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Rissa sighed and gave him a tap on the arm. He’d always been one for joking, but she didn’t approve of his recent subject matter. “How about I fix us a coffee first?”

“Make it a strong one. I’ll need a good dose of caffeine to propel me along.”

*

“Excuse me?”

Kate opened her bedroom door to Rissa, holding two mugs from upstairs.

“Hi, is everything OK?”

“Oh yes, wonderful thank you. I don’t want to be cheeky, but as you offered the use of your kitchen, I wondered if I could heat up some milk for coffee?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll show you where the pans are.”

“Goodness me, what a wonderful kitchen,” said Rissa as she followed Kate in.

“Thank you, it was one of the few things in the house I didn’t change. I know it’s a bit marmite, but I love it.”

“Me too. Your grandmother obviously had good taste in choosing it, and keeping it all those years. Were the two of you close?”

“No, not at all. I hardly knew her. I didn’t even know she had died till I was contacted about the house. I feel closer to her now I’m living here than I ever did when she was alive.”

“It’s such a shame you were estranged. Sorry, it’s really none of my business.”

“Don’t worry, my family history is something of a muddle. After my parents died, I should have made contact with her. It’s something I’ll always regret, but I spent years trying to move on from my childhood and she was part of that.”

“And have you? Moved on I mean?”

“Who knows,” laughed Kate. “I’ve moved here, but that’s about the only brave thing I’ve done. I’ve not exactly made a success of my life.”

“I don’t know about that. You’ve set up a wonderful business here and you’re a charming host. That’s an achievement in itself.”

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say.”

“It’s not kind, it’s true. Don’t do your achievements down.”

“I’m not sure my twenty-year-old self would be very impressed by my achievements.”

“Really? And what were your ambitions back then?”

“Well, I was the first person in my family to go to University. I thought I’d leave and become a teacher. Instead I left without finishing my degree and ended up working in a downmarket hotel as a cleaner. Not exactly the stuff of dreams.” Kate smiled at a thoughtful looking Rissa.

“You know,” Rissa said, “it’s never too late to finish a degree. If you want to, of course.”

“I’ve never really thought about it. I guess I gave up on that dream a long time ago.”

“Well it’s your life, but it might be worth thinking about.”

“I will,” said Kate. “Anyway, enough about me. What are your plans while you’re here?”

“We don’t have much planned at all. Coming back to Bodmin was something Jeff felt he needed to do, but we hadn’t thought much beyond that. He says he’d like to walk around the town, but I bet by the time I take the coffee up he’s fast asleep. He does a lot of sleeping these days.”

“That must be hard for both of you.”

“Yes, it is. The worst thing is he feels bad for what he’s putting me and our daughters through, when all we want to do is be there for him.”

“How old are your daughters?”

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