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child.
    The game finished a few minutes later and they counted their treasure chests. Adrian had the most and had therefore won.
    ‘Well done,’ I said. ‘Let’s pack away the game now.’
    ‘I’ll beat you next time,’ Tyler said good-humouredly.
    He helped Adrian pack the pieces into the box and closed the lid, but then sat back comfortably on the sofa and made no move to go. I now had to get Tyler off the sofa, to say goodnight and out the front door.
    ‘Your mum will be wondering where you are,’ I said, trying the subtle approach first.
    ‘Nah, she’s OK. She knows I’ll be back later.’
    ‘Good, but we did agree eight o’clock was the goodbye time and it’s nearly half past eight now,’ I said.
    ‘Oh yeah,’ Tyler said, clearly simply not realizing the time. He stood. ‘Well, thanks, missus. Thanks for dinner. It’s been very nice.’
    I smiled. ‘You’re welcome, but call me Cathy. We’ll see you again soon.’ Then to Jade, I said: ‘Would you like to see Tyler out?’
    Jade shuffled to the front of the sofa so that she could stand. Tyler reached out his hand and she took it. Then, in what appeared a familiar routine and was quite touching, he hauled her off the sofa with an exaggerated groan. ‘Ten-ton Tess!’ he joked. Adrian laughed but I wasn’t sure Jade appreciated Tyler’s humour; she didn’t laugh.
    ‘I’m going up to my room now,’ Adrian said. ‘See ya, Ty.’
    ‘Yeah, see ya soon,’ Tyler said, raising his hand so that Adrian could give him a high five.
    ‘I’ll be up shortly,’ I said to Adrian as he left the room. Then to Tyler, who was also on his way out: ‘Goodnight.’
    ‘Night,’ he called.
    I waited in the sitting room while Jade went with Tyler down the hall to the front door. It went quiet, so I guessed they were having a goodnight kiss. Then I heard the front door open and it went quiet again. I felt the cold night air seep down the hall and into the sitting room, quickly cooling the house. I waited a minute longer and when there was no sound of the front door closing I called: ‘Could you shut the front door, please, while you’re saying goodnight? It’s making the house cold.’
    ‘I’m going,’ Tyler called easily.
    There was another silence, during which the front door remained open; I assumed they were having a final goodnight kiss. Then I heard the door close and I went into the hall.
    ‘All right, love?’ I asked.
    Jade was standing in the hall by the coat stand. She nodded. ‘Where’s my bag?’
    ‘I took it up to your room earlier. Would you like to unpack now? You’ll feel more at home with some of your belongings around you.’
    ‘Don’t mind,’ Jade said with a small shrug. ‘But I need me phone. It’s in me bag.’
    ‘Come on, I’ll show you where it is.’ I led the way upstairs and into Jade’s room, where I’d put the holdall on the floor. ‘Shall I help you unpack?’ I asked. Although Jade didn’t have many things with her – we were collecting more from her home the following day – I thought she might like some help, and it would also give me an opportunity to chat and get to know her.
    ‘No, I can do it.’ She squatted down, unzipped the holdall and took out her mobile.
    ‘Sure?’ I asked.
    She nodded and concentrated on her phone.
    ‘I’ll leave you to it, then,’ I said. ‘Let me know if you need anything. Come down when you’re ready.’ I smiled and came out, leaving Jade sitting on the bed texting.
    I knocked on Adrian’s door. ‘Are you getting ready for bed now?’ I asked quietly so that I didn’t disturb Paula in the next room. Adrian knew he had to be in bed by nine o’clock on a school night.
    ‘Yes,’ he replied.
    ‘Good. I’ll come up at nine to say goodnight.’
    I checked Paula was asleep, closed her bedroom door and went downstairs to the kitchen, where I washed the dishes and cleared up while I waited for Jade to come down. She hadn’t much to unpack, so I was expecting to see