Chapter 26

Craig had respected the curfew to the latter; he'd taken her back home seven minutes to time. Four of which they'd spent walking the short distance he'd parked his car away from Eloïse's home. When she asked why, his retort was to spend a little more time with her hand in his.

"How do you cope living here?" He asked.

"In what context?" Partly conscious, as a result of his big hands warming hers in addition to the circles he made with his thumb at the back, Eloïse wondered.

"It's serenity. A little too deafening."

"I'm used to. Born and raised in it. What I find deafening is the commotion out of this area." No one spoke for a while. "Don't you admire such places?"

"I do. A lot. I love me some alone time every once in a while just like I love some commotion."

"How's that?"

"It's the way I grew up; my mum was the quiet type and my dad, the calm irritated type. They didn't last long. Spent time fluctuating from one to the other. Eventually lost both and had to live with granny."

"I