Page 63 of Tough Love

“Mrs Pedders told us to draw our family.”

I unfold it, smoothing it out on my leg before holding it under the light.

He wriggles to the side of his bed, leaning over the edge to point out what each curvy shape is. “That’s me, and that’s Mummy.” He skims his finger from the left side of the page, past the obvious trees, to the right. “And that’s you, and Officer Evan.”

“Why aren’t we all standing together?” I ask, touched that he’s included everyone.

“Because when Mummy comes back to get me, you and Officer Evan will be happy together.”

Fucking kids and their observations.I flare my nostrils, sucking my lips into my mouth in an effort not to cry.

He still doesn’t get it; Kath isn’t coming back. And I don’t have it in me to explain that to him when I want him to go to sleep happy.

“It’s lovely,” I say instead. “Can I put it on the fridge?”

“Yeah.” He nods vigorously.

“I’ll go do that right now then.” I stand, grabbing his covers with my free hand. “Lie down so I can tuck you in, buddy.”

He scoots into a ball, snuggling his lion to his chest, and I cover him.

“I love you, Aunty.”

Placing a kiss to his head, I whisper, “I love you too, Briar.”

I turn for the door and step out into the hallway, suppressing a startled cry when I find Jess lurking in the shadows. She shakes her head and jogs downstairs ahead of me, dropping onto the sofa as I set down the picture and gather up my lollies again.

“You’re really good with him,” she says, a soft look in her eyes. “You wouldn’t pick that you guys barely know each other.”

“It’s easy,” I dismiss. “He’s a good kid, and he deserves to be loved and so much more.”

“It really sucks, hey?”

“Massively.”Wherever you are, sis, you did good with him.I only wish I could have told Kath in person.

I load up my taste buds with a handful of sweets as a gentle knock sounds at the door. Jess and I exchange looks, each as wide eyed as the other, before I shrug.

“I’m not expecting anyone else.”

“Are you going to answer it?”

I’ve got no reason not to. For all I know, it could be a friend of Kath’s that didn’t get the bad news.

I hurriedly scoff the remainder of my handful of goodies as I climb off the sofa and head for the front door. Considering I initially put Briar to bed at seven, it has to be well after eight by now. Bit late for a random house call, really.

I press my eye to the peephole, but all I can see is the back of somebody’s grey hoodie. They’ve got their face turned away, standing right up close to the door. Yet who could blame them with the frequent downpours we’ve been having.

My palm sweats as I reach for the handle, my gut saying it’s okay, but my head replaying every B grade horror movie I’ve seen where the naïve young woman ignores all the warning signs in situations like this.

Fuck it.I swing the door open, startling the visitor on the other side, who spins and …kisses me?

Evan.

I was getting wound up about bloody Evan.

“Hey you,” I say when he breaks away to grace me with a smile. “That was unexpected. You do that at every house you visit?”

He chuckles, a lazy hand still lingering on my hip where he steadied me during his assault. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

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