The house was quieter than it had been for most of the previous fifteen years.

There were still signs of the girls everywhere, but no line of children waiting for breakfast, no argument about the last clean hairbrush.

I made coffee and ate something because Stella would ask later.

Then I put the last items in my bag and checked that the white box had been collected according to Chloe’s plan.

I hoped not to see it again that day.

At the venue, I was assigned a small room in which to finish dressing.