Me: We ensured we weren’t pre-occupied for very long as we took our duty as parents very seriously.
Callum: You’ve sullied the secret room for me forever.
Max: Give over, Cal. I know what you got up to in there. And it wasn’t that long ago either.
Ava: You and Wren have been in there recently?
Callum: No.
Max: Liar. You left your socks in there.
Callum: How do you know they were my socks?
Max: They were the ones the twins got you for Christmas with your name on.
Callum: Ah. That was a giveaway. Where did you put them?
Max: In the box with your stuff. There was a bra too which I assume is Wren’s so that’s with them.
Ava: This has been since we’ve been clearing out?
Callum: Yeah. Sorry. We seized the moment.
Ava: I’m never going in there again.
Claire: Just be glad walls can’t talk. Lots has happened in that room.
Ava: Let’s just not talk about it.
Ava: Please
MEMORY EIGHT
GRANT
The case closed too quickly. I’d hoped it would run over at the same time as hoping it would end sooner because I really did need to get home to the kids. Max had asked me three times now how long it would be until I was back and burst into tears when I told him I wasn’t working for a while when I got back so we could all look after Callum.
By Callum, I meant the rest of them too, but Max thought he was tough and didn’t want to be looked after, which I understood. He’d been looking after himself and the others for the last couple of years at least.
One day I’d tell him how I knew I failed, one day he’d ask. I had no idea when that day would be and I could only hope that by then I’d know the right words to say.
I was torn, the only solution one that was selfish and asked too much, only I was talking myself into asking it anyway.
I met Marie outside the Green offices after we’d both changed. Tonight was the last night, my flight scheduled to leave at seven in the morning, so we wouldn’t be out late and I didn’t even know if I’d spend the night with her.
This afternoon might be it and we’d go our separate ways after dinner. The prospect of an empty bed lingered like a toothache.
She wore a sundress the same colour as gentian, a deep blue that brought out the colour of her eyes. Her hair was down, blown around with the slight wind and she wore flat sandals which suggested we were walking somewhere.
“There’s something to do before you can leave New York,” she said, after standing on her tip toes and kissing me softly. Everyone knew now, it seemed. I didn’t mind, it made it easier. Better.
“There’s probably a lot to do.”
“Tons. But we have to do this.” She took my hand and led me through New York, jumping on a bus, mingling around tourists and locals, around skyscrapers that would always be bigger than anything I’ve ever seen.
“How do you like New York?” We paused for a coffee.
I still didn’t know where we were heading. “I want to spend more time here when I’m not having to work.”
