Free Turned by Clare Revell Page B

sad.” Amy stood and put the pictures in a drawer intending to show Dane when he got back from work. “Now, what would you like for dinner?”
    “Chips.” Jodie immediately gave the usual response.
    “That was a silly question, wasn’t it? How about toad in the hole instead?”
    “With chips.”
    “Fine, with chips.”
    Just as she was about to dish up, she got a text from Dane saying he was going to be really late. She covered his and left it on the side of the counter, finally putting it in the fridge before she went to bed at ten.
     
    
     
    As always, Vicky woke her at two in the morning, just standing over the bed. Amy got up and put Vicky back into her bed, sitting with her until she was sure the child had settled. She crept out of the room and pulled the door almost closed. Quietly she turned, and walked straight into Dane. She gasped, her hand flying over her mouth to stifle the sound.
    “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. His hands touched her arms reassuringly and heat shot through her pyjama sleeves. “I didn’t mean to startle you. I’ve not long gotten in and heard footsteps. Is Vicky all right?”
    “She’s sleepwalking. Just put her back to bed.”
    “Sleepwalking?” Concern flickered in his eyes, overriding the exhaustion.
    Amy nodded.
    “I’ve just made some tea. Want to join me, talk this through?”
    “Sure. Let me just grab my robe.”
    He nodded. “I’ll see you down there.”
    Amy dashed into her room and fastened her robe tightly over her pyjamas, grateful she wasn’t wearing something flimsy and see-through. She followed him downstairs and sat at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. The remains of his dinner sat on the plate by the sink. “How was your day?”
    “Rough.” Dane brought the tea over. “I deal with death on a daily basis, but when it’s a child, it’s so much harder.”
    “I can’t imagine doing that every day.”
    Her mind worked quickly, putting together Jodie’s comment about Dane saving Adeline just in time and what he’d just said. He must be a medic of some description. Maybe a doctor or paramedic. That would also explain the long hours and shift work. But Amy didn’t ask. She daren’t ask, because then he’d ask questions in response, and she had no answers. At least none she could honestly give him.
    “Some days I hate it and would rather do something else. The worst part about my job, is having to inform the parents and then watch them fall apart. No parent should have to outlive their child.” He took a long sip of his tea. “Anyway, that’s enough about my day. You said that Vicky sleepwalks?”
    “She has since my first night here. She comes in always at the same time, just after two. She stands by the bed, looking at me. I take her back to bed, stay with her until she’s settled. She never remembers it in the morning.”
    “I didn’t know.”
    “Oh, I’m sorry. I assumed you did, so I tried not to disturb you. I would have said something sooner otherwise. Most kids do it at some point and grow out of it.” She felt bad and tried to change the subject. “Would you like to see what they did today? I tried something new with them.”
    “Sure.”
    “I overheard what Vicky’s teacher said about drawing and looked it up. Apparently it’s pretty effective, plus it’s been used on some of the TV shows I’ve seen.”
    He stared at her over his cup. “I thought I said she didn’t need counseling.”
    “It isn’t counseling. It’s just another way of communicating and it puts both girls on the same level playing field.”
    “If you say so.”
    Amy looked at him. “I wouldn’t go against your wishes, but this proved rather interesting.” She stood and pulled the pictures from the drawer. “So rather than talk about our day, we drew it. This is mine.”
    Dane looked at the picture and grinned. “You mean you didn’t sit down all day watching TV and eating cream cakes?”
    Amy laughed. “Nope, that’s what I’m planning