Vanessa was wiping down the already spotless counter when she saw Toby standing outside the café, taking in the freshly painted exterior. ‘Vanessa! The place looks great, well done,’ he said as he entered. ‘You’ve done such an amazing job – there are even people sitting outside eating something that I hope there is still a slice of because it smells so good!’ She was so pleased that he liked everything that she had changed. She had put hours and hours of thought into how to make the café shine. Old man Phillips and her had clashed on some of the changes, but after a phone call to his son, who had chastised his father, he had come around. Especially when he saw the finished product. She included him where she could, but he seemed to be happy now to leave it all up to her.

She enjoyed working and earning her own money; there was a sense of pride attached to being able to support her children. She didn’t rely on her mom now for anything except babysitting. As the months passed, she met new people and began to form friendships with the regulars. People from all over town came to the café, not just for petrol or repairs anymore but to taste her cooking, the cakes, muffins and fresh sandwiches. She had done that, herself.

Toby touched base with her less and less as time progressed. He could see that the café’s numbers showed promise so he was very happy with her. She had hired a part-timer, Leanne, a girl in her twenties who was able to take the shifts that Vanessa couldn’t. Quite often, Vanessa’s mom would pop down with the boys if she were working the late shift. Wren, now eleven, would come behind the counter and help her serve people, telling them to have a good day, or help her cook out the back. He was such great company, and those times together only served to highlight just how delightful he was. Her mom would sit out the back with Ty, who Vanessa cuddled whenever she could. He was growing up so fast, and her heart swelled with love every time she thought about her children.

She still thought about Mark often. He knew where she worked, the town was only so big, yet he’d made no effort to harass her. It unnerved her more than she cared to think. What was he playing at? She had seen him standing across the road staring at the café a couple of times. It was only a matter of time, she was sure of it. She tried not to worry, but subtlety was not one of Mark’s strong points, so of course she was wary. It made her uncomfortable knowing that he could come for her at any time.