On the silent walk from Ramsay Street to the Lassiters Complex, Callie searched for things to say. Eventually she chose what she knew most about.
"I like your skirt," she said, aware how shallow she sounded.
Sky glanced down, as if she hadn't even noticed it. "Oh. Thanks. It's just some old thing. Nice… shoes."
Callie smiled. "Thanks. My friend designed them." As soon as she said it, she knew it was a mistake. The first rule of running away to the other side of the world: don't mention your real life.
"Your friend's a designer?" Sky looked at her suddenly.
Callie thought quickly, knowing she had to try and back track out of this one. "Um, just the odd thing here and there, you know, nothing major." She shrugged it off and made a mental note to attempt to rip the label out of her flip flops later. Ade would understand about her ruining his creation.
"They're pretty cool," Sky continued. "Does she make a living out of it?"
"He," Callie corrected her. "Um, just a bit of money here and there." Enough for a penthouse apartment in Kensington and a country hideaway.
"So would I have heard of him?" Sky asked. "I like quirky designers."
Callie was glad they'd reached the bar. She shook her head. "Nah, I doubt it. Um, is this it?"
They went in and Callie was surprised how many people Sky knew. It felt strange for a second, like she was back home and walking into a bar with one of her colleagues. She kept expecting people to recognise her too.
"Callie!" she jumped as someone greeted her. To her surprise, she broke into a smile when she saw it was Stuart.
"Hey," she tried to act cool, even though she could feel colour rising up her shoulders and neck.
"You know each other?" Sky looked between them, frowning.
"Um, sort of." Callie shrugged.
"I'll get us some drinks," Sky offered. "What are you having?"
"Um, just some water please," Callie replied.
"Sure." Sky nodded, not even questioning her request. "Stu?"
"I'm good." Stuart shook his head, gesturing towards his beer in his hand. "So," he turned back to Callie. "You leave to have dinner with Harold, you come down here with Sky… what family are you visiting exactly?"
Callie could sense he was teasing her from the twinkle in his eye, but she couldn't help rebelling against his questions. She had nothing to be ashamed of, there was nothing wrong in what she was or what she meant. But she wasn't sure if the Bishops felt like that. Maybe she should keep it under wraps a little longer.
"I'm sort of related to Sky," Callie said eventually. "Through her dad."
"Oh right." Stuart seemed to accept that. Callie hoped she could get Sky on her own to explain the minor fib before Stuart said anything to her. She didn't want her new family to think she was an out and out liar as well as an illegitimate love child of their deeply mourned relative.
"So you'll be staying around then?" Stuart asked now.
"Hopefully." Callie nodded, and found herself believing that. What had she got to lose by staying around? She'd already blown her career and her life back home. And if this fell through, she'd just move on, find another home. It wasn't like the old one was so great anyway.