”“Yes, Dad can cook virtually anything and make it really tasty.”“I’ll try not to be late, then,” Rebecca grinned, “Oh, Pete, the contra...tors digging up the car park are due to restart this morning and need the second of three cash payments, which is in an envelope in the cutlery drawer.”“I’ve been meaning to ask you about that, Doc,” Pete said, “Have you got the quote handy for that job?”“Yes, it’s in this folder,” she pulled a loose leaf folder from another kitchen drawer, “All the quotes for. . God she is beautiful, please let her like me,” thoughts running through both our heads simultaneously, threatening to overwhelm, until something happens, something so small, so minor that years later we cannot recall what it was. But that something, causes something else to happen, something almost magical, we both smile, our eyes meeting for the first time and in that exact moment we both knew what the other was thinking and feeling and in that single magical moment we both knew it was going. Chained to it to be more precise but anything was better than concrete. And I had my collar on. Let me explain about my collar. I love my collar. It?s black leather with rounded silver studs on it. I bought it from a Goth stall at a county fair when I was 14 and since that day it?s gone everywhere with me. Kinda like a security thing. I always had it on me, either wearing it, or having it in my pocket. God knows why but I loved it. Now I was starting to regret buying the damn thing. Bit late. When I got home I left Jack in the cabinet and went to bed happy that night.The week of September 28thThat week seemed like a normal week although it was anything but. I picked Maja up every morning. Three times Elsa walked her out to the car and I got a kiss goodbye. Twice, some woman who looked vaguely like Elsa, but with a robe and wet hair waved from the doorway. I motioned her to come down to the car but she would have none of that. Maja and I let the principal, vice principal and Maja's.