“Yeah, everything’s great. Look, I remember you talking the other day about that volunteer programme you help with and how someone had to go home due to an emergency. You’re down a person for the final six weeks?”

“Yeah.” His voice streaked with obvious surprise. “I was going to go cover it myself, but there was no way to organise the leave in time.”

“Do they need someone else?” she asked.

“Well, the orphanages there always do. Why, do you have someone in mind?”

“Actually, I think I do.”

“They’d have to have all their clearances, immunisations and such, done.”

“That won’t be a problem.”

“Great, who is it?”

* * *

Frazer,

Sorry to inform you that I will be unable to assist with the programme for the next month, possibly more. I have arranged to carry on as mentor for Jack through Skype, and he knows he can contact you for further immediate support. The other client I have passed on to one of the other mentors. I supervised an introduction with them yesterday. It’s Jill from A and E. They hit it off and will be fine, I’m sure. However, the client knows she can also contact me through Skype if she ever needs to.

As for the social work side of things, as per your e-mail, I assume my services are unneeded there as you only requested I continue as mentor for my current clients.

If you have any queries, please e-mail me, which I will be sure to answer, unlike you have done with the several I have sent you.

All the best,

Cora.

Frazer grimaced and read the e-mail again. And then a third time. She made a mental note to check in with Jack and the other client as soon as possible.

She also tried to ignore the very obvious dig.

It had just been…easier not to reply.

The urge to ask Cora why she couldn’t be a mentor for the next month overtook her, but she made herself shove her phone into her pocket instead. It was none of her business.

And really, what did Frazer expect? She’d cut Cora out of the programme. It hadn’t been intentional, even if it had been a little unfair, but she had needed to make sure she could do what she had been thinking of doing.

Okay, it had been more than a little unfair. It had been completely unfair. But talking to Cora just clouded her mind. It clouded everything about Frazer’s judgement.

It was why she’d walked away.

“So, what do you think?” Rob’s hands were casually in his pockets as he watched Frazer take everything in.