Izzy asked Ray while she ironed a pile of clothes as he minded Rose. Ray shrugged. Tilted the baby’s bottle a little higher to get the last of it down into the rubber teat. “You really should get out, you know. See the sights.” Izzy laughed at her words. She looked pretty when she smiled, her eyes lighting up and seeming to warm the room around her. “Most people like to look at the murals. Pretend that they’re in the middle of the troubles and all that.” “Aye,” Ray said, putting the bottle down and lifting Rose to his shoulder. “I will. I just need...” He didn’t know exactly what he needed. The confidence, he supposed. Or just to lose the fear. So far he’d spent most of his time indoors, happy to help out with the baby while he watched the telly and got involved in a bit of idle chitchat with Izzy when the ads came on. They had a mug of tea every time things became too dull. Looking after Rose was a treat. It brought so much of Jesse’s early days back to him. Days when there was still hope of something more.
