She stepped out of the back door into the cool May air and plopped herself down on one of the plastic patio chairs. She lit her cigarette, inhaled, and let the smoke trickle gently out of her nostrils as she gazed up at the night sky. It had been a beautiful spring day that had left a pink tinge on the horizon with the streaks of cloud stretched like layers of a creamy cake across the sky. It was almost perfect, and sitting out here, experiencing it alone, made her heart clench just a little.

Maybe she should call Julie, talk a bit more about their plans for tomorrow. At the thought of Julie, she smiled. Julie, with the long black hair that draped so seductively over Kath’s face as she straddled her, riding out her orgasm as she thrust down hard on Kath’s fingers. Julie, who didn’t really understand Kath’s home arrangements and didn’t understand why Kath couldn’t come running every time she called.

She stubbed out her fag in the overflowing ashtray and walked back inside for a cold beer. She popped the cap and strolled into the living room. Her phone was on the sofa, right where she’d left it earlier. Glancing at the screen, she noticed one missed call and a voicemail. She checked the missed call—Julie. As she listened to the message, the sound of Julie’s voice made her smile. Then, as she took in the words, her smile faded. Key phrases zapped into her ears and ricocheted around her mind.

I need to end this.

Too difficult to find time to be together.

Found someone more reliable, more committed.

Sorry to do this.

Really thought we could have had something, but I can’t share you.

Kath hit the “end” key and dropped the phone. She was numb. Sure, Julie had been struggling with Kath’s need to put her mum first, but she hadn’t realised it had got this bad. Briefly, she considered calling Julie back, but then she replayed the words from the voicemail in her head. It was a lost cause.

They had only been dating about three months, but she, too, had thought they could have had something very good together. But caring for Mum as she did challenged Julie’s ideas of how a relationship should normally progress. Last minute cancellations. Too many nights settled in to watch a DVD rather than out on the town as promised. Quick sex sneaked into the few free hours she had.

She should have acted sooner. Instead, compressed under the weight of all she was juggling, she had hoped it would miraculously resolve itself.

Well, in a way, part of it had.

Kath exhaled, slumped back against the sofa, and took a long pull on her beer. Her brother’s words mixed with Julie’s and echoed through her mind. She had some difficult choices to make.

* * *