"You're a little late."
☆

It was mid morning when the car pulled up outside of the Jenkins residence, on an unassuming street. 

Jude applies the handbrake and switches off the engine. He looks over to Milo who is staring at the former home of his best friend. Not much had changed. The tree in the front yard, where Hester had tried to save the cat, still standing proud, with it's shedding autumn leaves. 

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jude asks, seeing how Milo begins to rub his palms on his jeans, with nerves.

"I need a cigarette!" He says, beginning to wind down the window, before pulling a fresh pack of cigarettes from the glove compartment, he takes one out along with his lighter from his jacket pocket. 

Jude pulls the unlit cigarette from Milo's mouth before he gets a chance to light it. "Not in here!" He says with a firm voice. 

"It's my car!" Milo protests, trying to snatch the cigarette back from Jude's grasp, but failing. 

"But I'm sat in the driver's seat, so what I say goes!" Jude responds, not wavering from the stance. 

Milo retracts his hand, knowing he's not going to win this. He sighs, his lip quivering into a light smirk, saying, "So...you're in the driver's seat huh? Is that how it's going to be?" 

Jude now goes quiet, his cheeks burning slightly at the plethora of scenarios that being 'in the drivers seat' could entail. He throws the cigarette back at Milo. "Just...smoke outside please!" 

Milo gives Jude one last look of annoyance before winding the window back up, heading out of the car, closing the door behind him and leaning against it, he lights up his cigarette, glancing up at the house. He was going to do this.

Jude pulls his phone from his pocket, to be greeted with a barrage of texts and missed calls from Tashen, who had obviously not gone back to sleep. Jude now felt bad for putting his best friend through all that worry. He should call, let him know everything.

He dials Tashen's number....

"Hey...it's me...."

***

Milo stubs out his cigarette on the ground and turns to peer into the car window. He sees Jude in deep conversation on his phone. He knocks lightly on the glass, getting Jude's attention, gesturing that he was going to go to the house. Jude nods, mouthing 'good luck' at him. "He's going up now!" Jude says down the phone, to Tashen, who was now up to speed. 

Milo clears his throat, making slow but sure steps up the stone path to Hester's front door. It's then, Milo pauses. He stands just shy of the doorstep and just stares at the blue painted wood in front of him. He looks back to Jude, who is watching him eagerly from the drivers seat, phone still pressed to his ear. He watches as Jude gives him a reassuring nod, accompanied with a smile. This is it. He's doing this...

Milo raises his right hand to create a fist, ready to make contact with the door in front of him, but just as he is about to do so, the door opens.

There are a few seconds of silence before the person who has opened the door speaks. "Milo Macdonald!" She says in a less than impressed tone. 

"Liv" Milo is now face to face with Hester's older sister. 

"You're a little late!" She says sarcastically..."The funeral was eight years ago!" 

Milo looks down at his feet, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Yeah, I know...Can I come in?"

Liv is about to hurl a torrent of abuse at the man stood at the door, when a softer voice is heard, further back in the house. "Who is it Liv?" Mrs Jenkins now comes into view. Liv pushes the door open as wide as it will go, allowing her mother to see over her shoulder as to who has graced them with his presence. "Milo!" She says with surprise. Her voice less harsh than her daughter's, but the element of emotion still present in her tone. 

"Mrs Jenkins. Long time no see!" Milo forces a smile, but it's lost on the two females, who just stare at him. "Please...may I come in!" 

"Why?" Liv is quick to interrupt, her anger beginning to fizz in her bones. "So you can feed us with sorry excuses? You were his friend! Where have you been?" 

"I can explain it all!" Milo insists. "Please, just let me come in!" 

"No!" Liv says again firmly. 

"Olivia!" Mrs Jenkins interrupts, her voice sounding less sure. 

"No mum. He doesn't deserve to be excused. Hester was his friend...his best friend and he didn't even come to the funeral!" Liv's rage, now bubbling over to tears. 

Mrs Jenkins places her hands on Liv's shoulders. "Sweetheart, I think we might need this. I'm not saying I will forget, but I feel I need some kind of answer!"

Liv pushes her mother's hands from her shoulders, before reaching out to grab her briefcase. "You know what, do what you want! I need to get to work!" She pushes past Milo in the doorway, making him step back. He took it. He knew he deserved it.

He looks over his shoulder to see Liv storm down the path, also catching Jude's eye, still on the phone as he also watches opened mouthed at the young lady hurridly pace down the street and round the corner. He looks back to Milo wondering what he is going to do next.

"So..." Milo is distracted by Mrs Jenkins' voice yet again. He turns back to face her. "You said you wanted to come in...so come in!"