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She just hoped she was able to speak to him before it cracked completely open.

Hazel sat in Sam’s driveway for a few more minutes, wondering if she should wait. But the awful sensation in her chest was growing, like she was trying to find fresh air in a fog of black smoke. I need my Mum, she thought. Hazel reversed down Sam’s driveway and quickly pulled out onto the street. She needed to get home. Back to her mother.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Hazel arrived just before one. The house was dark, although the light by the front door was on, guiding her home. She slowly slipped the key into the lock and turned it, the door creaking open before her.

Bailey padded down the steps. In the dark, Hazel bent down and gathered him up into her arms. Having Bailey around was a huge comfort. She carried him up the steps, feeling his little heart beating. She gently rested him on her bed.

Once in her pyjamas, she slipped under the covers, and Bailey crawled over to her, curling himself into her arms. Thankful that sleep always came easily, Hazel closed her eyes.

She slept until nine, Bailey snoring peacefully beside her. Hazel woke, and for a moment she felt calm, the dog’s warm body pressed into hers.

Then she remembered.

A knock at the door had Bailey groaning and stretching out.

“Come in,” Hazel mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep. The sadness was creeping back in.

Molly entered the room. “Everything okay, sweetheart?” she asked softly as she bent down to Hazel. She gave Bailey a quick scratch on the neck.

“No,” Hazel replied as she scrunched her eyes shut.

“Did you talk to Sam?” Molly sat on the bed beside Hazel.

Hazel shook her head. “He wasn’t home, and his phone is off. He left me a voicemail, basically breaking up with me.” Hazel buried her head in her mother’s lap and sobbed.

Molly gently stroked Hazel’s hair. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. Why don’t you try to call him again this morning?”

Hazel nodded. She gripped her mother tightly. Her mind flashed back to when she was eight, and her pet rabbit died. Hazel had been devastated at the death of Velvet, whom she’d named after the Velveteen Rabbit. She’d curled up in her mother’s arms, staying like that for hours. Molly had let little Hazel sleep in her bed. They’d had cups of tea and hot chocolate, watched cartoons, read books and cuddled for a few days, until Hazel felt up to leaving the warm comfort of bed and her mother’s arms.

Molly had a way of making everything just a little better, and right now, Hazel really needed her mum.

Once she was properly awake, Hazel tried to call Sam again. Straight to voicemail. Sighing, she put her phone down on her bed and stared at the picture hanging on the wall across from her. It was one of Molly’s. Looking at it closely, Hazel realised it was their backyard. There was an easel set up with a small white playpen next to it, toys strewn about inside. Hazel’s heart swelled at the thought of her childhood with her mother. If she had to give her memories a colour, she’d choose pink. The colour of love. She’d never wanted for that. Molly had provided love in abundance.

Suddenly her phone started to ring, making her jump. Checking the number, her heart sank as she realised it wasn’t Sam. The number looked familiar, and thinking it might be Cloud, she picked up, even though she didn’t want to. Time to end this.

“Hello, Hazel speaking,” she said a little croakily.

“Hazel! It’s Kelly from Cloud. How are you?” Kelly sounded very jovial.

“I’m alright,” Hazel replied, her voice flat.

“I was only calling to ask if you needed a place to stay when you come down to Melbourne. We can organise a hotel for you until you find a rental.”

Hazel pursed her lips into a thin line. “Actually, Kelly, I won’t be taking the job.”

“What?” Kelly asked. “What do you mean?” There was venom in her tone.

“I can’t accept the job. I’m very flattered, of course, and thankful that-”

Kelly cut her off. “Hazel, I’m going to give you one chance to make this right. We don’t offer roles lightly at Cloud. This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Kelly said sharply.

“I understand that. And again, I appreciate the offer, but I can’t accept.”

“Right. You will regret this. This offer will never be presented to you again. Your name will be blacklisted here. You won’t be able to undo this reputational damage.”

Hazel was about to reply when she heard the dial tone. Her eyes narrowed in shock. Did Kelly really just say that to her? And then hang up?