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Grace looked panicked. “Well, if it is, stall them.” She reached under her bed and pulled out a small travel case. “Go,” she urged, as Caz lingered.

The doorbell rang again, and this time Caz raced onto the landing and down the stairs, yanking the door open and forcing a grin onto her face.

“Hey,” she said, gawking at Lila and Ron and then at the suitcase that looked like they were planning to stay for a week, but seeing no take-away. “Come in.” She reached for the case, but Ron had hold of it.

“No need,” he said, and lifted it over the threshold once Lila had stepped inside and kissed Caz on the cheek.

“Where’s Grace?” she asked.

Caz turned towards the stairs and said loudly enough, “She’s just getting changed—long day at work.”

“Bloody workmen down the road hit a water mains. The entire street is without water for the foreseeable,” Ron explained while he pulled his jacket off. “Can’t even flush the loo.” He shook his head.

“And I said it’s fine, Grace and Caz won’t mind us crashing.” Lila smiled before heading off to the kitchen. “Dinner will be here soon. Shall I get the plates out?”

Caz looked to Ron, who rolled his eyes. “It was busy in the restaurant, so we said a delivery would probably be just as fast.”

“Right, cool,” Caz answered. “Must admit, I am famished.”

“Good, cos Lila ordered enough to feed the entire garage.” He glanced up and grinned at the sight of Grace serenely coming down the stairs. “Hello, Sweetpea.”

“Hey, Dad,” Grace said, sidling up to Caz, who instinctively put her arm around Grace’s shoulders and pulled her close.

“They’ve got no water…for the foreseeable future,” Caz said, kissing the side of Grace’s head for good effect.

“Well, let’s hope it’s not as bad as that, eh?” Ron said. “I like me own bed.”

“Me too,” Caz whispered. Grace grinned but poked her for good measure.

“Night, then,” Grace said from the landing as her parents went to bed in her room. She carried two glasses of water and nudged the door to Caz’s room open with her hip.

“Alright?” Caz said, sitting up in bed, wearing a pair of pyjamas Grace knew she wouldn’t usually be wearing.

“Yes.” She passed a glass to Caz. “Are you going to be comfortable sleeping in PJs?”

“Probably not,” Caz sighed, “but preferable to meeting Ron on the landing in the middle of the night in my vest and pants…so…”

“You have an ensuite,” Grace said, glancing towards the small bathroom.

“But I might need to get up and get a drink or—”

Grace held up the glass of water in her hand. “How thirsty will you get? Do you need to be checked for diabetes?”

“Fine. I didn’t want to make things awkward for you, that’s all.”

“I’ve seen you in your vest and pants a million times.” Grace laughed. “Get them off and go to sleep.”

Huffing, Caz reached under the covers and acrobatically removed her pyjama bottoms and then she unbuttoned the top.

“Oh, for God’s sake, you had your vest and pants on underneath?”

“I came prepared.” Caz grinned.

“For what? Me trying to strip you in my sleep?” Grace stared at her and laughed. “You’re an idiot.”

“I’myouridiot.” Caz reached out and flicked the light switch off. “Night, Grace.”

Chapter Eleven