1. Deasil
6.4
Street

2. James was passing by the window when he noticed
something moving behind the row of dying plants
in the front yard. Thinking it was a dog, he
continued watching for an owner but was startled
when a human stood up and made a run for it.

3. He rushed out of the house and
down the road after the figure,
but they were too fast for him.

4. He stopped to catch his breath,
watching them go out of sight.
He felt quite proud of himself
really, for seeing off a burglar
while they were in such poor
financial shape.

5. One night, Bernice didn’t
find a man but met an
amazing woman who she
couldn’t stop talking to.
She invited her back for
coffee, but found herself
unsure and a little
uncomfortable. Bernice
was sure the woman was
flirting with her. In theory
she didn’t mind, but it was
a new experience for her,
and she wasn’t sure what
to do.

6. Flustered, she decided
to be bold and see if her
hunch was correct.

7. Gracie did like her, and kissed her back. But
she explained to Bernice one night stands
weren’t really her thing, and though she
thought earlier she could go through with it
she’d rather just hang out until daybreak.
Bernice wasn’t sure if she was relieved or
disappointed.

8. After talking for hours, the two
of them did manage to get a bit
of sleep.

9. After Gracie had left Bernice
went straight over to see her
best friend Teresa. She was
totally out of her depth, and
needed someone to tell her
what she was thinking.
Teresa points out she hasn’t
experimented much, living such
a boring, insular life while she’d
been caring 24/7 for her
parents. She should relax and
just see where this was headed.

10. Teresa was glad she could help someone else, she
had no idea how to help herself. She and Warren
were being careful with money by cutting down
on their food budget… which meant eating
leftovers they ought to have thrown away
Teresa could still feel that old pie
churning about inside her. Maybe
she had kept those leftovers a bit
longer than she ought… but money
was so tight!

11. Megan had sensibly stuck to some ice-cream
she’d found at the back of the freezer. While
Teresa recovered on the sofa, she quietly let her
mum know she knew about finances, and gave
her some of her ideas for some quick money-
making schemes.
When she and her dad hung out at the library, it
wasn’t stories she was reading. It was tomes on
personal finances and editorials on the financial
market, spending habits and current trends.
Though their organic veg and wine
had been bang on trend, the disease
that killed the plants meant they
ought to move on quickly.
Entertainment was what was big now.
With her know-how and the rise of
social media they could make James a
star. Use his musical talents.

12. Though ignoring her at the time, the next
day James’ playing draws Teresa into his
room to watch. She starts to wonder.
Perhaps Megan was on to something.