“Mommy liked it tidy. We try to keep it the way she liked it.” The shy voice came from the stairs and Flora turned and saw a young girl standing there. Her hair was dark and caught up in an uneven ponytail. Her blue dress hung around her skinny frame and she was carrying a limp giraffe that probably hadn’t seen the inside of a washing machine at any point during its life. She stared at Flora, unsure whether she was looking at friend or foe.

“Hi there.” Flora gave her a warm smile. “You must be Molly.” She stepped forward but the little girl shrank back, clutching the giraffe to her chest.

“Come here, Molly.” Jack held out his hand. “Come and say hi.”

Molly didn’t say “hi.” Instead she ran to him as if he were a lifeboat and Flora the storm.

Jack scooped child and toy into his arms. “What’s the matter, honey?”

“She’s wearing shoes.” Her voice was barely audible. “Mommy doesn’t let us wear shoes in the house.”

Jack’s gaze met Flora’s over the top of Molly’s head and she bent to pull off her running shoes. She could feel her face burning.

“I was so excited to see you, I forgot to take them off.” Her fingers slipped and slid on the laces. She was eight years old again and fumbling with her coat under the glare of her aunt’s disapproving frown.

I chose not to marry and have children so we’ll have to find a way to tolerate each other.

Nothing stressed Flora more than knowing she was being tolerated. She wanted to be accepted. Welcomed. Loved.

Protected by her father’s arms, Molly gained confidence. “Do you wear shoes in your house?”

“I don’t have a house, I have an apartment. And I don’t own it, I rent it. It belongs to someone else, and he doesn’t care too much about things like leaks and damp.” And cockroaches. “It’s not as special as your home.” The thought of all the people and activity that had probably taken place on her floor made her want to walk around in thigh-length boots and a hazmat suit, not bare feet.

Still, when she’d dreamed of a family home it hadn’t looked like this.

Flora placed her shoes neatly to the side of the entryway.

“We have a shoe cupboard.” Molly pointed, and Flora followed directions and opened a door. Behind it was a large concealed cupboard complete with shoe racks.

“Well look at that!” Flora tucked her shoes inside. “I bet that’s a perfect place to play hide-and-seek.”

Molly gave her an odd look. “It’s a cupboard. You’d get dirty.”