“And I remember the angry and confused boy that first came out here and it wasn't pretty,” replied Amanda with a shake of her head at the memory.
Tasha frowned, realising again that this other woman, her husband's ex-wife, one of them, knew things she didn't, had shared things with her husband that she hadn't and for the first time in a while felt jealous and insecure somehow.
“Tell me you get it, Tash. Other than the accent he reminds me of Aiden in many ways,” Lucy said.
“Really?” Tasha mentally compared the two men. “I guess so in some ways. Travis doesn't do it for me, although I can see the attraction.”
“Who's Aiden?” Abby had a mischievous smile spreading across her face.
“An ex-boyfriend that we, Lucy and I, will not be discussing,” Tasha replied.
“Oh my. Lucy, I have just figured out that we are now privy to all of Tasha's secrets and boyfriends.” Giggled Abby.
“No way, no how,” insisted Tasha. “Jim would flip.” She was relieved when Isaac broke the silence with his crying, which in turn triggered tears from Connor and Skye halting all further questioning.
Once lunch was finished and all of the younger children were having a nap Abby looked a little distracted, although Lexi was firing questions at her, so that might be the reason for it or maybe Tasha was imagining it.
Lucy broke the tension when she suggested a girl’s night out and while Abby jumped at it both Amanda and Tasha were less sure of it.
“Oh, come on, Tash,” pleaded Lucy. “It’s been ages, like before you got married ages. We could do any night in the week if you don’t want to party at the weekend and if it’s going to be a big fat no to a club we could go for dinner and on to a bar, maybe a late night rather than an all-nighter.”
Tasha looked around at the others and Amanda still looked wary, but less horrified than at first.
“Jim is unlikely to be happy about it and I am off drink, so it will be a sober night,” Tasha told them all as Amanda chipped in with,me too.
With a laugh as Abby and Lucy high fived, Tasha did wonder whether this was all part of some earlier plan the two of them had cooked up. Her suspicions were further raised when Abby appeared to send a message on her phone once Tasha’s agreement was made.
After watching Amanda and Lucy drive away from the house in convoy, Tasha dashed upstairs to change into riding trousers and a plain cotton t-shirt. She briefed Abby on where everything for Connor was but seemed certain he wouldn't require feeding. Pulling her boots on she repeated her instructions about calling if there were any problems and went so far as to explain that there was water and expressed milk in the fridge,just in case. With Lexi's hand in hers they headed down to the stables where Travis was saddling up their mounts.
“Hey, ladies,” he called to them making them both smile. “Tash, have you spoke to Dan lately?” The question seemed loaded and yet quite random.
“About a week ago, you?” She knew her brother and Travis had kept in touch and become friends.
“He called last night, he erm, kinda sounds lost,” Travis said seriously.
“Lost?” Tasha was confused as to what that actually meant. Her expression must have said as much.
“Yeah. He still hasn't quite found his place at home,” Travis revealed. “He’s struggling to find a job in a kitchen that's not fast food or using a microwave and Pippa is doing some modelling shoots which he's happy about, but it makes him question his life more.”
“Shit.” Tasha immediately wondered how to make things right, or at least better for Dan when Travis continued and made her whole body hurt as though she'd been run over.
“Your parents—Tash, I’m only telling you this because I consider Dan a friend and he can't deal with this alone. I’m scared for him, scared he'll do something stupid.”
“Go on.” Tasha was unsure whether she really wanted Travis to finish his sentence but knew she needed him to.
“He’s in touch with your mother who keeps taking cash from him and your father has started writing to him and wants him to visit him in jail.” Travis sounded nervous but Tasha was unsure if that was because he was unsure of her reaction or if it was simply fear for his friend.
For the first time since he was sent home to serve his sentence Tasha began to wonder if it would have been better for her father to have remained in America. She had been glad of the geographical distance between him and her home, her child, herself. She felt safer knowing he was thousands of miles away and even with a miracle escape he couldn’t get to her or come back and finish what he’d started. Now she realised how selfish and naïve she’d been to think of only herself and Connor where the vile and disgusting man who had fathered her was concerned. He still posed a danger, but not to her, not really, but Dan and Pippa…maybe not Pippa but this conversation proved her parents, whether behind bars or not were already proving they still posed a risk.
“He said something about your mom trying to get him some extra work...” Travis trailed off.
“Thanks, Trav. Leave it with me. I'll sort it. Well, we’ll sort it, me and Jim.” Tasha accepted Travis' offer of a leg up onto her mount but was unsure what she could really do when Dan was so far away.
****
Walking through the front door, Jim frowned at the unusual sound of Connor crying. Even for a baby he wasn't really much of a crier.
“Hey, we can all stop crying, Daddy's home,” he called as he entered the big family room at the back of the house. His favourite room. It always had been but even more so now that he was sharing it with Tasha and Connor, his family.
