‘I will,’ April replied. They had reached the westerly edge of the pasture and were close to the hide where they could look out over the duck decoy, but April was already glancing back in the direction of the car park. ‘But I’ve kept you long enough. I don’t mind heading back.’

Tara had a million and one other things to do, but she wasn’t going to pack April off home if she still needed them. ‘I don’t mind,’ she said, withdrawing her arm so her friend could decide which path to take.

April did an about turn and her friends followed suit. Dexter was the last to notice, and hurried to catch up. He almost tripped Tara up as he wove through a forest of legs to be at Faith’s heel.

‘I think he likes you,’ April said as she untangled the leash.

‘I have a knack of attracting unwelcome attention,’ she mumbled.

RESPONSES

Alex Butterworth @AlBut4550

Replying to @thewidowsclub

Your group has something to hide, no wonder you don’t want anyone talking. From what I’ve read, there were a lot of arguments.

Jodie @iamJPriestly

Replying to @AlBut4550 @thewidowsclub

The papers are making it up. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

Alex Butterworth @AlBut4550

Replying to @iamJPriestly @thewidowsclub

They’re not making up a murder though, are they love?

7

Jason had been dead nine months, which perversely was the time it took to create a life; unless you were a widow; unless you had discovered your marriage was a sham. April’s life could only be described as barren, although she hid it well. She ate when she wasn’t hungry, slept although sleep was never peaceful, and rationed her display of emotions so as not to alarm anyone. The hardest part of her performance was in front of Jason’s parents. She kept in regular contact, and whenever she spoke to his mum, her feelings became confused. They cried together and shared the sense of loss that April otherwise denied herself since discovering the stone on Jason’s grave.

With the November support group meeting still over a week away, work was April’s only refuge from troubled thoughts, but apparently not today. There was a cooing sound coming from the other side of the office that April studiously ignored. She had been over to say hello to Sara and smiled pleasantly at the six-week-old baby being passed from one clucking colleague to the next. It was only when the youngest member of the team, Georgie, was about to hand it to April that she had bolted back to her desk.