Kate thought about the mountain of grotty work clothes in the laundry and their sheets and towels that she hadn’t changed in over a week. His mum hadn’t been well and Kate had worked almost as long hours in the office as Sean had on the road these last two weeks. They shared a lot of household jobs but washing clothes wasn’t often on his agenda.

She nestled against his chest again, her ear pressed to his shirt, listening to the comforting thud of his heart. Sean was a good man. If only his warmth could shake the heavy weight that dragged at her shoulders. Going home to her family might be just what she needed. Kate longed to sit at the big table in her mother’s kitchen and talk. Laura would be there to make her laugh, and she found herself even keen to see Bree, who could be so prickly, and her parents. Her dependable father and her mum, who was always reassuring with her words of wisdom. It was Natalie who held everything together. She’d never really told her mother too much about the fertility issues and their lack of desire in that department. Her mother had never said anything about wanting grandchildren but maybe it was a topic that needed to be discussed before she did.

“I think I will go home,” Kate mumbled into his shoulder. “Surprise them.”

Three

Three

Natalie was aware of the tall young man who slipped through the classroom door and propped his butt on the overflowing games cupboard, arms folded over his thin chest trapping the navy-and-red striped tie against the white of his shirt. She didn’t make eye contact with him, conscious only of his stiff presence in her classroom. She glanced around the class, glad to note all faces were still locked on the boy at the front of the room.

Joel Fanning had the floor and every one of his year three cohort was hanging on his words. Since he’d first entered her classroom at the start of the year he’d found it difficult to settle. This was the first time she’d seen him still and focused for longer than five minutes and it was halfway through term two.