“Stop fussing, you old nag.”
She laughs. “Ahh, so my old friend is in there somewhere.”
“Auntie Angie,” Zoe squeals, bounding into the room and landing on my lap.
I hug her close. “Hello, darling.”
Zoe snuggles into me. “I'm giving you extra cuddles for Uncle Scott in heaven.”
My chest suddenly aches. This little girl was the apple of her uncle’s eye. We usually come as a pair, but does she fullyunderstand why he isn’t here anymore? Scott loves her so much. Damn it. Loved. Helovedher so much. Shit.
A voice from behind knocks me from my thoughts. “Angie?”
I glance over my shoulder with mixed feelings. It’s good to see him, but perhaps not right now. “Hi Tommy,” I say while he walks by me towards his friend.
“Hey Ash,” he grasps his friend’s raised hand. “You good?”
“I’m still here.” Ash laughs as my stomach turns and aches with the loss.
Tommy’s mouth drops open and Ash must realise what he’s said.
“Angie, I wasn’t thinking?—”
I hold up my hand and focus on the little girl sitting on my knees. “It’s okay. I know.” Of course it was a mistake, but it doesn’t stop my throat from hurting while I try not to cry.
“Are you okay, Angie?” Tommy asks. Can he tell I’m about to break?
Turning around in my seat to face him, I want to say I’m utterly lost; my heart is in pieces and I’m not sure I can live another day without him, but I don’t. People don’t want to hear my doom and gloom. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine.” I say, then roll my lips together.
He gives me the side-eye. He knows that’s a lie.
“Anyway, that’s enough of that. Where have you been hiding?” I ask, trying to change the subject.
Tommy walks around the back of the sofa, dropping onto the seat next to me. “I was out with this little lady,” he says, taking Zoe from my lap.
“We made sandcastles.” Zoe giggles.
Again, I lose myself in memories of Scott spending hourson the beach with Zoe, making whole sandcastle villages, collecting shells, and writing their names in the sand.
“I could do with a hand in the kitchen, Tommy,” Calla calls.
“Yep, I’m on it.” Tommy is about to lift Zoe from his knee when I reach for his arm.
“It’s okay,” I reassure him. “I can do it. I want to help.”
Calla has me peeling and slicing carrots, probably because there’s no thinking involved. The problem is, the whole thing comes back on itself, giving me too much time to think… which I do… about my husband.
Whenever Calla and Ash were in the country, we’d make a Sunday roast together. Scott made jokes and teased his sister while throwing Zoe around the kitchen. Her giggles made him giggle. I loved that sound.
At some point, Ash and Scott would help by either peeling vegetables or basting the chicken, but it never lasted long and they’d end up having a beer and watching the footy on TV. Eventually, he would find me. He always made sure I was okay before anyone else. His hand would slide around my waist and reach for my hip. His lips found their way to my neck as the warmth of his breath tickled my skin, causing me to blush. Given that chance again, I wouldn’t get embarrassed as I used to. I wouldn’t care who was watching.
“How did I end up with such a beautiful wife?” he whispered. “Maybe we could forget this lot and get you home so I can get you out of that dress.”
“Down boy. Later.”
“Angie?”
Looking over my shoulder, I find Tommy by the fridge,grabbing two bottles of beer, but Calla has disappeared. “Hey.”
