Free Cold by Alison Carpenter

her yet?"
    While Rocky shot Edna a look that would have been fatal to many others, Jo turned in her seat and faced the woman. "Told me what?"
    Edna looked towards the smaller woman, who nodded.
    "Ever since Rocky arrived on the streets of London she's been having dreams."
    Jo looked towards the blonde who had, once again, found the surface of the table incredibly interesting. So she turned back to Edna.
    "So what occurred in these dreams?" She asked the question of Edna, assuming that Rocky had talked to her at length about them.
    "Nothing much," she turned to Rocky. "Did it, Rocky?" Edna took a sip of tea. "No, it was more like a feeling. She'd get a feeling of warmth, of safety. Didn't you, dear?" She looked at Rocky, wanting her to tell her own story.
    Rocky merely nodded.
    "She's told me of her dreams on many occasions. I'm no dream reader, but I got the feeling that she drew comfort from the images."
    "There were no images, just feelings."
    Both Edna and Jo looked at the girl.
    "The dreams would come on nights that I felt most alone. Like some sort of message." She shook her head. "It's hard to explain. I've had them ever since I arrived on the streets. They helped me to survive."
    "Why...?" Jo began, but Edna placed a hand on her knee.
    "Why is she telling you this?" She turned to Rocky. "You tell her."
    Rocky was silent for a moment. "Last night I had the dream."
    "And?"
    "And this time I saw you."
    Edna couldn't remember the last time she saw a smile such as the one that graced the face of the woman sitting beside her. And she knew then that this woman had come for her friend, and would keep her safe. Her job was done, she'd seen the girl survive through the hardest of times, and now she was a strong and independent young woman. From frightened child to adult. She had watched the change, and was pleased with the end result. She was sad to see what was obviously the beginning of the end of their life together on the streets. Rocky had been a part of her life for almost five years but would soon be leaving. She knew that the girl herself didn't know that yet and would most probably resist the pull of the dark haired, charismatic woman. But she knew destiny when she saw it, and this woman was Rocky's destiny. Now it was up to her to persuade her, to persuade both of them, of the fact.
    "So I've never been in your dreams before?" asked Jo.
    Rocky shook her head, looking up and finding blue eyes boring into her own. "No, but the feeling was the same."
    "And you, Jo. Do you dream?" Edna asked the question, though she felt she already knew the answer.
    "Not as a rule, no. But the other night..."
    "The other night you dreamt of Rocky." It was not a question from the old woman.
    "Yes, I did." Jo turned from the blonde to Edna. "But if Rocky has been dreaming of me for just about five years, why haven't I been dreaming of her?"
    Edna patted her hand, but looked across the table to the blonde. "This is my guess, but maybe Rocky has needed you for that long."
    Rocky stood, a look of outrage on her face. "I don't need anyone, certainly not a spoilt, rich ..."
    "Bitch?" offered Jo.
    The blonde paused in her tirade, then calmed. She returned to her seat.
    Beside Jo, Edna cleared her throat. "I have to go."
    Rocky stood again, a look of something approaching panic on her face. She ran around the picnic table and blocked Edna's path to her shopping trolley. "Please, don't go yet."
    Edna cupped a chilled cheek. "Rocky, you need to talk with this woman. Listen to what she has to say. Tell her of your dreams." She leaned forward and gave the blonde a kiss on the cheek. "And your nightmares."
    "I'm not sure I can. I don't know her." Rocky whispered.
    "But you do, sweetheart. You just don't realise that yet."
    Edna waved away both women as they tried to help her navigate her way out of the park. With a brief glance at the two women standing awkwardly to attention beside the table, she left, a satisfied smile on her face.
    Jo turned back