Her frown faded. Flynn! It had to have been him. He must have got to the train station, bought something, and dashed back to leave it there as a surprise for her. And what a wonderful, thoughtful surprise it was. She was lucky it hadn’t been stolen. It was easy to unhook the bow and she lifted the package, looking for a card. There was nothing, nor was there anything written on the paper. She took it inside and shut the door.

Her fingers itched to tear off the ribbon and wrapping to find out what was inside, but half the fun was in the anticipation. Delayed gratification… there was a lot to be said for it. Anyway, the blue ribbon was too pretty to waste. Jodie sat at the kitchen table, undid the bow, and put the ribbon to one side. The box was neatly wrapped, the edges tidy, the joins taped over. It was light too. She shook it but whatever was inside didn’t rattle or clink. Something soft? Reluctant to tear the paper, she stood, took a knife from the cutlery drawer, slid it along the join and peeled it back.

Underneath the paper was a plain white box with a lid. With a dart of excitement, Jodie lifted it off. Flynn had gone to a lot of trouble… and expense… the gift was folded in tissue paper. She hoped he hadn’t been too extravagant. Taking it out, she smoothed the tissue paper back with her fingers, already smiling in the expectation of finding something pleasing, a smile that froze in place when she saw what it was.

Two little baby shoes. Soft blue fabric. Little straps with tiny pearl buttons holding them shut. A dark-blue heart embroidered on the front of each.

Jodie stared as the blood leached from her face, a shaking hand reaching out to touch first one, then the other, ever so gently as if there was a baby wearing them.

Her baby.

As she picked up the shoes and pressed them to her lips, a long, low keening sound came from a place she’d forgotten, from a time she’d forced herself to forget.

13

Loss, sorrow and deep despair combined to create a heavy numbness that kept Jodie pressed into the chair, unable to move or drop the little shoes. The only thing she seemed to be able to do was blink when her staring eyes grew dry.

The phone rang, and rang off, then a short while later it sounded once more. It was this second persistent noise that made Jodie gulp and move to pick it up. ‘Hello.’ Her throat was dry and the one word came out as a gravelly whisper. ‘Hello,’ she tried again.

‘Jodie, are you okay? I’ve been ringing and ringing.’ Rivka’s voice was tight with concern. ‘You promised to ring me, remember? I’ve been worried.’