‘Don’t look,’ he shouted at her.

1

Sitting on the verandah, Grace watched her mother playing with Daisy in the garden of Tina’s home at Bilgola Beach. The house overlooked the beach Grace had known since she was Daisy’s age and was, now that her own house lay in ruins, the place where she felt most at home in all the world.

They’d stayed at her mother’s since the night of the fire and, while several days had passed, Grace still hadn’t been back to see what was left, if anything, of their home. Lawrence had done everything; dealing with the police at first and now with the insurance people.

Daisy was anxious and upset, sensing all the upheaval and seeing her mother so distressed. She knew that something was wrong and seemed to be becoming more unsettled every day. The day after the fire, Lawrence had bought them some new clothes and a few basics – all impractical and not the things they needed or wanted – and when he’d given Daisy a pile of new toys, she’d burst into tears. She wanted her old, well-loved toys and couldn’t understand what was going on. Grace quietly comforted her, saying they’d go somewhere special with Nana to find some new toys. Tina had offered to explain to Daisy about the fire but Grace had shaken her head. She’d tell Daisy herself when she found the strength.

Grace knew she’d have to dig herself out of the dark cocoon she had folded herself into, and face reality. She hadn’t returned any of the dozens of messages on her phone. Her work on the campaign for the Lifesaving Association was falling behind. They wanted a series of ads to air on TV leading up to next summer. She had been enthusiastic and deeply involved in the Safe Water campaign, and she’d found a cameraman who’d shot some stunning drone footage as well as dramatic underwater visuals of the effects of a powerful rip. She loved her work and this job had been going so well. Until now.

She heard Lawrence’s car pull up and went out to meet him. He had chosen to stay in a hotel in the city since the fire, where he could be close to his work as well as on hand in case the insurance agents needed him to go with them to the house. It made sense – it was a long commute to the Northern Beaches – but his absence made everything seem even more surreal than it already was. And Lawrence had been so busy, they’d hardly even talked on the phone. He looked tired and drawn, but he smiled at her as he climbed out of the car. He reached into the back seat and pulled out a cat carrier, out of which he lifted a grey cat, which he carefully handed to Grace as she rushed forward.

She buried her face in the animal’s soft fur and sobbed. ‘Oh, Sparkle. You escaped! This is a good sign.’ She looked hopefully at Lawrence. ‘What’re the insurance people saying?’