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‘But you’re not a stranger, are you?’

His ood as’

Callum didn’t think for a moment that she believed that He was pretty certain she was as aware of the tension between the himself to her? He hadn’t spoken to anyone about the emotional roller-coaster of the last couple of years

People had been so concerned that he was going to fall apart after the death of Annie that he’d been working double time to prove to everyone that he was OK Even when the leukaemia wha he was fine Being strong for Tom For Annie’s parents

They’d been devastated They were elderly and he knew that life had thrown them one too many curve balls when Toether for the friends, he hadn’t had any time to dwell on the unfairness of the hand life had dealt him

Maybe it was because Hailey wasn’t going to fall all over hiet involved with hiht, and the stranger factor removed any need toit inside and she was in the wrong place at the wrong time

‘I used to watch hi his little chest rise and fall Rise and fall He’s such a shallow breather I was terrified he’d just stop’

‘You couldn’t have got much sleep’

Calluhed and took a pull of his beer ‘No I don’t think I’ve slept a full night in six years’

‘You didn’t sleep well after…after your wife…I’m sorry, I don’t know her name’

‘Annie’

‘After Annie died?’

Callum looked at her ‘You know, you’re about the only person who’s spoken her name to me in years They usually just fade off or say er and um a lot while they look at their feet’

Hailey gave a ghost of a smile ‘I suppose people don’t want to upset you’

‘I suppose’

They were silent for a few moments ‘What was she like? Your Annie?’

He looked down at his hands He hadn’t spoken about her in such a long tiht She fought hard Even right at the end she was positive Cracking jokes and telling everyone it was going to be OK Trying to make it easier for me and Tom’