The confident grin Cora gave her floored Frazer. She’d seen hints of it, but this was new. A little exhilarating. “Good to hear.”

“What do you need a social worker for?”

“You really don’t know?” Frazer asked.

“I could guess.”

“I’ve taken the programme out of the hospital system and have installed it in its own clinic. I’m working out of there privately as a midwife and soon as a child health nurse three half days a week to keep myself afloat for cash. But to really keep it going, I’ve discovered a social worker is invaluable.”

Cora’s smile turned shyer. “Invaluable, huh?”

Frazer simply nodded. The waitress interrupted whatever thought she was forming to reply with. They both ordered a flat white and waited for her to leave.

“How are you funding it, Frazer?”

“Grants, government funding, paying myself minimally. Eventually, I want to make it completely government funded, to have it work with Medicare.”

“Is that possible?”

“Here’s hoping.”

Cora gave a laugh that sounded half-hysterical. “Frazer. That’s amazing.”

And Frazer let herself grin. “Yeah, it kind of is.”

And suddenly, talking became easier.

Frazer barely noticed the waitress bringing their coffees and then taking their empty cups away. Cora wanted to know everything about the clinic, seeming to hum with ideas and plans of her own. It was as if it hadn’t even occurred to Cora that Frazer hadn’t offered her the job, and it had barely occurred to Frazer anyway.

“I saw Jack last week,” Frazer said at one point, their second coffee empty in front of them.

“I Skyped him a few days ago—how was he when you saw him?”

“Good. I won’t be seeing him again. If you’re staying as mentor for him—”

“I am.”

That was a relief. “Good. Then it will be all you now. It’s just support, helping him get back on his feet. He, uh, mentioned you’d got him into TAFE?”

“Yeah, I’m meeting him in a few days to go with him to enrol and actually catch up in person.” Cora studied the mug in front of her, fingertip tracing the handle. “He seems to be coping well, all things considered.”

Jack really did. The psychologist really seemed to be helping, even with only one visit per month now, and Jack seemed so keen to get his apprenticeship started.

“He does.” Frazer said. “He told me his uncle won’t lay off him, but you know, it was with that frustrated teenager roll of the eyes—the one that shows he really appreciates the concern. I think he feels he did the right thing.”

“Then that means he did.”

Another thirty minutes had passed when Frazer realised the time. “Shit! I have to go.”

The glimmer of disappointment in Cora’s eye didn’t go unnoticed. “No problem.”

They stared at each other a moment, Frazer hovering on her seat.