‘Uh, uh.Superheroes.’ Widening his eyes animatedly, Ollie stretched out his arms superhero style.
Not his bedtime story book then. Sarah tried very hard not to mind. Stipulating which stories Laura should read really would be bordering on neurotic. She hoped she realised that overstimulating his mind at bedtime wasn’t a good idea, though.
‘Was it indeed? We’ll have to see if we can find you some bedtime superhero books, then, won’t we? Meanwhile, under the duvet, little man.’
‘But I’m not tired, Mummy.’ Ollie angled for a reprieve.
‘You’ve had a busy day. You’ll be tired in the morning. Come on, chop, chop, or no sweeties tomorrow.’ Wearing her best stern face, she reached quickly to tickle him into submission.
He wriggled and giggled, and eventually gave in, burrowing under his duvet before she could get him again.
‘I have a secret,’ he announced as he finally settled his head on his pillow.
‘Oh yes?’ Sarah looked at him curiously. ‘And is it a secret you can share with me?’
He scanned her eyes, a reluctant look in his own. ‘Laura told me I can’t tell you.’
Ten
Sarah had to psych herself up to call Laura. She’d been going to suggest they meet up so she could offer her an apology, as Steve had suggested, though she wasn’t sure an apology was actually in order. Now, though, she was perturbed. Planting ideas in Ollie’s head about keeping secrets from his own mother wasn’t on. Then there was the issue of his bunny. In Sarah’s mind, Laura really should have consulted her about taking away his comfort toy. He might have been fine for one night, excited and tired out enough to go off to sleep, but what about if he woke in the night here, and Bunny wasn’t home where he should be?
‘Hi, Laura. It’s Sarah,’ she said when Laura picked up. ‘I know it’s early, but I wondered if we could have a quick word?’
‘Yes, of course. Is everything all right? It’s not Ollie, is it?’ Laura asked, with a panicky edge to her voice that threw Sarah a bit.
‘No, he’s fine,’ she assured her. ‘It’s just … Well, to be honest, Laura, I’m a little miffed. Ollie tells me you’ve been telling him to keep things from me. I know it probably looks like I’m nit-picking, but I had to say something. Encouraging him to keep secrets from his own mother is sending out the wrong signals, don’t you think?’
‘Oh no … God, I’m so sorry, Sarah. I didn’t mean to do that,’ Laura said, clearly contrite. ‘I gave him an extra cookie and told him it was our secret and not to tell anyone. I was just joking with him, but I should have realised that at his age he would take me seriously. I’m really sorry.’
Sarah immediately felt bad. Telling him to keep an extra biscuit a secret was fairly innocuous, even if she would rather he didn’t have too many. ‘It’s okay.’ She climbed down, feeling awkward. ‘I was a bit concerned, that’s all. Ollie’s normally such an open little boy, and I …’ She trailed off, not sure what to say that wouldn’t sound as if she were imagining Laura capable of all sorts of things.
‘You were worried. Obviously you would be,’ Laura picked up sympathetically. ‘You can never be too careful where children are concerned. I do understand, Sarah. Really I do.’
‘Thanks,’ Sarah said, feeling guilty again. Wasn’t it her who was supposed to have been doing the apologising? ‘I, um … I was going to call you anyway,’ she went on, wondering how many wrong feet it was possible to have. ‘I wondered whether we could perhaps meet up for a quick chat about things generally. I thought we might do better to talk to each other rather than through Steve. I mean, he’s bound to feel a bit like piggy in the middle, isn’t he? What do you think?’
‘Oh, right.’ Laura hesitated. ‘Yes, okay. I’m good with that. I think Steve will be relieved for Ollie’s sake if he knows the two of us are getting on.’
‘Brilliant. Tonight, possibly? I could pop round to you if you like?’ Sarah offered, thinking it might give her an opportunity to see Ollie’s new home from home for herself. She couldn’t help but worry about what kind of place Laura had, though she didn’t dare say that to Steve, which rankled. Wouldn’t Steve want to know what kind of place Joe lived in if Ollie were to spend any time there? As it happened, Joe was living in a rented room until he’d got his affairs sorted out, so Ollie wouldn’t be going there, but still it seemed as if she had to be on the defensive. She wasn’t quite sure how that had happened.
‘Sure. No problem.’ Laura seemed keen. ‘Steve’s working late. It will be nice to have company.’
‘Fab. How about six thirty?’
‘Perfect. I’ll pop some wine in the fridge. See you then.’
As Sarah finished the call, her fears about Laura were allayed somewhat. She couldn’t ignore a new sense of apprehension creeping through her, though. Where had the stutter gone? she wondered.
At bang on 6.30, having left Ollie with Joe, Sarah pulled up in front of Laura’s terraced house on the outskirts of Stratford-upon-Avon. It was only a small property, but still, she wondered how Laura had afforded it. She’d googled the address in her lunch hour, also how much similar properties in the area were selling for. They weren’t cheap. Laura would be on a fair income as a palliative nurse, though, she supposed. Steve presumably helped out now too, so …
She pulled herself up. It was none of her business. She’d already caused enough upset, and then compounded it this morning by overreacting to Ollie supposedly keeping secrets from her. She hadn’t come here this evening to make things worse. She’d come to smooth things over. Ollie would have ongoing contact with his father, and she wanted things to be as amicable between them all as it could be.
Grabbing her bag, she climbed determinedly out of her car and headed for the front door. She was poised to ring the bell when Laura swung the door open. ‘Hi.’ She smiled nervously. ‘Come on in.’
Noting her obvious apprehension, Sarah felt awful. She really hadn’t meant to upset her by asking to meet her on her own. She’d just wanted to get to know her. She’d thought Laura might be more open with her if it was just the two of them. Yes, she’d been testing the waters, wondering whether she would like her. More importantly, whether Ollie would. She actually had liked her, which was why she herself had been so upset by what Steve had said.
‘You’ll have to excuse the mess.’ Laura indicated several boxes and bags in the hall as Sarah stepped inside. ‘Steve’s still moving his things in and they tend to get stored in the hall en route to wherever they’re going.’
That was Steve. Sarah couldn’t help but smile. He wasn’t lazy, far from it; he’d never been workshy – he wouldn’t be running his own building company if he was – but when it came to household chores, he simply didn’t see jobs that needed doing unless he was pointed in the right direction. ‘You might have to give him a few subtle hints,’ she said indulgently. ‘He tends to get sidetracked.’
