Michaela decided to walk back into town. She was used to more exercise. It was quite a hike back into town and Michaela looked around as she walked and saw few signs of life. But it was Sunday morning, she remembered. The breeze was fresh against her skin and she found herself enjoying the exercise.

There was no bakery, only the diner. Feeling a little apprehensive about meeting Trisha’s mother again, Michaela nevertheless swung the door open and stepped in. There was only one other person, a thick-set man slurping coffee by the window.

The coffee smelt good, but surely Michaela had had too much already. Trisha’s mom came to the counter to serve her.

‘Good morning,’ Michaela said politely.

Mrs Motton stared at her. ‘What can I get you?’ she asked after a moment.

Michaela made an effort to smile. ‘An orange juice, please, and something I can take back to your daughters for breakfast.’

Trisha’s mom stared at her, then nodded toward the drinks refrigerator. ‘There’s orange juice in there,’ she said.

Michaela opened the fridge and got a bottle out, placing it on the counter. ‘You must work very long hours here,’ she said.

The older woman shrugged. ‘Someone has to pay the bills.’

Michaela nodded. ‘I suppose so.’

Shirley moved away, put some cinnamon rolls in a bag and handed it over to Michaela. ‘I won’t charge you for that,’ she said. ‘But you’ll have to pay for the juice.’

Michaela checked the price advertised on the fridge and dug some coins out of her pocket. ‘Thank you very much, Mrs Motton. It’s been nice seeing you again.’

Trisha’s mother snorted. ‘Tell Trisha she’s working the early shift tomorrow.’

Michaela nodded and left the diner, carrying the bottle of juice and paper bag of rolls. The rolls smelt terrific. Whatever else might be said about Trisha and Caro’s mother, she could obviously cook. But Michaela didn’t think they would ever be great friends. She sighed. She had to go home in a couple weeks anyway so it hardly mattered.

The walk back to the house seemed to take less time. The town was waking up now and several people eyed her as they drove by.

There was a car pulled up behind Trisha’s Mustang. Michaela glanced in as she walked past. An iPod with pink headphones lay on the passenger seat.

Trisha was up. Caro too. Caro was sitting at the table and Trisha was talking to a blonde in denim skirt and white sandshoes. Except Trisha stopped talking when Michaela stepped inside. Everyone looked at her.

Michaela took one look at all the faces and realised what she’d stepped into. She stood in the doorway a moment, looking more closely at the blonde, who glared back, high spots of colour on her cheeks.

Still no one said anything and Michaela stepped further into the room, hands full with bottle and bag. She walked over to the table where Caro was and set the things down. Before she could open her mouth to say anything the blonde spun around and flung herself out the door.

‘Bitch!’ she said as the front door slammed closed behind her.

Michaela looked at Trisha. ‘Why didn’t you tell me when I asked you?’ she said.

But Trisha didn’t answer. She turned instead and disappeared down the hallway.

‘I told her she had to say something. To one of you, at least,’ Caro said, and pulled the paper bag toward her, peering in. ‘Yum,’ she said. ‘Mom makes the best cinnamon rolls, you gotta give her that.’

Michaela had closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and opened them. ‘Excuse me,’ she said. ‘I have to talk to Trisha.’

‘If it’s any consolation I think she likes you better.’

Michaela ignored this and unzipped her jacket, feeling suddenly hot. She walked down to the bedroom. Trisha hadn’t closed the door and she went in. Trisha sat on the bed, her back to the door. She didn’t say anything.

Michaela laid her jacket on the bed and leaned against the wall, looking at the other woman. She sighed.

‘Why didn’t you tell me, babe, when I asked if there was anyone?’

Trisha surprised her by laughing. ‘Jeeze what a fucking mess this has turned out to be,’ she said, twisting round on the bed to look at Michaela. ‘Julie and me, we weren’t serious. Not on my part anyway. Just fooling round, I thought. Spending some time together because there’s fucking no one else in this shitty little town.’ She pulled a face and got off the bed, coming to stand in front of Michaela, eyes searching her face. ‘You and me, that I thought was serious. Those months we spent together, those I thought were serious.’ She sighed. ‘Then I had to go home, and you fucking disappeared, and it all fell apart. Never for one minute did I think I was going to see you again. Even that morning when I rang you.’ She stopped and shook her head. ‘I wasn’t thinking straight when I asked you to come. I was just freaked out from the night before, and I guess it’s still you I think of when I need someone.’

Michaela reached out and stroked Trisha’s hair, ran her fingers lightly over her cheek. She bent and kissed Trisha’s upturned face, her hand moving behind to hold her neck. Trisha’s hands came up and held Michaela’s face. Michaela gathered her up in her arms and held her tighter. Trisha kept kissing her.

Moaning lightly in her throat, Michaela picked up the smaller woman and laid her on the bed, kicking the door closed. Trisha looked up at her, eyes luminous in the morning light. Michaela knelt over her and kissed her again, leaving a trail of kisses over her face and neck. She teased her fingers under the dressing gown that Trisha wore and pulled the sash undone. Trisha smiled at her and reached down to tug at Michaela’s tee shirt, pulling it over her head and off.

Michaela lay down, pressing skin to skin, following Trisha’s curves with an inquisitive hand. Trisha fumbled with button and zip on Michaela’s jeans and in a few moves they were both nude, mouths hot and hungry on each other. Trisha slipped an arm around Michaela’s neck and kissed her, pushing the fingers of her other hand deep between Michaela’s parted legs. She arched her body as Michaela reciprocated, finding each warm, wet and ready. They looked at each other, keeping eyes open and locked as they rocked together, climaxing within moments of each other, lips coming together in a kiss of shared breath.