For the first time since the service at their house, Vanessa felt up to going into Wren’s room again. She hesitated, her hand on the doorknob. She both did and didn’t want to go inside. But eventually love and curiosity won out and she turned the knob.

It was just as he’d left it. A boy’s room, bed unmade, clean clothes on the floor not yet put away and soccer boots thrown in the corner. She ran her hand over his laptop. She closed the lid to protect it from dust. There were stickers all over the lid; he’d customized his school laptop to better reflect who he was. Vanessa sat down on his bed and picked up his pillow. It had lost his scent and she lost her shit. Bursting into tears, she howled at the unfairness of it all. Why him? Why was he taken? Eventually her howls turned to light sobbing, and she lay curled up on his bed, clutching his pillow. She fell asleep and woke up in a panic to a silent house. Maggie and Ty should have been home an hour ago. So, where were they?

Vanessa had a frightening thought: a tree, gouge marks. She panicked, the heaviness in her stomach turning to a hot ball of fear. She tried ringing Maggie’s phone, but it went to voicemail. The fear within her started to take over, radiating out from her heart. She rang Mark’s phone. He answered on the fourth ring.

‘What’s up, Ness… Vanessa?’ he corrected.

‘Is Ty with you?’

‘Sure, him and Maggie and Charlotte are all at my place. Why?’

She sagged against the doorway and couldn’t answer for a moment, the words lodged in her throat. She cleared her throat, but still no words.

‘Vanessa? Did you forget they were coming to my place today? You did say it was OK.’ He spoke softly, so unlike the old Mark that she had known. He sounded almost tender.

‘I don’t even know what day it is, Mark.’ She hung up without saying another word and Maggie was home within the next twenty minutes, full of apologies.

She had called Billy when she began to panic, and he was the one that suggested she call Maggie’s phone. Once Maggie was home, Vanessa called Billy back to let him know Ty was home safe and sound.

‘See, babe, nothing to worry about. He’s fine, though, I admit I am glad you were worried.’

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ she snapped, not understanding why he would say something so hurtful to her.

‘Nothing,’ he backpedaled.

‘No, tell me.’

‘It’s just that you haven’t shown much interest in Ty since Wren died. It’s nice to see you still care.’

‘Fuck you, Billy,’ she said quietly and hung up.