Doris was buzzing about the kitchen. She looked like she was afraid to stop. Just in case she could never start again. He poured a glass of ice tea and handed it to her on her next pass of the kitchen. She thanked him with a nod. John turned to look out the kitchen window to the parking lot. Dean was smirking up at a confused looking Dexter.

"He is a good kid" Doris pointed at Dean.

" Yeah." John took the skin off the potato in his hand in one strip. "Dex is intense, isn't he? He heading to university next year?" he asked.

"He could go to any university. Smart boy. He wants to be close to home. Dex, well, he is like his Dad. Lots going on up here" she pointed to her head "and here" her hand moved over her heart.

"He just doesn't let people in" John said, pausing peeling the potato in his hand.

"Must be a cop thing" Doris shrugged.

"Man thing" John informed her.

"Figures" she perched on a stool at the counter, sipping her drink.

He cleared his throat, looked back at the frail woman. She had been ill for nearly a year now. But had only just got the worst news. She wouldn't see another winter.

She sat at the counter with her drink. Letting out a little of the weariness she had been hiding.

A chicken cooked in the oven. Every now and again John got a wave of the smell of it cooking.

Doris stopped mid sip and grinned, as she heard his stomach rumbling. "When was the last time you had a home cooked meal?" she asked.

"April? No, May. Bobby's road kill special"

"Sounds lovely"

"So long as you don't think too much about, what it was that the road killed, Yeah"

John waved to Harry as he came in the door. "Hi Harry"

"John"

"Can you tell the kids, lunch in half an hour?" Doris asked her husband.

"Sure. Where's Debby?"

John pointed towards the bedroom. Harry nodded and went towards the door.

Doris met John's eyes"We're telling the kids tomorrow. About, well you know"

"I know." John nodded. "I'm gonna take the boys out for the day. Give you some time"

"You don't have to"

"No. You don't need virtual strangers intruding. We'll be out all day."

"Thank you John."

"What for?"

"Being a good friend. Harry's going to need one" she looked down at her hands. "His cop family will watch out for him."

"They do like a good wake. Your kids will have home cooked meals for years" John picked up the potatoes and tumbled them into the pan of boiling water.

Doris let out a little chuckle. Something about being able to talk about the aftermath of her death was comforting. "Camilla, friend of the family, has already promised to make Debby as big as a house"
"Maybe a doll house. She is smaller than my little man."

"He'll shoot up like a weed that one."

"Probably" John couldn't imagine him grown up. Their lifestyle, he might not live that long. That scared John, more than anything. Life was full of if, buts and maybes. He was keeping his children safe with what he did.

"I know you will be out hunting, but could you look in on them? Just once."

John swallowed a lump in his throat. "Yeah. I'll look in on them."

She put her finished glass in the sink, ready for washing later.