The days of meetings passed by quickly. Liza nearly had the shop up and ready for the opening. She couldn’t keep her mind off Emma Reynolds, though. Had she really seen a ghost that night? She wondered too about the son. What did he think of all of this? He must hear the stories about his mother.

Though her work was finished, she stayed on at the hotel for a few more days. She gave the excuse that she wanted to be around for the opening, but that wasn’t it. She stayed around to find out more about Emma. If nothing else, Emma was haunting her mind.

She drove to the petrol station that Henry said was owned by her son, Duncan. He’d been a baby in his car seat in 1982, miraculously untouched by the accident that claimed his mother. Liza parked her car and went into the quick shop that was part of the station. It was still early so the shop was empty except for the cashier, a tall man with dark, soulful eyes. Liza suspected this was the person she was looking for.

Liza moved around the shop, collecting things she didn’t need, and then went up to the till. “Hi,” she said.

“Hi. Are you new around here? I don’t remember ever seeing you before. I would have remembered. I’m good with faces.”

Liza knew she was blushing. His eyes were even more beautiful up close.

“I don’t stay here actually. I’m over at the Newlands Hotel. I came for work.” She held out her hand. “I’m Liza.”

“Duncan,” he said taking her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Duncan.”

As she handed him the money, she realised she couldn’t do it; she couldn’t interrogate this lovely man about his dead mother. Those beautiful eyes held sadness too. She didn’t want to be someone who added more. She was heading out of the door when she heard him speak behind her.

“Liza.” She turned back to him. “I don’t know if you’re free but would you like to have lunch today?” he asked.

Liza hesitated and then thought, why not? “Okay.”

***

Tell us: Would you have asked the man about his dead mother, and told him about the woman at the crossroads? Why or why not?