Waffles didn’t need to be asked twice.

After breakfast, Waffles and I collected Nan from the nursing home and drove her back to the farm. Nan treated Waffles like a favourite grandchild and he lapped it up like Little Lord Fauntleroy.

‘Where’s his brush?’ she asked.

I picked up the brush from the bench and handed it to Nan, who settled into her favourite armchair. ‘You spoil him,’ I chided.

‘Nonsense!’ Nan said, as Waffles rested his huge black head on her lap and looked at her adoringly.

‘I’m making your teacake recipe,’ I said as I went around to the business side of the bench and took out Nan’s mixing bowl from the cupboard beneath it. Soon, the bowl was joined by caddies of flour and caster sugar, eggs, butter, milk and a shaker of cinnamon. It was the reverse of when I was a child staying with Nan. Then, I’d watch her, elbows on the bench, as she stirred and folded, ready to help or lick the wooden spoon at a moment’s notice. Now, I wielded those same kitchen implements while Nan watched on. The cooking circle of life.

‘What time is Pip due?’ asked Nan.

I glanced at the clock. ‘She’s coming for lunch, so she shouldn’t be far off.’

‘I was so pleased to hear she got the promotion!’

I nodded, brushing flour off my hands with a tea towel. I was looking forward to spending the day with Pip. When I decided to relocate, I hadn’t really considered the friends I’d leave behind. Sometimes the desire to take flight outweighs everything else. Pip was different, though. Ever since I was a newly minted constable in a station largely populated with men, Pip had taken me under her wing. Right from the start, I admired the way she handled the male cops, who could seem intimidating to me as a new recruit. I watched as she steamrolled across unjust opposition. Put condescending men in their place. I once witnessed her approach a bunch of sergeants who were being wildly inappropriate about female police officers. Pip went up to the worst offender and asked where he lived.

‘Why do you want to know?’ he said arrogantly, catching the eye of his comrades and ready to laugh at Pip’s expense, even though she was the senior officer.

‘Oh, I’m just making sure that when I sue you for harassment and take you for everything you’ve got, including your house, it’s somewhere I want to live.’ And then she turned and walked off, leaving a dead silence in her wake.

Just before midday, Waffles galloped to the front door and let out a single bark. I followed him and opened the door in time to see Pip’s car sweep up the driveway.