Epilogue
Derek opened the kitchen door to the blinding colours of a summer at mid-morning. Basil chased past him and around the barn while he took in the fresh air and scratched about the shorter strands of his beard. He switched the radio on and looked up to see two buzzards passing along the route of the great energy line. He heard the rumble of an engine closing in and Bryn appeared along the driveway in his van. Derek turned up the volume of the song that had just begun playing before he took long strides across the courtyard, sliding two bent knitting needles into his belt loop and amused that the music would doubtless enrage Vivian. Time in a Bottle. She never did like Jim Croce.
THE END
