TWO WEEKS LATER

LAST WEEK OF JULY, 2025

Molly paused as she felt the familiar kicking sensation in her stomach. In any other situation, she'd have found it endearing and sweet. But she was currently arguing a case in court and The Court was not known for endearing or sweet.

"Ms. Stanley, would you like a moment to collect yourself?" Judge Connelly asked, looking at her over her half-moon glasses.

Molly looked over at her client, Youssef Habir, and saw his slightly bewildered face. He was counting on her to ensure his asylum application went through. She gave him a weak smile and looked back at the judge, rubbing her stomach slowly.

"No, I - I'm fine, thank you, Your Honor," she cleared her throat. "As I was saying, Mr. Habir has been a model tenant at the Direct Provision center he has been staying at. He has a job working in the kitchens there. He has more than demonstrated his capability as a productive member of society."

"Ms. Stanley, it is not about Mr. Habir's productivity in society," the judge replied. "It is about the fact that he has not demonstrated sufficient need to claim asylum in the Republic of Ireland. The law clearly states that asylum is only granted to those cannot return to their homeland because doing so puts their lives at direct risk. Mr. Habir has not demonstrated that there is a substantial risk to his life if he returns to Tunisia. Therefore his application is denied."

Molly opened her mouth to say something but the judge continued.

"He will remain at the Direct Provision center until proper arrangements can be made for his return to Tunisia," she finished. "Mr. Habir, I wish you the best in your journey." She banged her gavel twice, signaling that the trial was over.

Youssef covered his face with his hands as a guard came to take him out of the court room.

"I'm sorry, Youssef. I really tried my best," Molly apologized. "But there just wasn't enough evidence. The judge was right."

The Arab man said nothing as he was led out of the court room. The loss hurt a bit and she felt like she'd let him down. But in truth, the judge was right. Youssef hadn't shown enough evidence to support his application. He wasn't a refugee.

Molly looked at her watch and cursed. She was supposed to have left for the appointment ten minutes prior. She stuffed her files back into her briefcase and tottered out of the court room on her stilettos as fast as she could, side-stepping several other solicitors with all the grace of a linebacker.

By the time she was pulling into the car park at her OB's office, she was already twenty minutes late and had declined two of Andrew's calls. She parked next to his SUV and got out. The receptionist looked up at her in surprise when she burst through the office doors.

"Hi, sorry I'm late," she said breathlessly. "Molly Stanley. I had an appointment with Dr. Sherbourne at four." A cramp had risen in her side and she winced as she leaned over the reception desk, still breathing heavily.

The receptionist blinked before snapping out of her surprised state and turning to the computer. "Right. Have a seat. I'll let dr. Sherbourne know you're here."

Molly nodded and turned and saw Andrew reading a magazine in a chair in the corner of the waiting room. He didn't look up when she sat next to him.

"You're late," he sighed.

"I got caught up in court. Sue me," she answered, kissing his cheek. She glanced at the title of the article he was reading. "Hemorrhoids and You. Listen, we can stop at the shop on the way home and get something for you, if you need it."

He scoffed and closed the magazine, stifling a smile. "So? How was court?"

She sighed. "I lost. Not really my fault, though. Tunisia isn't exactly a dangerous place."

"Sorry, love," he said.

"What did you get up to today?" she asked.

"I had lunch with my dad, then I met up with Stevie. Caroline told me something about a baby shower?" he said.

Before she could respond, a nurse appeared and called her name. Andrew took her purse from her and helped her stand. They headed back into an exam room.

"Quick question: do you need a urine sample this visit?" Molly asked, crossing her legs.

The nurse chuckled. "Not this time. We're doing the glucose test though, so we will need a blood draw."

"Oh thank God. I'm gonna go pee," Molly said, rushing back into the hallway. Five minutes later, she returned, feeling much better. "Sorry about that," she apologized when she saw the doctor in the room. "And sorry about being late."

Dr. Sherbourne smiled patiently. "You're grand, Molly. Don't worry about it." She gestured to the exam table and Molly wriggled her way up onto it with Andrew's help. "Today we'll do our normal scan to check Baby's size and we'll also do a glucose test."

"I thought the glucose test was optional?" Andrew asked. "Do you have a reason to do it?"

"Given that the baby has been on the smaller side for the whole pregnancy, we just want to cover all of our bases to make sure nothing is getting skipped over," Dr. Sherbourne explained. "Nothing to be concerned about."

"Andrew, its fine. I don't mind. If it helps them learn more, I don't mind doing it," Molly said.

"How have things been going since we last saw each other?" the doctor asked, putting on a pair of latex gloves.

"We finally felt some kicks," Molly smiled, lifting her shirt up. "The baby really responds to the guitar."

"I would be surprised if his child didn't respond to the guitar," Dr. Sherbourne joked, nodding toward Andrew. She squirted the cold blue gel onto Molly's stomach. "Are we still in the 'no gender reveal' camp?" she asked.

"Yes. Very much so," Molly replied before Andrew could.

"In that case, look away," the doctor replied.

Molly felt Andrew slide his hand into hers as he sat near her head. He pressed a kiss against the back of it.

"Any other symptoms, Molly?" the doctor asked.

"I've had some wicked heartburn lately," she answered.

"We can give you something for that, if you'd like," Sherbourne said without looking up from the screen. She moved the wand across Molly's stomach.

"Do I have to take anything?" Molly asked. "I don't want to take any medication that could hurt the baby."

"Have you tried antacids from the shops?"

Molly shook her head. "Not yet. Are those safe to try?"

"Yes. If those don't help, we can give you something stronger," the doctor said. "Do you have any questions?"

"How much longer can we keep having sex?" Molly asked, making Andrew blush.

The doctor smiled. "As long as its comfortable. I'm not seeing anything that would indicate that it puts you at risk. But if you experience any pain during or immediately following sex, definitely phone us."

"Is the baby still small?" Andrew asked, looking at the doctor.

"Yes. But everything seems to be developing on track. Its very possible you two just have a petite baby," she replied.

"You do know he's six-foot-six, right?" Molly asked, gesturing the Andrew.

The doctor laughed again. "Yes. But having a tall parent doesn't always translate to a bigger baby. Many babies don't have growth spurts until later in pregnancy. And even if the baby were born on the smaller side, each child grows at their own rate. So he or she could make up the difference later."

Molly sighed. "As long as everything is developing correctly, I don't care if the baby's small. Maybe that means I'll have an easier delivery."

"Perhaps. We'll keep an eye on it," the doctor said. She turned off the screen and put the wand back in its place. "I'll have one of the nurses come in and take a blood sample. She'll also explain the glucose test. You'll have to stay in the office for an hour, so I hope you brought a good book," she chuckled. "It was great to see you both again. If you think of any questions or need anything, just let one of the nurses know. They'll come get me."

Molly wiped her stomach off with a tissue and slid her shirt back down. The doctor left and the room fell into silence.

"You know, we should probably start thinking about names," Andrew remarked, crossing his legs. "And look at cribs and strollers and all that."

Before she could answer, the door opened and a nurse came in with a tray holding several items.

"Hello, Molly," she said with a smile. "We'll do the blood draw first and then I'll have you drink this," she indicated a an orange can next to the empty vials on the tray. "An hour later, we'll test your blood glucose level. Could you roll up your sleeve, please?"

Molly obliged as the nurse put on a pair of gloves and unfurled a rubber tourniquet. She tied it around Molly's upper arm and turned to unwrap the needle.

"How has your day been so far?" the nurse asked.

"Educational," Molly responded, her arm going slightly numb. "He's been learning about hemorrhoids," she quipped, nodding toward Andrew.

The nurse chuckled and Molly winced as she felt the pinch of the needle. She looked over at Andrew, who rested his chin on the side of the exam table and gazed up at her in silence with a smile on his lips. The nurse filled two vials before pulling the needle out and putting a cotton ball on top of the vein and securing it with a piece of medical tape.

"First step, done," she smiled. "Now, if I could have to you drink this as fast as possible."

Molly sat up, took the can from the nurse and cracked the tab on it. She took a deep breath and brought the can to her lips. The liquid was sickeningly sweet and tasted like Tang.

"Chug, chug, chug," Andrew teased, making her laughed.

"Stop," she laughed, gasping for air. "You're gonna make it go up my nose," she whined.

Andrew laughed and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He watched her resume drinking and a moment later, she was done.

"Excellent. We'll have you wait in reception and call you back after an hour to do a second draw," the nurse said.

Andrew stood and took Molly's bag from a chair before helping her down from the the exam table. They followed the nurse into the corridor and found their way back to the reception area.

"What about Emer?" Molly asked as they settled into two chairs in the far corner. "If its a girl?"

Andrew shook his head. "I dated an Emer briefly. Didn't end well."

"Evidently," she remarked. "Fine, what about Henry? For a boy?"

"Henry Stanley?" Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow. "Seems a bit much, don't you think?"

"Right. I forgot they'll have my name," she sighed.

"Don't sound so enthused," he deadpanned, nudging her leg.

"I know why we're going that route, but it just makes name choices harder," she answered.

"And 'Hozier-Byrne' is easier to match with?" he scoffed playfully.

Molly rolled her eyes. "You're right."

"Ava, for a girl?" he said.

She shook her head. "Way too common. I don't want a name that everyone has."

"This is getting us nowhere fast," he sighed. "Why don't we just come up with our own lists and then show them to each other?"

"Deal," she answered. She reached into her bag to pull out a folder. Andrew cleared his throat. "What?" she asked.

"Strollers. Cribs. We can't keep waiting on everything," he said softly.

She let her head fall forward in annoyance. "Fine. Did you have any in mind?" she asked, obliging him.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "I found a few that I think would be great," he started. "I thought we could get one of those that grows with the baby, that way we don't have to deal with buying a new thing every time the baby outgrows it."

She looked at his phone screen and raised an eyebrow at the price on the stroller. "Jesus Christ, is it made of gold or something?" she asked. It was a complicated-looking device with several interchangeable parts and attachments.

He rolled his eyes. "No, aluminum alloy. But its the highest-ranked stroller for safety. And its got great reviews."

"Aluminum alloy? Is it used to launch the baby to space?" she exclaimed. "Andrew, I don't want to be those parents who buy everything people recommend and then never use it," she replied. "I want to be practical, here."

"Well, we will use a stroller practically every day, so I think its worth splurging on one that's well-reviewed," he countered.

"Fine," she relented. "Get the space age stroller."

"I think we should get a crib and a bassinet," he said. "All the reading I've done has said the baby should sleep in our room for the first six months, at least."

She snorted. "Where exactly do you intend on putting a crib in our room? There's not space."

"I'll move the bedroom set up into the studio. Its not like I'll be using it a lot overnight anyway," he admitted.

His bedroom set up was what he called the small desk that occupied a corner in their bedroom. It held a midi keyboard and several guitar accessories and mixers with pedals on the floor underneath. He kept it and the beat up black guitar in their room for late night jam sessions. Frequently, he'd get spurts of inspiration in the middle of the night and wouldn't want to go down to the studio to work, so he'd slip on his headphones and noodle around on his guitar. It was one of the last hold-outs from his bachelor life.

"That's big of you," she smirked.

"I try," he answered, sticking his tongue out. "Did you have any preferences on the crib?"

Molly sighed. "I don't know, Andrew. Just pick something. As long as it holds the kid and doesn't collapse on itself, I don't really care." He held up his phone with images of cribs already pulled up. "Ew, but not that. Or that. That ones just vile," she remarked, pulling the device closer for a better look.

Andrew smirked as she began scrolling through the pages. "You don't care, huh?"

"Shut up," she said, focusing on the phone. "Oh, this one's cute," she said, enlarging an image of a midcentury-modern crib with clean lines and straight, angled legs.

"Okay, that's an option," he replied.

"No. That's the one I want," she said, handing the phone back.

"Molly, its twelve hundred Euro," he said in shock.

"And? Isn't it something we'll use every day?" she asked. "For several years?"

He relented. "Fine."

"Great. Now that we've got that out of the way, can I please go back to work?" she asked.

He bent over and picked her bag up. "We'll have to be serious about some of this soon, love. We can't want until the last minute."

She nodded, but didn't respond. He was right and she knew it. But it felt like it was all happening really fast. Between her work load and managing all the planning for the baby, it felt like the pregnancy had flown by. When she and Andrew made the announcement, suddenly it felt very real. There wasn't any going back.

There wasn't a doubt in her mind that she wanted this child. It was more about the way everything seemed to have gone by in a flurry. Somehow, she'd gone from peeing on a stick to feeling real movements from the being growing inside of her and she had missed everything in between.

"Did you start talking about your maternity leave at work?" he asked.

"Andrew, can we please stop talking about the baby and pregnancy for a little bit?" she asked, her voice strained. She didn't look up from her documents.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Sure," he replied simply.

It was inevitable that she'd have some nerves, he knew. For a moment he wondered if he was coming on too strongly, asking about names and cribs and strollers. With his newfound 'freedom', he had spent lots of time reading up on different aspects of pregnancy and how to prepare for a new baby. Sometimes, he felt like he was the only one actually doing any planning at all.

They sat in the reception for another forty-five minutes before the nurse reappeared and called them back again. After the blood draw was done, they made another appointment and left. At home, Molly disappeared into her office and Andrew took Clementine for a walk to the beach to enjoy the unseasonably warm afternoon.

Later that evening, laying in bed, he rolled over and looked at her. She was engrossed in a book and didn't look up at him when he spoke.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"What do you mean? We were just at the doctor earlier. Everything's fine," she answered.

"No - I don't mean the baby. I mean you," he said. "You seemed...unenthusiastic when I brought up the crib and stroller and all that."

She put her book down on her lap with a heavy sigh. "Yes. I'm fine," she replied. "It was just...I had just lost a case. I don't like losing. You know that."

"You've lost plenty of cases, Mol, and you've been grand," he countered, looking up at her. "This was different. You seemed...off. What's going on?"

She closed her book and sighed again before turning to face him slightly. "I...I feel like I've missed everything, like I've blinked and gone from telling you I'm pregnant to being twenty-four weeks along. It just...I don't know if I'm connecting with the baby."

"Is that why you've been working more?" he asked.

"Yes. And no," she said. "Its a nice distraction but I think I'm working so much because I want to clear as many cases as possible before I'm due and I want to prove I'm an asset. I don't want them to replace me or anything."

He sighed and placed an arm over her stomach. "Mol, they're not going to replace you. Don't work yourself ragged for this."

She inhaled slowly. "I don't know how to be a mom, Andrew."

"Well, I guess its a good thing I don't know how to be a dad, huh?" he suggested. "We can learn together." She rolled her eyes and he sat up. "Honey, it will be fine. They're not going to replace you. You'll be a great mum. Everything will be fine." He pressed his lips against her bare shoulder.

Molly ran her hands over her stomach and leaned her head back against the headboard. After a moment of silence, she spoke. "We should sign up for a birthing class," she said.

Andrew pushed his glasses back up his nose and lifted his chin from her shoulder. "We...should."

"And I know we should talk about a birthing plan, too," she sighed, looking over at him. "Its so strange. I feel like time is flying by me, but also moving at one frame per second. I can't wait to meet her, but I'm also terrified at how fast time is passing."

"Her?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "You think its a girl?"

Molly smiled. "Yeah. I don't know why. I just think it is."

He moved his hand to rest on her stomach and smiled when he felt a kick. "What about you, huh? Are you a girl?" he asked, leaning close to the bump. When he didn't get a response, he looked back up at Molly. "Seems your passenger doesn't agree."

"The passenger wants a chocolate milkshake," she said.

"I take it the passenger doesn't care that its ten-thirty at night," he replied.

"No it does not," she smiled.

"The only thing that's open this late that has a chocolate milkshake is the McDonald's in Bray," he said, sitting up.

"That's fine. I'll come with you," she said, scooting ungracefully out of the bed.

Half an hour later, they were parked on Strand Road, looking out at the sea, chocolate milkshakes in hand. He had opened the tailgate of his SUV and lowered the back seats so they could lay of a blanket spread out on top of them.

"What about Owen?" she said suddenly.

"Huh?" he asked.

"For a boy. Owen," she repeated.

"Could we spell it the Irish way? E-O-I-N?" he said.

"I see no reason not to," she said. "Eoin Andrew Stanley," she tested, moving the straw in the plastic lid. It squeaked loudly.

Andrew winced. "Why Andrew?"

"Be...cause...you're Andrew?" she said. "Seems like a logical choice. There are already too many 'John's in your family and we sure as fuck aren't naming our child after my father."

He wasn't completely sold, but he didn't want to argue with her. "Its a possibility," he conceded. He could hear the waves crashing on the beach less than a hundred yards away, though he couldn't see them through the darkness.

"I think I'm going to stop taking new cases," she said suddenly.

Her statement surprised him. "Why?"

"I want to enjoy this pregnancy. And I feel like its a losing battle, what I do," she sighed. "Every case I clear, I get three more. I can't keep up."

"Why don't you start your maternity leave from Legal Aid early and just focus on the charities instead?" he suggested. "I would certainly feel better, if my opinion matters."

"It doesn't," she replied without looking over at him.

"Molly, you're more than half-way through your pregnancy," he started. "I think its time to be a bit more realistic about what you can manage these days."

"I'm pregnant, not disabled," she countered.

"Love, you're not sleeping well as it is because of the pregnancy, why would you want to keep staying up late at night to work on cases?" he asked. "I'm not asking you to stop working. I'm asking you to slow down. You were late to the appointment today, you're constantly stressing out. It can't be good for the baby."

"I know. You're right," she admitted. The words tasted like vinegar in her mouth.

"Hey," he said, turning her face toward his. "I just want you both happy and healthy. That's all."

He kissed her softly and brought one hand to the back of her neck. She tasted like chocolate ice cream. He felt her deepen the kiss and let out a soft moan when her fingers slipped under the hem of his t-shirt. His cock hardened on cue and he became acutely aware of the fact that they were parked out in the open with the hatch up. Anyone could walk by and see them. And him being him, it would result in quite a story for the press. But before he could pull away, she dipped her fingers under the waistband of his sweatpants and wrapped them around his length.

"Ah fuuuuck," he whispered against her lips as she shifted to sit on her knees. "Mol, we - shit," he murmured.

Molly smirked and kissed him deeply again, enjoying the thrill of the situation. A wild streak had come through her and she wanted to see how far things would go. She stroked him faster and bit his bottom lip. Andrew gave up trying to stop her and let his head fall back. Whatever was going to happen would happen. A moan escaped his lips, louder than he intended.

"Hello?" a voice came from outside, followed by several taps on the side of the SUV. "My name is officer Teresea Williams. Everything alright?"

A beam of light shone into the back of the SUV, blinding both of them. Molly yanked her hand out of his pants and let out a small yelp of surprise. Andrew was fairly certain his penis actually retracted up into his body once he saw who was looking at them. A young Garda was standing at the end of the SUV, her neon yellow jacket reflecting the light from her torch.

"Y-yes, Officer," he replied, forcing words out of his mouth before realizing what they were.

"Could you step out of the vehicle, please?" the officer asked, stepping back from the SUV.

This is it. Its going to be all over the papers. I'll never live it down.

He got out first, grateful that for once in his life, his erection had actually disappeared in two seconds flat.

"Can you tell me what's going on here?" the officer asked as he stood from the back of the SUV.

"Officer, we just stopped at the McDonald's for milkshakes. My wife is pregnant. She had a craving," he explained.

He didn't blame the officer for her dubious expression. It clearly looked like a he had picked up a prostitute.

"Your wife?" the officer asked, glancing at Molly.

As if to emphasize his point, Molly cradled her bump underneath his grey jacket.

"I have photos! I can show you," he said, pulling his phone from his pocket.

"Sir, can you show me your identification, please?" Officer Williams asked.

"Eh - yeah. Sorry." After reaching for his wallet in his pocket, he realized it was in the front seat. "Its in the front. Can I get it?"

The officer nodded and he went around the car and wrenched open the driver's door.

Great. We're going to get arrested, he thought as he fumbled with his wallet. I haven't even been on hiatus for a month and I've already gotten a charge.

"Here," he said.

The officer held his drivers license under the beam of her torch light and Andrew could see her eyes widen when she saw his name.

Great. She knows who I am. Wonderful. He thought wryly.

"Do you have any ID, ma'am?" Officer Williams asked, looking at Molly.

"I didn't bring it. My husband drove," Molly explained. "I know what this looks like, Officer. But I promise you, we were only sitting here and talking."

"Ma'am, with all due respect, you pulled your hand out of his trousers when I came up," the officer said. Molly winced. She looked at Andrew's license again, then back at him. "Alright, I'll tell you what's going to happen." She handed his license back. "I'm going to let you off with a warning. Keep the...adult...activities out of public spaces."

His heart soared and he felt his pulse slow considerably. "Thank you," he sighed in relief.

"You two are free to go," Officer Williams said. "But...could I have a picture?" she asked him. "I'm a massive fan."

At that point, he'd have kissed her right in front of Molly if she'd asked him to. Anything to keep this out of the press.

"Absolutely," he said eagerly. He stood next to her. "But...ehm...do you think you could hold off posting this and maybe...not tell anyone how we met?" he asked sheepishly.

The officer nodded and pulled out her phone. Andrew posed for a photo and gave her a wave as she left before turning back to the car and leaning heavily on the tailgate.

"Sweet suffering Jesus," he croaked.

Molly couldn't help but laugh. "C'mon. Let's get home."

She reached into the back and grabbed their empty cups, tossing them in a nearby bin. He closed the hatch and walked back to the driver's side, convinced he'd just used up all of his luck.

***

"Wait, so the cop just...let you go?!" Oscar asked in surprise. "In L.A. you'd have been booked."

"Well, it pays to be the most famous person in the country," Molly said, sliding her empty plate away from her. Oscar burst into another round of laughter as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Get your jollies out now. I'm sure you'll actually get arrested for something worse."

"Honey, I think it was Andy who got his jollies last night, if we're being honest," he cackled.

His voice echoed off the white tiled walls of his kitchen as he stood to clear away their plates. Molly had joined him for brunch that morning and the previous night's events had come up. His kitchen was recently remodeled with crisp white tile one the walls and stainless steel surfaces. It resembled a professional kitchen you'd find in a high-end restaurant.

"Yes," she sighed. "Honestly at that point, I wouldn't have cared if she asked to strip and frisk him. I'd have helped her take his clothes off if it meant we got away with it." The embarrassment hadn't quite disappeared yet. "I cannot believe we did that."

"That baby is making you hornier than a teenage boy," he remarked. "I hope Andy is enjoying himself."

"Its so strange," Molly said. "We had a pretty active sex life before I got pregnant. Even when I visited him on tour or whatever, it was always on the wild side. But Jesus Christ. I have no idea what came over me."

"Wait, do you think the baby can feel any of this?" Oscar asked. He put two plates into the dishwasher. "Like is it aware of what's going on?"

"The doctor says no. So far it hasn't gotten weird and Andrew seems to love my body now," she said.

"Dude, your tatas are like four sizes bigger than normal right now. What's not to like?" he answered. "Hell, even I'm having a hard time not staring at them."

Molly stood up. "Before I forget - Caroline wanted me to ask you if you're coming to the Childline gala next month."

Oscar led her out of the kitchen and through the lower level of his new home. The walls had been painted a cheery yellow. "Jesus, she's the third person from a charity that has invited me to a fundraiser since I moved here," he remarked over his shoulder.

"Did they finally transfer everything to your name?" she asked, following him up a carpeted staircase.

"Mostly. There are still a few things I need to sign," he sighed. "You can tell Caroline that Childline can expect an amount in the six figures from me. And I'd like the chicken for dinner."

Oscar's house was stately and grand - and mostly empty. The rooms echoed as they walked through them. He had only just moved in the week beforehand and most of his furniture hadn't actually been delivered yet.

"Six figures? Jesus Christ, Oscar," she exclaimed. "You're really going through with it, giving away all your family's money."

"Well, until the old hag croaks, I'm limited to how much I can actually get rid of. But once she's gone," he made an explosion motion with his hands. "It'll be a great time to be in charity work."

"They'll all come crawling to you, begging for money," she joked, grabbing her purse from the ornate table near the front door. "Let me know when the furniture comes in. I'll see if Andrew can help move some things around."

He gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug. "I will. I'll see you on Friday, right?" he asked.

She nodded. "As usual. Somehow I don't think Andrew is going to enjoy having you here now."

"Oh well. He resigned himself to this life the second he married you," Oscar said dismissively.

"Okay, but you've got to stop letting yourself in at night. It scares the fuck out of the dog. And me," she said, turning to face him on the stoop. "Plus, I don't think Andrew enjoys waking up with you in bed next to him."

"That was one time and it was before my actual bed got here," he reasoned. "But fine. I get it." He gave her another hug. "Be safe getting home. Love you."

She waved at him and descended the stairs to the street. The ocean stretched out in front of her, as far as she could see. Oscar's new home was nice, but it was far too big. She worried that he'd become isolated all on his own. He'd taken to spending nearly all of his time at her house in Newcastle and she could see the desperation starting to seep out of the cracks. Still, it felt good to have him closer, a small piece of a past life she never wanted to forget.