She pushed her own thoughts to one side. ‘You’re right. I can’t begin to think of rebuilding at the moment. I’ll always be paranoid about something like this happening again,’ she said. ‘I keep wondering if we caused it somehow. If we did something wrong. It was practically a new house, just six years old.’

‘Yes, the surprise gift.’ Tina sounded less than pleased about it. After Daisy was born, on Grace’s first Mother’s Day, Lawrence had surprised her with the keys to the house.

Tina had asked her at the time how she felt about not having any say in where they would live or what their home would be like. She’d spoken with Grace several times about the financial issues she’d had following her divorce from Grace’s father, but she’d always been grateful that it had been a reasonably amicable split and she’d been able to keep the family home. Sometimes she thought of selling it, Tina said, as beach property was so valuable, but she loved living there and she had put so much of herself into the house.

Lawrence had tried to talk Tina into downsizing when she’d complained once about the area becoming too built up.

‘You’re sitting on a goldmine here, Tina. You should grab the opportunity before the Sydney housing market peaks. Sell up and invest the profits. I’m happy to help, if you like.’

But Tina had refused, telling Grace and Lawrence she considered her home to be her life insurance. ‘Besides, I’d miss the beach too much.’

‘How is Lawrence coping?’ Tina asked now. ‘He must be upset too. That collection of antique silverware of his must have been valuable.’

‘Depends what you call valuable, Mum . . .’ Grace’s eyes filled with tears.

Tina reached over and took her hand. ‘I’m sorry you’ve lost so many memories. I know how sentimental you are, darling. Have you talked to your dad since the fire?’

‘Yes. He’s worried. He thinks we should be making plans, moving forward.’

‘Honey, you’re suffering from shock, even if you don’t realise it. It’s only been a few days. Take things easy,’ Tina said gently.

‘I just can’t comprehend how life can change overnight.’ Grace paused and looked out the window at the beach, trying to hold back tears.

‘I suppose it’s trite to say it could be worse,’ ventured her mother. ‘But no one died, no animals died. You, Daisy and Lawrence are okay. I can imagine the huge sense of loss you must be feeling, the loss of a home and the special and precious things you treasured –’

‘You’re not going to tell me to look on the bright side, are you?’ Grace turned and looked at her mother.

Tina hesitated, perhaps unsure if her daughter was going to scream at her or burst into tears. But instead Grace dropped her face in her hands and, shaking her head, started to laugh, slightly hysterically.

Tina got up and pulled Grace to her feet. ‘Honey, please . . .’