It sounds so silly looking back, but the way that Sookie's place smelled made my heart ache a little. I wondered if this was what it was like for the children I'd read about in books. Children that could recognise their mother's presence by the aroma of cookies, cakes. I never really had that. I mean, we cooked, and we were fed well, but at Hailsham it was out of large, industrial kitchens, and once we got the Cottages it was largely only for ourselves. I never knew what it was to be cared for like I read about, though. To feel love through baked goods. It does sound silly, doesn't it? So many things that bring us pain do.

Hugging Sookie back, I glanced around her place and laughed lightly. "You can always try," I said, although one of the things I liked about Sookie — one of the many things — was that she wasn't the sort to pressure me. She also didn't underestimate me, though. It was a nice balance.