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* * *

Bella gave birth to her fifth puppy just before midnight. Leaving them all happily nuzzling into their mum to nurse, Frankie and Jay quietly backed off, then jumped as they heard a grating noise followed by a loud crash from outside.

‘What the hell was that!’

Frankie ran out the back door, the wind whipping her breath away. A large section of the shed roof had blown off and fallen against the fence.

‘Dad keeps his music collection in the shed. It’ll be ruined if the rain gets in.’

Frankie’s dad stored all his precious singles in old port crates and one by one, Jay and Frankie carried them through the torrential rain to the sturdier shelter of the garage.

‘Put them right at the back so he doesn’t accidentally drive over them when he gets home,’ Frankie said, stacking them neatly.

With more of the shed roof threatening to lift off, Frankie and Jay cleared everything; the singles and albums, copies of Rolling Stone magazine, a couple of guitars in their cases, sheet music and finally, the lawn-mower and hedge trimmer. All other non-electrical gardening equipment Frankie left.

They got back into the kitchen, soaking wet and shivering, hair plastered against their faces.

Frankie immediately went over to see Bella and the dog was lying on her side as her puppies continued to feed. Frankie peered more closely before recounting the new little bundles of snuffling and mewling fur.

‘There’s six. She’s had another!’

Frankie gazed down at the puppy as it wriggled its way clumsily and determinedly over its siblings to feed.

‘That’s the one I’m going to have.’

Jay picked up one of the towels Frankie had put aside in case she needed it with Bella. He unfolded it then wrapped it around Frankie’s shoulders. ‘You’re freezing.’ He rubbed the tops of her arms.

‘I’m fine,’ she said, although her chattering teeth negated her words.

Taking another, smaller towel, Jay gently dried her forehead and the ends of her hair.

‘What are you going to call your puppy?’ he asked softly.

Frankie paused a moment as the wind howled around the house.

‘Storm.’

‘Fitting.’

They stood merely inches apart, looking at each other, Jay still holding the edges of Frankie’s towel.

And at that moment Frankie knew her feelings had gone beyond Jay being her childhood friend. She clearly had a thumping crush on him.

His head dipped toward her…

‘Hellohellohello!’

Frankie’s mum’s voice rang out in the hallway and Frankie and Jay jumped apart, the towel dropping from Frankie’s shoulders as a torch swept widely around the kitchen.

‘How’s it going?’

‘We’ve got puppies!’ Frankie said.

‘Has she had them all?’ Maria bustled in and looked over the side of the whelping box as Frankie’s dad appeared close behind, leaving Rocco to close the front door.

‘They’re so tiny!’ her mum said, gazing lovingly at the new arrivals.

‘Hi, Jay, how are you?’ Frankie’s dad said.