Page 107 of Serenity Falls

‘I worry, but … sometimes I think she deals with stuff better than me.’

‘Well, the young bounce back quicker.’

‘Yeah. She’s out at the fair tonight with friends.’

‘That’s good. D’you mind me asking who?’

‘Erm, Ellis, Principal Lockhart’s daughter, and a couple of her friends.’ I search my mind. Names, what are their names?

‘Oh, Dax and Ramona?’

‘Yes, that’s it.’ I wave at my head. ‘Brain like a sieve.’

‘Curse of middle age.’ She lifts her glass. ‘They’re good kids. Of course, they all have their issues.’

‘Such as?’

‘Well, Ramona’s father is the mayor – Major Jenkins – so naturally you get a little rebellion with that. Same with Ellis. Dax is bright but he can be easily distracted.’

‘But nothing I should panic about? No drug-dealing or criminal activity?’

‘Oh no,’ she laughs. ‘None of that. You say they’ve gone to the fair?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Well, I’m sure they’ll have fun. And I’m sure Sadie will settle down here just fine. There’s a lot to enjoy, and we do try to look after our young people. They’re the future, after all.’

‘How long have you lived here?’

‘All my life.’

‘Really?’ I don’t know why that surprises me. Maybe she seems too smart, too worldly, for Serenity Falls.

She chuckles. ‘What? You think all small-town womenfolk go around baking and dress-making?’

‘No. It’s just—’ I struggle. ‘Okay, you got me.’

‘We moved here when I was a baby. My dad was a family physician here for forty years till he had a stroke. He got over it, but he retired a few years later. The second one took him out ten years ago.’

‘I’m sorry. What about your mum?’

‘Oh, she’s doing okay. She downsized to one of Serenity’s retirement properties, and she has friends, and me.’

‘Just you?’

‘Yep, only child.’

‘And you followed in your dad’s footsteps in a way?’

‘I thought about medicine, but I’ve always been more interested in the mind than the body.’

Her eyes linger on me for a moment, or maybe it’s my imagination.

‘A lot of the problems that we face day to day are problems located up here.’ She taps her head. ‘If we can make this a happy place, then we can live happier lives.’

‘You make it sound simple.’

‘Well, nothing is simple. Here’s the thing. You look around at the world. It’s not in a good place.’