The morning sun bathed the flat in an orange hue, leading Kelly to believe it was another warm day. When she poked her nose outside, a cool southerly breeze whipped around her shoulders and down her neck.

Shuddering, she quickly closed the door. Who liked the cold? Not her, that was for sure.

Rather than grab her helmet, Kelly put on her sneakers and flung her backpack over her shoulders.

A brisk walk would get her blood pumping, and the thirty-minute trek would give her time to gather her thoughts.

Although her mum wasn’t one to judge—she’d never been anything but supportive—surely Kelly’s news would come as a shock.

Her mother was yet to meet Lucy, yet here Kelly was on her way to tell her they were moving in together. And if that wasn’t enough, to top it all off, Kelly had a favour to ask.

Half an hour later, exhausted more from her mind running in circles than the hike through town, Kelly was on the home straight. The sight of her childhood home looming in the distance made her feel nostalgic.

It was a modest brick structure, built in the sixties, but it was home, always had been, always would be.

For a while after their dad died, Jo, along with Kelly, had worried their mum would put the house on the market; the memories, the absence of their father, too painful to bear. If she had, they would’ve understood, but all these years later, the topic was moot.

Taking time to appreciate the aroma wafting off the rosebushes her mother painstakingly tended to, Kelly paused at the foot of the driveway.

It was then that her mother’s words slammed into her. “I’m rather busy these days, love. It might be best if you text from now on before you visit.” Her mum had smiled as if to soften the words.

Well, Kelly was here now, so sending a text would be pointless. Besides, her mum’s car in the driveway was a pretty good indication she was home.

“Hi, Ma, it’s just me.”

Kelly stepped inside and froze.

Her mother jumped. Mr Edwards, their neighbour, shook his hands as if they were on fire.

One second they were on her mother’s hips, the next they were gone. It happened so fast, it was easy to pretend it hadn’t happened at all.

“Hey, sweetheart. I wasn’t expecting you today.”

No kidding.

Placating her mother and feeling sorry for Mr Edwards, who looked like he wanted to bolt, Kelly smiled.

“Sorry, I should’ve texted first.” Enjoying watching her mother squirm, Kelly asked, “I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

Tripping over their words, Mr Edwards and her mother replied at the same time.

“Of course not.”

“Don’t be silly, love.” Her mother’s flushed cheeks said otherwise.

“You remember Jack, don’t you?”