Terri climbed out of the car and was heading around to the passenger side when she heard her name. Across the garden, Mitch's mother stood from her position next to a rosebush.

"Terri, is that you?"

Terri paused as she opened the passenger door. "Hi, Nancy".

Making her way over to the car, Nancy was smiling broadly. "You're just about the last person I expected to see this afternoon. Not that the surprise is unwelcome."

"Mitch asked me to drop Lucy around. He was hoping you could look after her for the night."

"Certainly, I can. Come on in. How are you?"

The two women hugged, then turned their attention to the babbling child in the back seat. Unstrapping Lucy, Terri passed her to Nancy then took the nappy bag and car seat herself. Following Nancy towards the house, she looked around, momentarily lost in memories. "The roses look great this year."

"You remembered. Yes, conditions have been perfect so far. Might be my best year yet."

The small talk continued as they made their way into the house. Placing Lucy on the floor, Nancy moved towards the kitchen. "You'll stay for a quick cuppa, won't you, Terri?"

From Nancy, this wasn't so much a question as a statement of fact. Terri smiled and put Lucy's things on the floor, then followed. When she reached the kitchen, Nancy was busying herself making the tea. "It's so good to see you, Terri."

"It's good to see you, too." Terri looked around the kitchen. The benchtop had been replaced, she noticed, and a new blind hung at the window. But other than that, not much had changed. Something about that kitchen had always made her feel comfortable. At home. She realised, not for the first time, how much she had missed the easy friendship she'd had with Mitch's mother, despite the difference in their ages.

Nancy's voice broke through her reverie. "I was very sorry to hear about your father."

Terri was a little taken aback. "Ah, thank you."

Nancy smiled warmly. "Don't look so startled, dear. Mitch does mention you occasionally. He knows I like a bit of news of the old gang. It seems like only yesterday you two were filling the house with friends and music and laughter." She paused to watch her granddaughter crawl around the room. "It's good for me to have Lucy around. The next generation. Any plans for you in that direction?"

"Well, I've just broken up with someone, actually."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Milk with one, wasn't it? Here you go."

Taking their tea, the two women sat down at the old wooden table and Nancy offered Terri a biscuit. "So tell me, how do you come to be ferrying my granddaughter around this afternoon?"

Terri hesitated, not knowing how much she was licensed to share, or how much Nancy already knew. Once again, Nancy noticed the hesitation and correctly interpreted its meaning.

"It's okay, Terri. Mitch and I have no secrets from each other." The older woman gave a wry smile, "Well, not many, anyway. Is Rose alright?"

Reassured, Terri told the story of the day. When she had finished, Nancy drew in a long breath and sighed, feeling Mitch's pain.

"You've always been there for my son, haven't you?" Unsure of how to answer, Terri stared down into her teacup. Nancy reached over and placed her hand over Terri's on the table. "I can tell you're in a difficult place right now, but have faith. Somehow things will work out." Turning back to her own tea, Nancy lightened the mood. "Now, there must be lots of goings on that Mitch hasn't told me about."

Terri's forced smile quickly became genuine as she and her old friend caught up on ten years of news.