She snorted a laugh then said, thoughtfully, ‘As you were younger than Hayley I suppose that could be counted as a non-standard relationship so you know how it feels. People comment. I generally preferred to increase their understanding of our situation. As a kid I wasn’t aware that the way I’d been conceived had caused issues between my parents. Even if it was unusual, our home life was great, so how could it come from something bad? In the last year of primary school I told this snarky boy that there was no standard human being. We differ in skin tone, hair and eye colour, size and shape. We have various preferences, different physical needs, different medical needs. I told him he had no right to presume he was “normal” and therefore anyone not like him was “weird”. It was illogical, arrogant and ignorant.’

‘Impressive for a primary school kid,’ he commented. Then, wanting her closer, he slipped an arm around her. After a moment she sank against him. ‘It was a version of a speech Patsie often gave at home,’ she admitted with a twinkle. ‘But a passing teacher was so struck he asked me to say it all again at assembly. He asked permission from Roma and Patsie and then worked with me to shape the speech so it was no longer aimed at one individual. Teachers congratulated me afterwards. Some kids went with it and talked to me about it. Some said no, I was wrong, it was weird. I raised awareness but with mixed results because some parents, once made aware of the situation, didn’t want their kids to come to our house. Zinnia reacted to the increased scrutiny by preaching positive bias and shouting about positive discrimination and how proud she was to be the daughter of two women. I suppose you could argue that my actions impacted on her then, just as they are doing now.’

Isaac eased her closer, careful that he didn’t brush her throbbing hand. Lily was pressed all down one side of him now. He brushed a featherlight kiss on her hair. ‘Or she thinks there’s only one way to do things – her way.’

For several moments she was quiet. Then she said, ‘Those things aren’t mutually exclusive.’ She edged herself around so she was turned more towards him. ‘Did you just kiss me?’

‘I did,’ he admitted, gazing at the different-coloured flecks in her eyes – green, gold and grey amidst the blue.

Her gaze moved across his face as if examining every feature for the truth. ‘What do you expect now?’

‘I don’t have expectations.’ He kept his own gaze fastened on hers, showing her he had nothing to hide. ‘I have hopes. I hope you’re going to let me kiss you again.’ He didn’t exactly make it a question but then he didn’t exactly not make it a question.