Pictures of Lily

his expression. ‘You seem so much older than you are.’
    ‘Everyone says that,’ I reply nervously.
    ‘It’s true.’ He sighs. ‘You’ve got your whole life laid out in front of you.’
    ‘So do you, Mr Melodramatic.’ I’m trying to lighten him up because his sombre mood is freaking me out a bit. I want to ask him what’s wrong, what’s really wrong, because something is and I so want him to open up to me. ‘Have you heard from your mum recently?’ I prompt.
    ‘Nope,’ he replies sardonically. ‘If I’m lucky I’ll get a Christmas card in March.’
    ‘Do you miss your nan?’
    ‘All the time.’
    ‘I expect you would, when you’re living in her house. You must see her everywhere.’ He scratches his head. I hope I’m not annoying him. ‘You wouldn’t ever think of selling it?’ I add.
    ‘Definitely not.’ His tone is resolute and I’m almost sorry I asked.
    I change the subject. ‘Are you working on Saturday?’
    ‘Just in the morning. You know I’m coming to your place for Christmas lunch?’
    ‘ Are you?’ My voice rises an octave.
    ‘Yeah. Michael asked me the other day.’
    I suppose he doesn’t have any family here. And then it hits me. He clearly doesn’t have a girlfriend, either. I cast my eyes heavenward. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
    He looks down at his watch. ‘I’d better get you home before Michael thinks I’ve kidnapped you.’
    I wish . . .
    Michael himself opens the front door as I pull up. Ben’s car is parked on the road outside the house, but he follows me up the footpath to chat to Michael.
    ‘What time do you want me on Saturday?’ Ben asks.
    ‘One-thirty or thereabouts?’ Michael suggests.
    ‘Cool,’ Ben replies.
    ‘Your mum has saved you some dinner,’ Michael says to me. ‘It’s in the oven. Go and say hi to her, won’t you, love. She’s in the living room.’
    ‘Okay.’ I drag my heels reluctantly. ‘Thanks, Ben. See you tomorrow.’
    ‘No worries,’ he replies, as I turn and walk down the corridor in the direction of the kitchen.
    ‘Thanks for doing that for her, mate,’ I hear Michael say in a quiet voice.
    ‘No problem,’ Ben replies. ‘She’s a good student.’
    Nausea sweeps through me. Are all these driving lessons just a favour for Michael?
    ‘We’ll have to pay you next time.’ I hear Michael chuckle, but don’t wait to hear Ben’s reply before hurrying into the kitchen and closing the door.
    Josh is getting himself a drink out of the fridge. ‘Going out to Stirling tomorrow night. Christmas Eve. Usually pretty lively,’ he remarks casually. ‘Wanna come?’
    ‘Why not,’ I reply, feeling dead inside. I don’t even bother to ask if Lou will be joining us.

Chapter 7
     
    I’m still feeling like an idiot when I turn up for work the next morning. Ben isn’t in the staffroom and I don’t go looking for him in the hospital room. Instead I ask Michael if there’s anything I can do to help out with the dingoes.
    The dingo enclosure drops away down a steep hill and there’s a pond at the bottom. Two high wire fences separate the animals from the public, but there’s a locked gate which allows the keepers access. Michael leads me inside and the dingoes get up and stretch their legs before lazily approaching us. Michael pats them like they’re pets. They have rusty red-coloured fur and look like small dogs, but they’re actually a sub-species of wolf. They can’t even bark.
    Michael’s walkie-talkie crackles and the sound of Ben’s voice sends me into a flurry of nerves. He asks where I am.
    ‘I’ve got her here with me. Do you need her?’ Michael replies.
    ‘Dave’s coming in for his weekly check. I thought she’d want to be there when he takes a look at the joey.’
    Michael glances at me, and I nod. ‘She’ll be with you in a sec.’
    I head back up the hill and out of the enclosure.
    ‘There you are!’ Ben exclaims when I appear in the hospital room. ‘Where were you?’
    ‘I thought I’d see if Michael needed any help with the dingoes today.’
    ‘Oh, right. Had enough of me, have you?’ He sounds reasonably jovial, but do I detect a hint of hurt in his voice?
    ‘I don’t want to outstay my welcome,’ I murmur.
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
    ‘Knock, knock, can I come in?’
    We both jump as Dave, the vet, interrupts from the doorway. Ben immediately reverts to his normal self. ‘Sure, sure, mate, come on in.’
    ‘How’s she going?’ Dave asks. ‘She looks like