Mia without all the problems now and again.’
    ‘Sure. You want me to smack you with a pillow and tip another bottle of zinfandel over your head?’
    ‘Only if it’s the cheap stuff. Don’t you be wasting my Wandering Bear.’
    ‘Hey, while you’re off the booze because of these sleeping tablets Dr. Jarvis has given you, I’m gonna be drinking your Wandering Bear so don’t worry about it going to waste. That’s seriously good shit. Come on, everyone’s starving and really wants to see you.’ She stood and held out her hand, so I grabbed it and she hauled me up and I hugged her tightly.
    ‘Thanks,’ I whispered.
    ‘You’re welcome.’ She held my hand as we walked into the lounge. The smell of dinner cooking was amazing and my tummy let out a rumble, but there was a sudden awkward silence as everyone stopped talking to look at me with concern all over their faces. I automatically put my hand up to my throat, I could see their eyes looking at my bruised neck where Adam had choked me, it was a pointless exercise as now they were looking at my bruised wrists.
    ‘Ok Princess, one chocolate milkshake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream coming up,’ announced Gerry as he walked over and kissed my forehead.
    ‘Thank you,’ I smiled. It was something he always used to make me when I’d been good as a kid.
    ‘Hey Mia,’ Doug ambled over and stood in front of me hesitantly. I looked at everyone’s faces as they all just stared at me and took a deep breath.
    ‘Ok everyone, I realise this is a really weird situation that we’re all in, and you’re all finding it hard to know how to handle me, but please, can you try and treat me like normal? I don’t want to be mollycoddled and have you all feeling uncomfortable around me.’ Everyone just stood looking at me still, silently. ‘Ok, do I have to kick some arse to get you to do as I want?’ I asked.
    ‘Hug time then?’ asked Doug.
    ‘Hug time,’ I nodded and let him wrap his arms around me. I went around to do everyone in turn, noticing that the hugs were tighter and lasted a bit longer than normal.
    ‘Sweetie, I have to tell you this whole hair and skin situation you have going on is really not working,’ advised Sofia with a smile as she let me go. ‘We’re having a girlie day tomorrow, you, Lexi, Jacqui and I are going to the spa to get spray tans, facials and haircuts.’
    ‘We’re going out?’ I asked hesitantly. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that and she read the nerves on my face immediately.
    ‘I can get them to come to us if you’re not ready to go out Mia, either way an intervention is required.’
    ‘Sofia,’ I laughed, suddenly feeling better that I didn’t have to leave home. ‘Do I really look that