She wandered down near the water’s edge where a ferry was pulling in and then strolled on towards the bridge that spanned the mouth of the quay. There were things she had to do but it was such a beautiful day she was happy to delay her chores. She needed a few items from the supermarket before she began the next leg of her journey north, and she wanted to find something for Bec. It was her birthday next week and Keely thought she’d send her some kind of funny souvenir and perhaps even something for her brothers. Her mum had become worried again when Keely said she was heading north and she’d promised to check in daily. She’d also promised Euan she’d call from time to time.

Keely crossed the bridge and took a few photos of its structure from different angles. She needed to update her Insta account. It had been sadly neglected while she’d been in Margaret River. She gazed over the wide expanse of the river to the buildings of South Perth. Maggie had issued her with an invitation to stay with her in Perth but Keely had decided against it. She’d gathered from Euan that Flynn was still in Perth and she presumed he would stay with his aunt or with Kat. Either way, she’d decided to keep her life simple after all the trauma of the last few weeks. It was best if she didn’t see Flynn.

“Keely?”

She spun, surprised at the sound of Kat’s voice. She was beckoning to Keely from under an umbrella, outside the cafe beside the bridge. Kat was alone and Keely felt a pang of disappointment. She berated herself. Hadn’t she resolved not to see Flynn?

“I thought it was you. How amazing to see you. I had to leave Margaret River in such a rush, I didn’t think I’d get the chance to say goodbye.”

“How is your grandfather?” Keely asked.

“Much better, thank goodness. It was fairly scary for a while.” Kat patted the empty chair next to her. “Have you got time to sit?”

“Oh…yes, a few minutes.” Keely glanced around, then sat down under the umbrella.

“Isn’t it a beautiful day?” Kat stretched her long arms back over her head in a graceful movement. “I feel as if I’ve been cooped up for ages.”

“I suppose you’ve been spending time in the hospital.”

“Yes, you do a lot of sitting around and then feel exhausted. Thank goodness for Flynn. He kept me sane. He’s inside getting me another coffee. Do you want one?”

Damn, thought Keely. She had assumed Kat was alone. “No, thanks. I can’t stay long.”

“Hello, Keely.”