Kate could feel her mother studying her as she took out cups and tea bags, and poured some milk in Natalie’s cup. Finally, when she brought the two cups to the table, Natalie stopped looking at her and instead stared into her tea.

“Are you okay, Mum?”

Natalie’s fingers wrapped tightly around her cup. “I’m fine.” She looked up. A quick smile lifted the corners of her lips. “What about you?”

The question had been asked but Kate could see there was no real request for the truth. “I’m fine too.”

“You haven’t been home in a while. How’s Sean?”

Once again the words were said but Kate could see there was no enquiring look, no desire for any but the simplest of answers. “He’s good. Having a boys’ weekend at the shack. I had a bit of free time so decided to come for a visit.”

“And this fight you’ve had with Sarah?”

“It wasn’t a fight exactly.” Kate still hurt from her friend’s bombshell. She wanted to talk it over with her mum but now didn’t feel right.

“You’re good friends. You’ll make up.” Natalie took a sip of her tea then placed the cup carefully back on the table. “Brenda and I had a few fallings-out over the years.”

“Really? You two always acted like bosom buddies.”

“We were but even bosom buddies have differences of opinion. Brenda was never one to forgive easily. I usually made the first move even when she was the one who’d started it. You might have to step up, be the bigger person.”

Kate gave a noncommittal murmur. She didn’t want to phone her best friend and hear more excited gabble about babies. Sarah had exploded with it. There’d been no gentle unfolding to give Kate a chance to take it in. The baby news had rocked her.

“I’d give anything to have Brenda sitting here with me now.”

Natalie’s words had been little more than a whisper and she was gripping her teacup, staring into it.

“Are you sure everything’s all right, Mum?” Kate waited but her mum didn’t answer. The knuckles of her fingers were going white. “The tests you had. They were all okay?”

“Yes.” Natalie nodded, then she looked at Kate as if she’d only just noticed she was there. She smiled again, but there was no accompanying spark in her eyes. “All results clear.”

“That’s good.”

“How long are you staying?”

Kate faltered. The question had a desperate sound. “A few days. I’ll go home later in the week.”

“It’ll be nice to have a catch-up.” The oven timer beeped. Natalie turned, gazed vaguely in that direction. “I’ve made a baked cheesecake for sweets.”

“Granny will love that.” Kate smiled.

“Will she?” Natalie rose stiffly from her chair, her look almost vacant as if she was trying to remember something.