A couple of times someone knocked on her door, but she turned up her music and ignored the knocking. An occasional glance from her window confirmed that the majority of the Richards family had arrived to help Nick at some point over the two days. Late on Sunday afternoon, Luney meowed incessantly at the door until Lissy let her out. “Traitor,” she murmured when Luney ran to Nick as he carried boxes across the back garden. Lissy worked hard at regaining her equilibrium on Sunday. She kept herself busy cleaning out cupboards and avoiding her new neighbor. Each time his face appeared in her mind—as it did with regularity—she deliberately blocked him from her thoughts. By the time darkness fell, she had calmed down and as the night chill slipped in, she split some kindling on the veranda. As soon as she had a fire going, she indulged in a hot bubble bath and put on her flannel Mickey Mouse pajamas. “Okay, time for work,” Lissy muttered as she opened her briefcase and read over the research notes she had left unfinished before going to Gramp’s funeral.
