Caroline rolled her head to the side and looked up at Melanie, who had already fallen asleep on the khaki-covered sofa where they'd crashed out after dinner. The flat was ideal – Melanie was a fiend on Air B and B, and the couple times they'd managed to escape for a night or two Caroline had been unable to find a thing to complain about.

She rested in Melanie's lap a while longer, listening to the faint sound of the ocean waves drift in from across the boardwalk. She set down her magazine and sat up, careful not to wake her sleeping partner. Melanie was a morning person and that suited Caroline fine – except when she was napping by 8pm.

It was almost Flora's bedtime. Smile already on her lips, she snagged her mobile from the coffee table and wandered into the bedroom as she dialed.

Flora would answer before the second ring when she expected a call from her mum, and the glow on Caroline's face in response was consistent.

"Hello my little miss. How was your day?"

"Mummy! I had the best day. Calamity and me drew you pictures." Flora turned the phone, ostensibly toward the pictures were stashed. Caroline saw her kitchen wiz by, Gillian bent over next to Calamity at the counter, full glass of wine at her side.

Flora swiveled the phone back around again.

"It's 'Calamity and I, Flora.' And I can't wait to see them. Are you in your pajamas yet?"

Flora was solemn and she nodded in affirmation of her understanding and her good deeds. "Yes. I cleaned my teeth too. Will you be home to kiss me goodnight?"

"Not tonight my love. I know I promised last night that I would be. But remember how Aunt Gillian told you that my car got a little scratched up and it needs to be fixed at the garage?"

"Yes." She shimmied back and forth, unhappy with the truth of the situation. "Do they put a big plaster on it?"

Caroline chuckled. Band aids and a kiss from mum – even after fifty they still made a lot of things better. "The nice woman at the garage said she would make it all better and when she does, I can come home."

Flora's lips slid into a pout and her eyes tightened. They began to shine and it pinched Caroline's heart.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, but these things happen. We know that." It was cold comfort and Caroline saw the meltdown building in her daughter's brown eyes.

"Will you promise to continue to be a good girl for your Auntie Gillian? I'll be home before you know it, and we can draw pictures and read Paddington together all day when I do. Maybe we can even visit Mel at the library?"

"Okay. Will you bring me something from the beach? What will you bring me?"

"It'll be a surprise. Because you're my very good girl, and I'm always thinking of you. So when I see exactly the right thing, I'll bring it home and we can look at it together."

Skepticism and delight battled it out on Flora's tiny features. Delight appeared to be winning the day, but even at four that situation could be a temporary one. Best not to drag things out.

"It is now officially past your bedtime. I wish I were there to kiss you and tuck you in. But your Aunt Gillian does such a good job of that. We're so lucky to have her, aren't we?"

Another solemn nod from Flora and a sly smile as she snuck a peek at her cousin and Aunt.

"OK then. I'm sending you so much love. Can I talk to Auntie Gillian now?"

"Yes. I love you too mummy."

"Sweet dreams my little little miss."

Caroline spoke to the can lights in the ceiling as Flora dashed off.

"Oh, Caroline. That's a nice sentiment but I do wish you'd stop calling me your little miss. Robbie just might not understand if he heard." Gillian picked up the phone sporting raised eyebrows and added an off-color laugh.

"Funny Gillian. Here I was worried she was going to go into melt down mode but she dropped the mobile before I was even done. So I guess she's good to go. How are things?"

Caroline was finally, mostly comfortable spending a few nights away from Flora. She wasn't for the first few years but she realized that if she wanted her relationship with Melanie to progress, she needed some time and space to give her undivided attention.

"All quiet on Conway drive. Can we take it off of FaceTime?"

"If I don't have to stare at that sour expression while we chat, absolutely."

"Good. I hate feeling like I'm a starlet on display. I'm wrecked from the day and I'm not up for it."

It was quite possibly true. It was also quite possibly true that she'd been at the wine and didn't want Caroline to know. Since Gillian was now doing extended Flora duty and being a spectacular sport about it, Caroline had no room to complain. She also knew that Gillian didn't drink more than one when she had Calamity on her own.

"Yep. Ring me back."

This time it was Caroline who answered on the first ring. "So, how's things? I'm really sorry to put you out like this."

"Nah. It's fine. But I'm thinking that I ought to get back home tomorrow. Would you mind if I just pack up Flora and go?"

"No. But I'm just surprised. You seemed so keen for a break from…everything in Halifax." Caroline didn't need to see Gillian's eyes. The silent tension on the line answered any questions she had about the state of Gillian and Robbie's relationship at the moment.

"Robbie's got another week before the suspension is over. It won't be soon enough for me."

"I still don't get it. Why would he go and take a swing at Dave – his best mate – of all people. It just doesn't make sense, Gillian. It's not like Robbie at all."

"Eh. You're asking the wrong girl. Had a row about something and that's all I can get out of him. Since they both got suspended I can't guess who really started it. I don't even care anymore, I just want him back to work and out of the house."

"So why the rush to get back tomorrow then? Have you talked with him today? Is he giving you a hard time about my not making it back?"

"Actually, he was fine with it. Told me to enjoy myself."

"Ah. Hence the need to get back and check up on him, eh? Just go easy on the wine tonight. But take a bottle from the wine rack home for you and Robbie for tomorrow night after the kids are down. Maybe you can finally get the story out of him if you soften him up a bit first."

"Thanks mum, glad you can manage to order me about from hundreds of kilometers away."

"It's just that I care about you Gillian. I really do. And I'm worried. It's just not like Robbie. Are you sure there's nothing going on you're not sharing?"

"Nah." The silent tension continued to pour through the line and Caroline made assumptions she didn't voice.

"Yeah. You're right though. It's bugging me. He's never kept secrets from me before and my imagination is working overtime. Guess I wanta get up and make sure there's no new developments. Maybe if I knew why they had a falling out I'd feel better about it all."

"Just do what you have to do. Flora will love being at the farm and it might distract her from the fact I'll be gone longer than I promised. Just don't forget to pack her pillow and her blanket or you'll be coming back to Harrogate before you know it."

"Pillow and blanket. Got it."

Caroline could almost see Gillian biting at her thumb or worrying at her neck.

"Anything else at all I need to know before we ring off?"

"You're not going to like it particularly. But yes. Lawrence came by today. He stayed long enough to do some laundry and stuff his face. He seemed disappointed to miss you."

"Did he seem disappointed?" Caroline wasn't convinced by Gillian's tentative confession. "Hmmm. He knew I was away and was coming back late this afternoon. What time was he there?"

"I don't really remember when he got here but he left after dinner. Maybe he forgot. Sounds like his course work has been keeping him really busy."

Gillian had lectured Caroline more than once about giving Lawrence his space. Caroline had been able to pull it off here and there, and it did seem to produce results.

"Well at least there was a Lawrence sighting and I know he's alive and well and will have clean knickers for another week. Sorry I missed him. I'll let you go. Thanks again for everything."

"Night Caroline. Enjoy the extra time with Mel."

"Don't worry. I am. Night."

She crashed back against the pillows of their rumpled bed and closed her eyes. She opened them again as she heard the door swing across the low-pile carpet.

"How's the weather in Harrogate?" Melanie peaked around the door with a warm smile.

"Fair and mild. But I see a storm on the horizon for Robbie and Gillian."

"Don't you always?" Melanie stretched out next to Caroline and rolled her face into her stomach.

Caroline placed a hand on her head with a smile and ran it over her black hair. "Yep. You're right. I'll stop worrying."

"Good."

"Let me text Lawrence and then let's turn in. He came by the house today. I'm not sure if he meant to see me or meant to miss me."

"Don't look for rain clouds where there aren't any. I'm sure he meant to see you."

Caroline's blue eyes twinkled and she ruffled Melanie's hair. "I'm sure you're right."