She let Billy have coco pops, a rare treat. They did their absolute best to keep it light and fun, but the burden of parting was too hard to bear, making their interaction stilted and false.
Juniper put the breakfast dishes in the sink, gripping the edge of the bench. She could hardly breathe. She turned to look at William, her heart squeezing painfully. He was holding Billy quietly in his lap, Billy’s head resting on his shoulder. He pushed to his feet when he saw Juniper looking at him, carrying Billy outside. Juniper followed, a hot, prickly feeling overwhelming her as she stepped through the door.
“I have to go now,” William said, rubbing Billy’s back.
“Okay.” Billy wrapped his arms around William’s neck, holding on tight, as William walked down the steps.
He sat down on the edge of the deck, pulling Billy back so he could look at him, brushing his hair back from his forehead tenderly. “I can’t come back anymore.”
“Why?”
“Because I have to go to Sydney and look after my dad.”
“But I need you to look after me.”
Juniper, standing in the doorway, tried to swallow past the lump in her throat.
“Oh, mate, I wish I could. More than anything. But my dad is very sick and if I don’t look after him, he’ll get sicker.” Juniper saw William swallow, then he said thickly, “So, I have to go. Will you do something for me?”
Billy nodded solemnly.
“Will you look after your Mum for me?”
Billy nodded again. Juniper willed the hot tears away as she walked down the steps and took Billy from William. The very least she could do was not break down in front of him. Everything that could be said between them had been said, so William just kissed Billy on his golden curls, pressed a hard kiss to Juniper’s lips, then strode across the lawn and through the gate.
Mikayla, sitting at an outdoor table just down the road at Coco’s, with Leah, glanced down at her phone as a message pinged. She frowned, concerned when she read it. “Oh, it’s from William. Odd. It just saysJuniper needs you.We’d better go.” They gathered their bags and quickly paid for their coffee before hurrying up the street. As Mikayla stepped through the gate, she saw Juniper, sitting on the deck with Billy in her arms, frozen still. She strode over to her, stopping in her tracks as Juniper’s gaze lifted to hers. The absolute desolation she saw there hit her in the guts.
“William just texted. Said you needed me?”
“He’s gone.” The simple words were said in such a way it was abundantly clear he wasn’t coming back.
Mikayla glanced at Leah, perplexed. She’d texted the day before to ask how things had gone in Sydney, to which Juniper repliedGreat. W’s family is lovely.So, she couldn’t imagine what had happened between then and now to precipitate the devastation she could see on Juniper’s face.
Leah stepped in, rubbing Billy’s back gently. “Why don’t you come with me, mate?”
Billy untangled himself from his mother, throwing himself into Leah’s arms. “I want William,” his voice broke and he started sobbing.
Juniper reached for him, but Leah shook her head. “I’ve got him,” she said gently, squeezing Juniper’s hand before moving away, her arms wrapped around Billy as she carried him into the house.
“What happened?” Mikayla sat down next to Juniper and put her arm around her shoulders. Juniper shook her head wordlessly. “Oh, honey, I’m sorry.”
The ready sympathy broke through Juniper’s control and she burst into tears, burying her face in Mikayla’s shoulder and just letting go.
CHAPTER 28
Juniper
Day one
Juniper woke up the next morning, feeling a heavy listlessness weighing on her. She’d let Billy sleep in her bed, taking some comfort from his warm body curled against her. He stirred, waking up and rubbing his eyes irritably. She checked the time on the bedside clock. Shit. They’d overslept. She hustled Billy out of bed, sitting him down in front of the television while she grabbed a quick shower. She had a splitting headache and that relentless weight pressing against her. She hurriedly got dressed, wrapping a towel around her head as she moved to the kitchen to get breakfast.
“Come on baby, breakfast time. You want porridge?”
“No.”
She turned to look at Billy, curled up on the couch, staring at the television. “What then?”
“Nothing. Not hungry.”
