‘I remember the belting we got for doing that,’ Zara said. ‘The both of us thought we were being helpful! Will heard Dad talking about needing to shift the sheep and not having the time. It was just the wrong mob.’ She sighed reflectively as she thought about Will and the fun they used to have together.

‘Do you miss him?’ Lynda asked.

‘Of course I do. In some ways it doesn’t seem real back here in the city.’

‘It seems very real in the empty house at home,’ her mum said quietly.

‘Yeah. You know, I was here the other night, sitting out on the balcony trying to look for the stars, but I couldn’t see them. All the lights and all. I did love being able to sit out on the verandah at home and look at the night sky.’

‘There’s something soul mending about seeing the stars.’

‘Whatever happened to the trampoline we used to have at the back of the house?’ Zara asked suddenly. ‘I used to take my doona out there and sleep on the tramp so I could look up at them. I loved doing that.’

‘Until there was a dewy night and you’d wake up with the doona all wet,’ Lynda answered. Again there was silence.

‘We had a lot of fun growing up on the farm.’ Suddenly she changed her mind about telling her mum her thoughts on moving home. ‘Mum?’

‘Hmm?’

‘I’ve been thinking about moving back to Barker. Not to the farm, but to Barker.’ Zara thought she’d better clarify that.

Lynda turned to look at her. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah. I wasn’t joking when I said I missed the stars. And even though being home while Will was dying was incredibly stressful, I still noticed how much I enjoyed being in a place where people genuinely care about each other. I wouldn’t even know who my neighbours are here. I see the bloke from unit eight most mornings as I go to work, but I still don’t know his name and I bought this place three years ago. The lady from unit two, we wave as we’re coming back from the gym on Saturday mornings. And that’s the only contact I have with them.’

‘But, Zara, it doesn’t have to be like that. I’ve never lived in the city, but I’m sure if you introduced yourself to your neighbours, you’d be able to start your own little community here. People are the same everywhere and someone has to make the first move.

‘I’d love for you to come home, don’t get me wrong, but don’t do it for me. You need to do it for you and be happy with the decision; otherwise, you’ll end up resenting me and I don’t want that.’

‘I didn’t say anything about it being for you.’