She knew that she would find him here. It was his escape, the place he came to find peace. It was quiet and he was rolling up alone, up and down the rink. first with the jack, then with his favourite woods, he never tired of it.

'Dad!' she called.

'Hello, Nicola. I won't be a moment.'

She watched as he bent slowly and lifted his woods, tucking them into the crook of his arm. he slipped the jack into his pocket and patted is to make sure it was safe. According to Dad, you couldn't leave a jack lying round for long before someone claimed it as their own.

Nicola shivered despite the warmth and pulled her jacket around her. She had always known it would come to this and that she would be the one to break the news, but it felt unfair. She was the youngest, after al, and always stuck with the shitty jobs.

'Here we are then. Everything alright, is it?' dad blinked in the sunshine and Nicola caught her breath and couldn't speak. the look in his eye told her that he knew, and the sag of his shoulders sai he was resigned to it already. She didn't have to say anything, but she did.

'Sorry, Dad. She was asleep, though. No pain. no anything, really.'

Dad nodded.