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"All right, all right," muttered Hannah, attacking her food moodily. "You're cool, aren't you Dad?" I saw hers and Sammy's eyes meet. Sammy scowled. Now what was all that about? * * * * * It was two weeks later when things came to a head. Literally. It was a bright, crisp, mid-October day. Blue sky, warm sunshine and the leaves changing colour, a slight nip in the air. Rufus had enjoyed his walk in the park, snuffling through fallen leaves and I had a spring in my step. Days like this just made one feel glad to be alive. Especially after how bad things had been for me… I'd not long been home, having just cleared away the plate on which I'd had a sandwich and was contemplating another cup of tea when the doorbell rang. Rufus raised his head from the bed and gave a half-hearted bark then flopped down again. The walk had worn him out.
I walked down the hallway, unsure of the silhouette on the other side of the frosted glass of the front door. I was surprised and delighted to find Sammy there when I opened it. She looked up at me and smiled, a rather shy smile, head slightly cocked on one side. She was wearing her school uniform including her blazer, and was rather awkwardly holding her rucksack-bag on her left shoulder, as opposed to the right, which she usually favoured. "Hi Clem," she said.