Chapter Thirty-Six
The day of Mark’s funeral dawned hot and humid with an ominous sky. Beth gazed out the window at heavy grey clouds sliding eastwards against the backdrop of mountains. Too often lately there’d been the promise of relief from the drought, only for the storm clouds to pass without dropping their gift of rain.
A European wasp landed on the windowsill. It was large, with vivid colours – a queen. One of Zenandra’s royal daughters perhaps; one who’d somehow escaped the c*****e. Would Beth be exterminating this new queen’s nest next summer? She shuddered. The sadness of the world threatened to overwhelm her.
‘Mum, I can’t do up the button on these trousers.’
Beth finished supervising her children as they dressed. Rick’s mood was good, almost upbeat, as she coaxed him into b
