Mara was wearing the shoes when Tess arrived on Monday evening.
Not the dress. Just the shoes, with old trousers and a shirt that had a missing button. She was walking from the kitchen door to the window while Ben watched with a tape measure in his hand.
“I don't need to measure you,” he said.
“Then put it down.”
He folded the tape into its case and set it on the counter. Mara walked back, slower.
“Those feel better?” Tess asked.
“A bit. I thought I should practice.”
“She doesn't want to catch the dress,” Ben said.
“I know how to walk,” Mara said. “I don't know how to walk in these.”
Tess put the forgotten ribbon packet on the table. She could have brought the tote, but she had left it at home. The way it felt now bothered her every time she touched it.
Mara took off the shoes and rubbed one heel.
“We've got the room,” she said. “Monday, eleven.”
“Really?”
Mara nodded. “If I pay tonight, it's ours.”
Ben drew out the chair beside his. Mara sat there instead of returning to her usual place. He slid his phone toward her.
“Seventy-five booking fee,” he said. “They won't return that if we change our minds.”
“We're not changing it again,” Mara said.
She fetched her own phone from the counter. Ben turned the screen so she could read the details, then leaned back while she filled them in.
Tess stood by the table with her coat still on.
“Come and sit,” Mara said. “Look. You can see where we'll stand.”
Tess pulled out the chair opposite them. The little room looked warmer in this photograph than in the one Ben had shown her. There was a low vase of flowers near the window and a patch of sunlight on the floor.
Mara pointed. “I can come through that door. You can still help me. If you want.”
“Yes,” Tess said.
Ben reached for the phone, then stopped because Mara was entering something.
“Do you want me to—”
“I've got it.”
She tapped the screen. A moment later she smiled.
“Done.”
Ben looked at the confirmation. His hand went over hers, and they both sat looking at the two phones as though something wonderful might happen to them.
Mara leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Monday,” she said.
“Monday,” he answered.
Mara drew the room photograph closer, then put it down again.
“We can walk home after lunch,” she said. “Just us. Take these shoes off. You'll have to do all the buttons.”
Ben smiled. “I can do buttons.”
“You pull.” She caught his hand before he could demonstrate. “I want that bit. Coming back here with you.”
He turned his hand over under hers. “So do I.”
Tess could feel the relief in the room. She wanted to join it properly. She had spent days hoping to give them something good, and this good thing had happened without her fixing it.
“We can use the little jars,” she said.
Mara looked up. “Yes. A few. Not everywhere.”
“We'll put one where people can see it,” Ben said. “And keep all the rest in here until the end of time.”
Mara pushed his shoulder. He caught her hand and kissed her fingers. Her ring finger was bare, but the gesture looked familiar rather than painful now.
Tess took off her coat.
They made tea. Mara found three pieces of cake in a box and put them on plates. Hers had the most icing. Ben tried to switch it while she was looking for spoons; she caught him and put the plate back.
“You said you didn't want a big piece.”
“I said I didn't want a lot of cake.”
“That's what a big piece is.”
“The icing isn't cake.”
Mara held her plate out of reach, then gave him half the icing with her fork. He took it so greedily that some stayed on his upper lip.
Tess smiled. Mara wiped it away with her thumb, and Ben looked at her with a silly, contented face Tess hadn't seen since before Thursday.
She lowered her eyes to her own plate and ate.
They talked about lunch afterward. Not all the original guests could come on Monday. Ben had checked a little restaurant with a room at the back. Mara asked whether the chairs were comfortable, and Tess said she could ring them in the morning.
“Tomorrow evening we can sort the things to take,” Mara said. “One last evening of it. Then we'll stop.”
“I can bring the paper,” Tess said. “And food.”
“Not food. You've been feeding us all week.”
“I'll bring bread. That's not cooking.”
Mara laughed and gave in.
Ben looked at his phone when it buzzed. His face grew serious, but not unhappy.
“Shop,” he said. “I told them I'd complete it tomorrow.”
Mara's hand rested on the table beside his.
“All right,” she said.
He glanced at her. “If you're sure.”
“We've just booked it, Ben.”
He smiled again and put the phone away. He didn't show Tess the ring. There was nothing new for her to look at.
When she left, Mara hugged her properly. Tess felt the pressure of both arms and closed her eyes for a moment.
“Thank you for helping,” Mara said.
Tess held her tighter. “I'll see you tomorrow.”
On the stairs, she took out her phone and looked at Cal's name. She wanted to tell him it was going to be all right. She wanted to send him the room photograph, Mara's laughing face, anything that would let her feel a little of this evening was hers too.
Instead she typed, Monday's booked. They're happy tonight.
He answered a few minutes later.
Good. Can I see you in the morning?
Tess stopped walking long enough to send yes.