‘Old times’ sake.’

Give me a break. ‘What about new times?’ I asked.

‘Those too, I suppose,’ said Callie.

A horrifying thought occurred to me. ‘Are you and Tobey back together again?’

‘No, Mum. Tobey and I are just working together to get Troy and Libby back home and that’s all,’ said Callie.

Which was some of the story, but not all of it. Callie should know better than to underestimate me.

‘And I take it Tobey still has the letter opener?’

Pause. ‘I think so.’

I knew so. And he’d keep it for as long as it was useful to him. The letter opener was his escape route from a murder charge. Tobey had me painted into a corner.

‘That man is a piece of work,’ I fumed. ‘The only way to save him now would be for him to lose everything and I mean everything, but that’s never going to happen.’

‘What good would that do?’

‘He could start rebuilding himself from the ground up as a decent human being.’

‘Mum, don’t stress. I can handle Tobey,’ Callie insisted.

But could she? I sighed inwardly. ‘Honey, I think we should both try to get some sleep or at least a nap. Something tells me that, when the day begins, it’s going to be a long one.’

‘Mum, are you all right?’

‘Of course, darling. I’m fine. Or I will be when Troy is safely home.’

‘I think we should both try to think about other things,’ said Callie. ‘Worrying won’t help the situation.’

Like that was going to happen for either of us.

‘We’ll talk later, Callie. I love you.’

‘I love you too, Mum. Very much.’

‘Bye, love.’ I disconnected the call.

Think about other things …? Like what?

Oh, Callum, all I have in this world that I care about are Callie, Troy and Meggie. I’m even beginning to wonder why I’m clinging on so hard to my restaurant. Maybe it’s because it’s the last part of Nathan I have. Everything else has been taken away. But, if I close the chapter on Specimens, maybe a new chapter could begin? Guess what, Callum? Sonny has asked me to marry him. Isn’t that something? I’m still trying to figure out what kind of something that is, but it’s definitely something. I genuinely believed that there was nothing between us but friendship, like well-worn but still cosy slippers. I had no idea he still thought and felt about me that way. Isn’t that something?! He asked for my answer and I asked for time to think about it. It’s a big step. Colossal. I genuinely wasn’t looking to get hitched again.

So what do I do?