Chapter thirteen
Lucy
Lucy spent a sleepless night debating how to handle the rather sensitive topic of Bella and her bra—or lack of it. She was pretty sure Alex had no idea what his daughter needed. And Bella had no way to go into town and buy herself one, if she were so inclined, which Lucy doubted she was. She remembered the first time she’d bought a bra with her mother and cringed, even now. It had been utterly mortifying.
But the girl couldn’t go to school without a bra, and while Lucy knew it wasn’t her problem, she didn’t want it tobeher problem, she also knew that she had to say something.
But how?
She was still mulling over the dilemma the next morning, after she’d fired up the computer and the kettle, as she stared out at the school yard, now bathed in golden light. Alex came in with both Bella and his younger daughter, Poppy, in tow.
“Is it all right if Bella spends the morning in here?” he asked, and Lucy wondered what he would do if she said no. “She’s brought her homework.”
“Of course, no problem.” Lucy gave them both a sunny smile; Bella was wearing a huge black jumper that came down to her skinny-jean-clad knees. At least it covered her properly. Lucy swallowed a nervous laugh. “Umm . . . make yourself comfortable.”
That bit of politeness earned her a curled lip from Bella, who threw herself into the chair in the corner, dropping her bag by her feet. It was, Lucy suspected, going to be a very long day.
She turned back to find Poppy inspecting her solemnly. “You talk funny.”
That nervous little laugh she’d swallowed escaped in a bubble of sound. “Actually, I think you talk funny. So I guess we’re even.”
Poppy considered this for a moment before nodding in acceptance. Lucy met Alex’s gaze above his daughter’s head and her heart lurched at his expression, which was unreadable as always, and yet—
Was it just wishful thinking to believe there was something tender beneath the sternness?
Yes, Lucy told herself resolutely. Yes, it was.
Alex went to his office and Poppy skipped off to her classroom, and Lucy was left with Bella, who filled the tiny space with her silent malevolence.
The hours dragged by as Bella picked her nails and refused to do any work. She asked if she could use the Internet on Lucy’s computer, and let out a long-suffering sigh when Lucy refused. She took herself off for lunch with the older school pupils, and Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. A whole half hour to herself. Thank goodness.
“Is everything going all right?”
“Oh.” She looked up to see Alex standing in the doorway, his expression caught between a scowl and a smile.
“Yes, fine.”
“She goes back to school the day after tomorrow.” He shook his head, his expression closing, his arms folded. “She never used to do this. Bunking off class.”
“Maybe there’s a reason,” Lucy ventured, and Alex shook his head again.
“I asked, and she wouldn’t give me one. Send her to me if she gives you any trouble.” He turned to go back to his office, and Lucy felt her heart start to beat hard. Her hands went clammy.
Taking a deep breath, she rose from her desk. “Umm . . . Alex?”
He glanced back at her. “What is it?”
“Could I talk to you for a sec? In your office?”
Alex frowned, and then nodded. Lucy followed him into his office and closed the door, resisting the urge to wipe her damp palms along the sides of her skirt. She shouldn’t be nervous about this.
“What’s going on?” he asked, his voice touched with impatience.
“It’s about Bella.”
“Shedidcause trouble—”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just . . . I think I know what’s causing her problems at school.”
