‘Hello?’ she asked distractedly as someone she didn’t recognize went for a Front Nine, only to land badly on a Back Five. A loud gasp rippled through the crowd as he spun awkwardly, trying to hold his legs and board up from catching on the hard-packed snow.

The group of teens sitting just along from her cracked a few jokes that she couldn’t quite hear. The boarder seemed to be okay, but as he unclipped and walked out of the pipe, Clover could see he was limping.

‘Clover?’ California crashed down the line: the sound of surf in the background, kids shrieking.

‘Mia! How are you?’

Mia laughed, the sound rare. She had almost never laughed in all the time Clover had lived with them, and certainly not since Cory’s death. ‘You’ll never believe what’s happened to us, Clo! I can’t believe what’s happened!’

Clover grinned. Happiness was contagious. ‘What’s happened?’

‘Hunter, get your brother! Look, the rocks there.’ Her voice was muffled as she turned away from the receiver for a moment. ‘Sorry Clo. We’re at the beach . . . Guess which beach!’

‘Uh . . .’ Clover knew their new apartment was twelve miles inland.

‘Mavericks!’

Half Moon Bay? Their old beach? Were they picnicking? ‘. . . Ah! Is it lovely to be back?’

‘Oh, we’re back! We’re back-back, baby!’

Clover was confused. She watched blankly as another rider took off, soaring above her head moments later. Mia sounded almost high, she was so happy.

‘We got the house back, Clo!’

It took Clover a moment to understand what she was saying. ‘Your house? The old one?’

‘Yeah! Except it ain’t old now!’

Clover remembered about the developer . . . Cory threatening to knock his teeth out. ‘You bought it back?’ Clover frowned. How?

‘No! That’s the thing. It was given back to us!’ Mia gave a laugh of utter amazement.

Clover couldn’t speak for several moments. Given to them? ‘. . . Mia, that doesn’t sound . . . I mean, how is that . . . a thing?’

‘Oh that’s what I said! Believe me, you shoulda seen my face when my attorney called and said he had something for me! I went in expecting another fucking bill and instead there was a set of keys, and the deeds, in my name! It’s ours again!’

‘But why? Who . . .?’ Clover was stammering, worried about her friend.

‘It’s anonymous, he can’t tell me. It’s the one condition of the contract. But I know who it is. I mean, it’s pretty obvious really.’

Was it? ‘Who?’

‘Razorfish!’

Clover strained to place the name. Eddie Kahale. The surfer who’d led Cory’s memorial.

‘You heard what he said at the paddle-out. He said he’d make sure we were supported and protected, but I never in a million years thought he’d come good like this!’

‘But how could he afford it?’