The Girl NEXT DOOR

I feel self-conscious around Kate today. I’m realising after all these years that our friendship has come to mean more, and I don’t know if she feels the same. Will there be an opportunity to let her know my feelings towards her have changed? She’s been the centre of attention all afternoon.

We’re standing outside the local church in the village where Kate and I grew up and went to school together.

It’s quite an old historical church and features on tourist websites. For me it’s also full of personal history. It’s the church where I married my high-school sweetheart when we were barely out of our teens. And it’s also the church where my parents renewed their wedding vows just six months ago. This is the first time I’ve been back since then.

Today’s occasion is the book launch of a history of the village, compiled by the local history group and edited by Kate. They’ve collected photographs, newspaper clippings, anecdotes and even old recipes.

There’s an