It was in a coffee shop where she first met Lindsay Denton. Joanne had become a regular by the time she had settled into her new life. She would always pop by as it was on the way to work at her new job at the bookshop. It was stupid of course. Her handler had told her that. "Change your routine, never go to the same place twice and always be alert." but Joanne just knew she had never lived in a small village in the countryside, where there are hardly any shops and one coffee shop for the whole village. How was she ever meant to hide here when everyone already knew about your business before you even knew about it yourself?

She kept some information back though and made a new name for herself. A new life after she got given freedom by Kate Fleming. She would never forget what that woman had done for her but she had to move on. That was also something her handler made sure she knew. "Place your past life in a box, all the memories you have, place it in a box and let it go. You're a new woman now."

So, her new life as Ainsley Farrow began. Trips to the coffee shop becoming regular. Walks in the woods with her new adopted golden retriever called Eddie. Spending her free evenings baking and knitting and watching TV. Enjoying the new found freedom that she had been given. The first time that she had truly been able to relax in years, well until she came into her life.

Lindsay had caught her off guard. Of course, any newcomer would in a place like this. Small towns talk but when she saw her face, she instantly recognised the woman she once was, the woman she used to be. Her face from when it was splattered over the papers but no one up here knew about that. English news wasn't really important to the Scots when they are their own lives to worry about. So, Joanne had stepped forward after making the usual conversation with Lucy behind the counter as she took her order. The usual cappuccino and almond croissant and took it over with her as she sat down across from Lindsay. She wondered if the woman would be mad for Joanne invading her space. She wondered what she should say but when she noticed the plastic carrier on the table and the books in her hands, she knew exactly what to ask.

"Good book?"

Lindsay looked up surprised at the sudden voice from another person in the room.

"What? Oh yes, it's, um...poetry."

"You should pop into the bookstore. I'm sure we have a few more Carol Ann Duffy books. They were my favourite when we studied them is school. I loved hearing Medusa, knowing that she got her own back on those horrible men always kept my spirits up. I just wished I could do the same to the boys in my class."

Lindsay laughed at that and Joanne laughed along with her. Thinking about how she wanted to hear that same laugh over and over again for the rest of her life. She would never get bored of it.

Lindsay pushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear. "I bet you say that to all the new people who arrive."

"Only ever to the pretty women reading poetry books and that rarely ever happens so I guess you have the advantage of being the first. Do I get to know the pretty woman's name?"

"Lindsay Denton."

Lindsay held her hand out and Joanne shook it.

"Ainsley Farrow. It's nice to meet you. So... what else does Lindsay Denton like to do in her spare time other than sit in coffee shops and read poetry?"

"I play piano."

"That's nice. You're in luck then." Joanne turns side on and points to the edge of the room where a piano was pushed up against the wall.

"I'm sure it's tuned but it's rarely used. We have open mic nights in here but nobody knows how to play piano. I guess you could make that your thing then if you're staying. Teach people how to play piano."

"I haven't played in ages and anyway who says I'm staying?"

"People rarely fall across this village by chance. You either have family here or you're running away from something."

Lindsay felt uncomfortable. Had this woman already found out her secret.

"I guess you could say I'm running from something."

"Aren't we all? I promise to make your time here as stress free as possible but only if you play me a song."

Lindsay got up from her chair and walked over to the piano. Lifting the lid, she sat down and began to play the most beautiful piano music that Joanne had ever heard in her life and she knew from that moment on that Lindsay Denton was a keeper.

And she couldn't believe that's how it started. A chat in a coffee shop over similar interests. Coffee. Poetry. Piano music. Till now over 5 years later. Still adamant that Lindsay was as pretty as the time they first met.

The door closing behind Joanne shook her out of her daydream and she turned around to see the woman coming out of the door. Wrapping her coat around herself, trying to stave off that cold November breeze. They linked arms together as they started to walk. Eddie firmly beside Joanne's side and Joanne still couldn't believe how lucky she was to have a woman such as Lindsay by her side.