Hi this is Erica's point of view, for people who don't that's Kota's and Jess's Mum

Enjoy!

Erica's POV:

When I see the small lady climb out of the Land rover, I don't know whether to be shocked by the parrot on her arm, or cry at the sadness in her eyes. A look I am all too familiar with in my own children, and Kota's now rather large friend group. Jess has been extremely cagey about details of her new friend and now I can see why, she wants me to form my own opinions of the girl.

The one thing that I could get out of Jess is that Luke will love her. Right now, I can't see that, even though my daughter has repeatedly assured me that this will be the case.

Jess appears beside me, smileing nervously at Sang, as this girl is called. Sang returns the nervous smile with one of her own, turning to lift something from the car. I almost cry when I see the puppy she's holding. The small thing can't be older than four months, I think it's a flat coated retriever, but with one of it's eyes is sealed shut, its face is slightly squished, making it hard to truly tell. Sang keeps hold of the puppy while shifting to the side to let out another dog, a cat like creature, which I think is lynx, and a skunk.

Suddenly, I start to see where my daughter is coming from, with the 'Luke will love her' phrases. The obvious love she has for all the animals with her shows how big her heart is, just like Luke's.

"They are all well trained I promise." She is reading the shock on my face as panic, or something similar.

"No sweetheart, it's fine, I was just shocked that anyone could ever do that to a puppy!" I gesture at the dog still in her arms, but keep my eyes on hers, telling her that I understand, fully, that she had been abused, just as badly as the puppy. Her spine straightens, but her chin dips in acknowledgment that she got the subtle message. A ghost of a real smile flashes across her lips, as Jess moves to her side.

"That's why they come to me! When they are found and when people don't understand them, or if they are too injured for a normal environment!" her voice is quiet, but I can hear her enough. I nod my understanding, that's about as much info as Jess gave me. In fact, her words where 'basically she runs a rescue home for abused animals, but it's also a reserve, hospital and stuff'. I watch Jess interact with the large dog on the floor, crouching low, so that it comes over to her, when approval is met, she stands and rubs her (from what I can see) ears.

"This is Isla," Sang lifts the puppy up, who grumbles, yawns and snuggles back into her neck, "this is Simon!" the parrot dips his head and asks.

"How do you do Mrs. Lee?" I do my best not to gasp, but I obviously haven't managed it, as both Jess and Sang start giggling as they make their way, animals in tow, up to the door. I meet Sang's eyes and see the same mischievous look that Luke always has. She grins.

"Nice to meet you, Jess bet the next cage clean that I couldn't get you to show shock!" her musical giggle makes another appearance.

"Come on you two, lunch is nearly re...." the smoke alarm rings behind me, "...Dam not again, not right now!" I race for the oven closely followed by both my daughter, and her new friends.

The kitchen is total chaos, I really have no idea what to do.

"Ok, Jess you help me in here, Erica do you want to see if you can turn the alarm off, do you mind if I make lunch?" I can see her lips move and I think I got what she was trying to say so I shake my head then nod trying to work out what the appropriate motion.

"MUM!" Jess is shouting at me now to be heard over the alarm, "GO. TURN. IT. OFF! ME AND SANG CAN MAKE LUNCH!" I nod confident that it's the right motion this time. Feeling slightly rude that my guest is making lunch for me, I head to take the batteries out of the alarm. Again.

By the time I'm back, all the windows are open, and the burnt smell is disappearing. Jess and Sang are moving easily around each other in the kitchen.

The ease with which they work together reminds me of the Academy teams, I work at the Academy hospital, so I know what they do, seeming to read each other, before the movement happens. Jess also looks more relaxed than I have seen her with Kota in years. This just confirms, to me, for some reason, what Jess was talking about, her and Luke would be so perfect for each other! My musings of how to set up my almost adopted son with the girl I am quickly realising I would love to have as another daughter is interrupted by my biological son calling my mobile.

"Yes Kota?" I mutter as I answer.

"Do you need any help?" he sounds long suffering; this isn't the first time the alarm has gone off while I was cooking.

"Nope, we're all good!" I say sighing.

"We?" I can hear the question in his voice.

"Yes, Kota, we! Me, Jess and her new friend." I know the question before it comes.

"What's her name, I'll get Vic to run a background check on her!" Every time!

"That is... un-necessary, Jess likes her, and I will not, will NOT have you scare her off like the last time! Do not push your sister any further away, or you just might loss her!" I can hear the arguments I think his about to use before any noise comes though the speaker, but what comes out is not what I expect.

"So, what? It's not like I don't know that she likes Luke, Gabe and North more than me!" For the second time today, I am shocked speechless as Kota hangs up.

I can still hear giggling from the kitchen, but that stops when Jess sees tears running down my face. I watch her exchange a glance with Sang before coming over to me with a hug. I don't want to tell them, but the second Jess asks what's wrong, I blurt the entire conversation. Both Max, who hasn't left Sang's side since she entered the house and Isla, push into my legs as I collapse into a chair. The other dog stays pressed into Sang's side. Instantly I feel better as I rub at Max's ears.

"Here, do you want to cut veg while I finish the cake mix?" Sang's question cuts though the thought that I might never speak to my son again with a soft smile, it gives me something else to focus on, which I am infinitely grateful for. Sending her a weak one in return, me and Jess start chopping carrots and a plethora of other veg that she keeps piling on the table. Delicious smells start to weave though the kitchen.

When half an hour later, Sang pulls a cake from the oven and declares the main meal ready I am totally shocked (again) at what appears on my plate. No meat, I assume she's a vegetarian, but considering my daughter recently became one, this doesn't surprise me. It may look odd but when I see her and Jess tucking right in, I try it.

Suddenly I understand what Luke was going on about a couple of weeks ago, about how good food can make you feel alive.

"Fine I give in you were right!" I mutter at Jess; this girl is literally Luke's dream. I wish Kota, could meet her because I have a feeling that he would probably find her just as awesome, based off some of the conversation topics we have during lunch. It ranges from several books, to the fact that Sang can speak at least ten different languages and the sign languages that go with them. Apparently, it's helpful to have a photographic memory when wanting to learn a lot of languages. She doesn't seem boastful more factual, what amazes me is when Jess demonstrate that she's been learning the basics of a couple of languages as well. Jess also reveals that Sang is brilliant with technology, which has the blonde girl the colour of a tomato.

I catch Jess and Sang having another of those silent conversations, like the boys, before Sang groans and hands Jess a piece of paper. My daughter fist pumps grinning. I know my face just went suspicious, as Sang smirks slightly seeming more comfortable, before managing to cool her expression, into an Owen worthy state.

"Why, mum, don't you owe me something..." Jess gives me her huge innocent eyes. I stupidly promised her one thing of her choice if Sang was as she said 'the girl of Luke's dreams'. I really should have known that she looked a smidge too confident to be joking.

"Can I stay with Sang for the easter holidays?" her question is out before my reluctant nod has even finished.

"The whole holidays? What about revision? You have exams first week back! And I'm sure that Sang doesn't want you under her feet of two weeks!" I splutter out.

"She wouldn't be a bother, she is very useful when's she at mine, plus she has all that cage cleaning to do!" Sang says quietly, her grin cheeky at the last bit, Jess lets out a groan similar to Sang's earlier, "Plus I can promise that she will revise! I seem to have taken most of the exams that she is about to, and I tend to give her a hand when she gets stuck!" Sang finishes. Looking at their eager faces, I really can't say no.

"You have to promise me, revision but... fine you can go as long as you both come for lunch, though you might have to cook it, every other day!" I give them my best firm stare, but they are both too busy squealing in happiness. The parrot squarks a few times and all the dogs let out varies yips of excitement, almost as is they understand. But they can't, right? They are just reacting to the girl's excitement, aren't they?

Shaking the thought off, we continue the discussion from before. Ten minutes later we have finished eating, I wish we could have kept eating for hours, I don't think I've laughed so much in years. I understand now why Jess has looked so much happier these last months, ever since we moved here. Even though Kota's shouting is still on my mind, Jess and Sang have managed to distract me enough that I'm not drowning in doubt about what I could have said differently.

"Do you like games?" Desperately hoping that Sang does, I want to keep her and Jess here for longer, and right now this is the only way I can think too. I see Sang glance out the window, apparently assessing the light. She lets out a low hum. Her eyes meet Jess's, and they have another of those silent conversations. I watch Jess tilt her head, bite her lip then nod with a smile, Sang lets out a giggle.

"We love games!" She says happily, "But I do have to get back for feeding before it gets dark so just a quick one this week and I'll organise it better when we come for dinner on... Tuesday was it?" I nod accepting that she had organised it so that she could get away if it was overwhelming this weekend. The fact that she had agreed had a warm feeling growing inside, the fact she had said yes and assessed if she could get away with it, allows me to see that she truly does want to stay.

"That brilliant! How does a quick game of rummy sound?" I ask and Jess tenses.

"I'm sure it's a great game but, I've never played so you will have to teach me!" Sang smiles brightly, but this time it seems almost forced and slightly tense.

She and Jess exchange yet another look before standing and clearing the plates away, Sang washing, Jess drying and putting them back in cupboards. I go to help but my daughter just laughs softly when I get in the way and end up with bubble across my face, before she tells me to go get the game ready.

The conversation flows smoothly when they've finished, and continues through the game, Sang picking it up super quickly and even winning a few hands towards the end. When both her and Jess are constantly flicking their eyes at the window as the sun starts to get close to the horizon, I realise that it's time for them to go.

"Go on then you two, poppy off!" as much as I want them to stay, and I know they will, because Sang is just too polite for her own good, but they are starting to get worried.

"I'll go grab a few days of clothes then I can pack probably when we come on Tuesday!" Sang nods in agreement and Jess zooms off to her room. I find myself thinking of Sang as almost another daughter, which I know is stupid, as I only just met her today. I can't bring myself to think of Kayli in that way, she's perfectly polite to my face but the second I turn away, I can sense the smile drop. Despite the fact she's now dating my son and I have spent way more time with her than Sang, I feel Sang is more like family already, than that girl is ever going to be!

By the time that we I've finished my thoughts Jess is back with a backpack hanging off one shoulder and all the animals are gathered around Sangs feet. Including Max, who I quickly sperate him from the others, he looks up at me with huge eyes begging me to let him go with the girls. Sang moves over to him mutter in his ear, drops a kiss on his head, then the parrot drops onto her shoulder. The skunk races over to Jess and climbs up her leg into her open backpack to the sound of giggling. Sang scoops Isla the puppy up and whistles for the other dog, who comes to heel, the cat thing following. I watch Sang doing a mental count of the animals before she turns to me with another sweet smile.

"See you on Tuesday Erica!" then she does something else I really wasn't expecting, and holds her had out to shake. I can see it shaking, Jess is just as tense next to her, but I quickly take the offered, shake once and let go. Both her and Jess let a out a sigh of relief. My daughter gives me a super quick side hug and a kiss on the cheek, before following Sang from the house.

Then they are all in the car, the parrot now in Jess's lap with Isla, both the girl's wave as the Land Rover pulls away. Then they are going, going, gone.

Hope you liked it, if you read it !

(Edited 22/06/21)