Jordie thought of Romana often over the ensuing days despite knowing better. A sparkling woman with whom she shared much in common. They lived in the same town and shared the same profession. Had the same number of children. They even spoke the same language, in passion and in politics. She could be the friend Jordie had neglected to find in these many months, someone to relate to, to keep from feeling like a stranger traversing a strange land in disguise when she was only walking home.

But only if Jordie were cautious. If she erected boundaries and maintained them. No more chance meetings in the park, or shared cigarettes where Jordie almost tasted the other woman's lipstick on the filter. No more of Romana's arm outstretched behind her, gloved fingers not quite flitting under her coat collar. The gesture had been friendly and unobtrusive yet had set Jordie's heart to racing, her stomach to roiling. It wasn't that Jordie had never had a woman as a friend before, it was that friendship alone didn't explain the emotion Romana had made her feel from the moment they met. That feeling was costly. It was—it could be dangerous. Once it had nearly cost Jordie all she had.

That didn't keep some rogue part of her from wishing they'd meet again despite having no real hope they would. Though by no means comparable to London, Bristol was a large enough city that the odds of their paths crossing were slim. Once in a lifetime was pure chance, she was sure. Therefore, when she spotted an unmistakable silhouette strolling down the aisle of her local grocery not a week on, she was entirely floored.

Once was chance but twice? Twice had meaning.

Romana's hair was unadorned but for a splash of silk flowers behind her ear. Madeline and Troy trawled the shelves on either side of the aisle voicing their requests in heated competition. Though Troy's nose appeared slightly bruised, the boy seemed in good spirits otherwise. Romana's response to their demands was inaudible but for her raucous laughter. The children negotiated vociferously over who deserved what, inasmuch as there was choice to be had save for what continued rationing guidelines permitted.

Daniel yanked on Jordie's coattails. "Mummy, I'm hungry."

"I know, sweetheart, we won't be long. I promise." She called out when Romana was just turning onto the produce aisle, in a bid to catch her before she disappeared, "Romana!"

Romana turned slowly, as if assessing whether she wanted to engage her caller. When she recognized Jordie, she brightened immediately. Her lips were wine red. "As I live and breathe. Jordie Freemantle, fancy seeing you again."

Jordie hurried the children down the aisle to meet Romana's shopping party. "It's a small world. I didn't realize we frequented the same places. I've never seen you here." Jordie grimaced internally. Until recently Jordie had been in Germany treating traumatized prisoners of war. She couldn't have seen Romana anyplace.

"I haven't been in Bristol in a very long time. I'm still remembering my way around. It's all so much different than it used to be." The shelves were barer. The lines longer. The clothes plainer. The streets emptier.

"Seems everything is."

"All the more reason to hold onto friendly faces wherever we find them, hmm?" She patted Jordie's arm, dissolving her maudlin digression. This was luck, she wouldn't ruin it navel-gazing.

"I'd toast that." She saw Romana's shopping trolley was close to full compared to her own devoid of a single necessary item for the pantry. "I'll tell you what. I'm taking the children home for an early lunch after our trip. You should join us, all of you."

"I wouldn't like to intrude." Romana put a quelling hand on Madeline's shoulder when she and Troy began to quietly grapple over a box of easy-to-make porridge.

"It wouldn't be intruding if I'm inviting you. There's plenty of food to go around." Jordie hoped there was. She hadn't spoken to the housekeeper about expecting guests, but Mrs. Bosley was known to go quite overboard to keep the family fed. Jordie was sure it was an unspoken censure of Jordie's refusal to take up the culinary mantle. She didn't care to cook when there were surgeries to be performed and students to mentor; that's was why they'd taken on a housekeeper in the first place.

"If you're sure...we'd love to join you, wouldn't we, children?" Troy cocked his head as if contemplating his response. Madeline nodded gamely. Finally, Troy hummed. Romana took both as agreement.

"I just remembered, we've taken a taxi. I could give you our address! Or, or we could share." Jordie shifted in her heels, wishing she weren't so eager to break her own self-imposed rules already.

"Perish the thought! We'll take my car; there's room enough. Finish your purchases and we'll meet you outside. It's a chilly day but nothing a warm drive won't solve."

A quarter of an hour later, a gleaming black and red Austin Sixteen four-door saloon rolled up to Jordie and her children outside the entrance to the grocery. It was Romana behind the wheel.

"Going my way?" she asked, smiling. Jordie smiled back, bewildered but pleased. She felt not dissimilar to a girl being picked up for a night at the cinema. Little Madeline waved from the backseat, bouncing in her eagerness. Troy remained quiet but amiable in his watchfulness.

"Mummy," Daniel exclaimed, "look at the car!" Daniel was reaching the age where all things mechanical fascinated him. If it wasn't cars, it was planes or trains. They'd expended a small fortune replacing all the clocks he'd dismantled in the house. Their disfigured toaster would never brown a slice of the National Loaf again.

"I see it. Isn't it pretty?" Romana, Jordie contended, was all the prettier, by far.

Romana got out to meet them. "It's my ex—my husband's darling. I swear sometimes he loves it more than me."

They packed away their groceries, putting as many in the boot as would go and having the children patiently—ha! —hold remainder in the rear seat compartment whilst they took the front.

"I'm sure that isn't true."

"Stranger things." Romana started the engine. "Now, show me the way to the illustrious Freemantle residence?"

"Duff."

"Pardon?"

"It's Duff. I never took Elliot's name."

"Ah, well, why would you? Jordie Duff is an unfortunate name, if you don't mind me saying." She winced as though knowing she'd uttered something unforgivable. Jordy leaned in conspiratorially.

"Between the two of us, I agree with you. Don't tell my husband I said that."

Romana tapped a finger over her full, captivating lips. "Not a peep." She winked. Her hazel eyes were honey brown in the grey daylight. Breathless, Jordy chuckled, knowing already in their brief acquaintance that Romana was anything but liable to keep her lips sealed when there was the mickey to be taken out.

"That'll be the day."

"No, really. I respect it. My last name was Casares before I married Edgar. My father was Spanish," she explained at Jordie's speculative look.

"You're full of mysteries, aren't you?"

"More than you'll ever unravel."

"Doubt that." She returned Romana's wink somewhat more clumsily. "Drive."