Amber picks it up, breathing in the sweet scent. She takes a sip, letting it calm her mind.

‘Lumin’s lucky to have had you to help her,’ Rosa says, taking a sip of her own chocolate. ‘To come all this way to track down her family. You must be exhausted.’

‘I am,’ Amber admits.

Rosa looks out at the snow. ‘Best not do any driving in that. Why don’t you stay the night?’

‘I need to call the police in charge of Lumin’s case. It’ll be up to them what we do.’

‘They can’t control the snow … nor the phone reception,’ Rosa adds. ‘All the lines are down.’

Amber looks at her phone and sees she has no reception. ‘The cell network seems to be down too.’ She’s relieved as it gives her an excuse not to face Detective King’s disapproval.

‘There, that decides it. You must stay.’

‘If you’re sure?’ she asks Rosa. ‘I don’t want to impose.’

‘It’s no bother, really. In fact, it’ll be nice to have the company.’

‘Do you live alone now?’ Amber asks.

‘No,’ Rosa replies with a smile. ‘I live here with my fiancé, Daren. He’s on a business trip at the moment. Typical he goes on the snowiest weekend of the year so far. No doubt he’ll be stuck there.’

‘Hopefully not for Christmas. It’s good you’ve moved on.’

‘I don’t really like the phrase “moved on”,’ Rosa says. ‘It suggests I’ve left the world that was occupied by my daughter. I haven’t, she’s still here. I’ve just adapted my surroundings to take into account the space she’s left.’

‘I get it,’ Amber says, nodding sadly.

‘You’ve lost someone too?’

‘My little girl. She was four.’

Rosa quickly puts her mug down and places her hand over Amber’s. ‘I’m so sorry.’

Amber smiles weakly. ‘It’s fine, it’s been ten years.’

‘Time doesn’t really heal though, does it? It still comes in waves.’

Amber nods, pressing her lips together to stop the tears coming. ‘It was meningitis. It was so quick,’ she says. ‘One minute we were rushing her into hospital, the next …’ She lets her voice trail off as the memories bombard her. ‘I loved her so much. I miss her so much.’

Amber is surprised when she starts sobbing. Really sobbing. Rosa pulls her into her arms, and Amber sobs into this stranger’s neck. After a while, Rosa begins to cry too, two mothers grieving over their lost children.

Then the door creaks open and Lumin appears in the room.

‘Amber? What’s wrong?’ she says in surprise. Then she runs over and sits on the other side of Amber, hugging her close.

Amber wipes her tears away, laughing. ‘This is so silly. We’ve come here for you, and yet here I am, sobbing my heart out for me.’