‘Or a whole new wardrobe? Or put it away so you can buy a weekend house on the water one day?’

Nicky laughed again. ‘I think you’re adding more zeros to the amount than are actually there.’

‘True.’ He nodded. ‘Though it wouldn’t be impossible.’

‘How?’

‘What I bring in is enough for us to live off, and then some. If we were smart … I don’t know, it could be doable.’

Nicky thought about it. If they were smart, maybe they could have it all. ‘I suppose we could keep living off your income. Put mine away and any extra you get. How long do you think until we could afford something like that?’

Mark shook his head. ‘I don’t know. A couple of years and we’d have a decent deposit. We’d have to keep it separate, though. It’s too easy to spend money without realising it.’

‘Why don’t we set up a joint account then? Just for the savings.’

‘I suppose we could. Gregory’s got an excellent financial adviser. He always seems to be getting good interest rates. I could look into if you like.’

Nicky smiled and nestled into his shoulder. It wasn’t long before Mark’s rhythmic snoring told her he was asleep. She rolled and over and picked up her phone.

‘Hi Jane,’ she tapped out the beginnings of a message, but every opening she could think of sounded so lame.

‘Sorry I haven’t been touch.’

Delete.

‘I know I’ve been slack.’

Delete.

‘Guess what?’

Delete.

Nicky put the phone away. She would read Jane’s manuscript first and then she’d be able to contact her friend with a guilt-free heart.

Nicole could hear the commotion from up the street – an announcement was being made over the loudspeaker, followed by a piercing screech at the end as the mic was turned off. She heard the buzzing of distant chatter and car horns beeping. The smell of a sausage sizzle met her nostrils as she approached the playing field and she closed her eyes and paused to drink it all in. It was a comforting aroma that could transport her instantly to her childhood.

Rugby league wasn’t exactly Nicole’s favourite sport, but she just couldn’t face washing and scrubbing any more walls, where old memories were too easily conjured. Besides, she figured being invisible was easy enough in a large crowd distracted by the spectacle in front of them. She’d be gone once the lease ran out, so really there wasn’t any harm in surface level friendships to pass the time.

‘Hey, Nicole!’ shouted Trevor from the sideline as he put his team through a last minute warm-up.

Danny, dressed in a cove jersey with the number one on his back, nodded in her direction.