Although she was in a hurry to get home, everyone seemed to want to speak to Katy as she made her way along Bridge Street and she was in too good a mood to refuse to engage. Laughing, the young woman nudged Kathy with her shoulder and promised she'd be over at R&R by mid-afternoon, before nodding as Kush tried to attract her attention.

"Katy, can I have a word?" Gray called over to Katy as she finished her conversation and turned to continue along Bridge Street.

"Depends what you want?" She replied, looking at him carefully. There was something about him that she didn't quite trust.

"You're Whitney's best mate, right? You'd know all about her past relationships?"

"Uhh..." Katy frowned, folding her arms. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"I need to know in case anything's dragged up in court."

"Right... so why can't you ask Whit?"

"She's told me bits and pieces, but it's clearly tough for her. I thought you might be able to fill in the gaps?"

Katy looked him up and down for a minute. "If it's that important you can speak to Whit about it. Tough or not, she should be the one to tell you. It ain't my place."

"If you're as good a friend as–"

"Don't even go there." She replied, laughing mirthlessly. "You have no idea what Whit and I have been through together." Katy took a step closer to him. "Now stop being creepy and actually do your job. Help Whitney."

Leaving him staring after her, the blonde turned and strode away in the direction of home. She wrapped her hand around the bunch of keys in her coat pocket, smiling to herself as she thought about what they represented. It would be strange, not living with any of her family for the first time, but it was a definite step forward.

"I'm home!" She called out as she let herself into the house.

Almost immediately her grandmother's flat door opened, as did her own. Glenda frowned at her, before glancing up and catching her elder daughter's eyes on the landing above. They clearly didn't understand why she was home in the middle of the morning, which made Katy laugh softly as she pulled the bunch of keys out of her pocket.

"I got the keys to Number 28." She explained, jangling them in the air. "We can move in today."

"You're moving today?"

"No point delaying it, is there?" Katy shrugged, looking between them. "The girls knew we were going to move as soon as it went through. They're excited about it all."

"But it's a bit sudden?"

"We're moving across the Square, not to another country."

"D'you need any help?" Ronnie asked reluctantly.

"Thanks." Her daughter purposely ignored the sadness in her eyes as she asked the question.

Ever since the idea had entered her head, Katy had been forcing herself not to think about the fact that Ronnie might be upset about the move. She understood that it was a massive thing, a sign that Katy really didn't need her mother to help her out anymore. She had her own house, without her family around her constantly. It was almost as though she was cutting them out of her life.

"You do know you'll probably see more of me than you do now." Katy told her offhandedly, sneaking a glance in her mother's direction as she tried to cram all of the twins' soft toys into one bin bag. "I won't know what to do with my own company and I'll be begging you to come over for wine and a gossip."

Ronnie laughed softly. "That's probably true."

"You do know that me moving out with the girls has nothing to do with you, don't you?"

"Hmm?"

"I just… I finally believe that I can bring up the girls on my own." Katy told her quietly. "I've always been afraid before… thought I wasn't able to do it."

"I've never thought that."

"I know." She nodded. "I still want you to be here for us; that's not going to change just because we're not having to share the same bloody bed." They both laughed, Ronnie reaching out her leg and nudging her daughter with her foot. "You're my mum. I love you. But I think we both need some space."

"I'll be here, whenever you need me." Ronnie promised, sliding down off the mattress to sit beside her daughter on the carpet. She wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss into her hair. "I promise you."

"I know." Katy repeated.

Sometime later, when Glenda appeared in the doorway and complained that they would never get everything done if they were just going to sit around, they resumed the packing. There was a much lighter mood as they finished stuffing toys and clothes into bin liners and boxes. Even Roxy appeared as they were just finishing off and picked up a couple of bags to carry across the Square.

"Ready?" Ronnie asked as they stepped out onto the pavement.

"Yeah… I want to take these over and get changed before Dennis' memorial."

"You're planning on going to that? Sharon won't be–"

"Stuff Sharon." Katy replied bluntly. "She ain't Queen of the Square."

"Katy…"

"What? Don't pretend that you like her any more than I do."

"I probably like her less than you do." Ronnie pointed out. "But still…"

"What?"

"It's her son's memorial. If she doesn't want us there…"

"This ain't about Sharon, Mum." Katy reminded her. "It's about Dennis. We didn't always get on, but he was family."

"I suppose you're right." Her mother sighed. "But don't start any drama with Sharon. You don't need that."

"Of course not."

Ronnie watched as the younger woman climbed the steps and unlocked the front door of her new house for the first time. An immense feeling of pride washed over her as Katy walked inside. Katy had been right in her assumption that Ronnie was worried she wanted to move out to get away from her, but she believed what her daughter had said about finally believing she could survive on her own. She had no doubts that Katy would be even better at it than she thought.