“Daughter?” I heard him say. “I didn’t know you had a daughter.”
Chapter Nine
Seph
The woman in the passenger seat next to me who was usually full of words, had barely been able to get out the syllables necessary to drive us to her daughter’s nursery, the daughter I’d only just found out about.
Everything I’d learned about Georgia in the last week of working with her had pointed to her being dynamic, career driven, feistily independent and dedicated to her job. She’d been coy about her personal life, and now I knew what she’d been trying to hide, I just didn’t know why.
And this wasn’t the right time to ask.
A bump on the head wasn’t the end of the world. By the time I was nine, if I bumped my head – which given three elder brothers, a lack of talent for balance when climbing and the belief that I truly was Batman, happened quite a lot – Mum would have made me quiet down, kept an eye that I stayed conscious, and stuck an ice pack on the inevitable bump. But this was after bringing up three boys and spending too long in accident and emergency departments.
Telling Georgia that a bump on the head wasn’t the end of the world right now would probably see me being buried six feet under, so I had the wisdom to keep my mouth shut, focusing instead on the quickest way to get to nursery.
“We’re nearly there.”
Georgia’s knee was bouncing up and down, her nails clenched into her palms.
“You want me to wait in the car? We’ll get her to the hospital. The nearest is the one where my cousin works and he’s on shift today.” I really hoped she settled herself before going inside to collect her daughter. If she went in like this I figured she’d upset the kid.
“You don’t have to come with us. I can get an uber.” She rubbed her face with her hands.
“Let’s pretend you didn’t say that and just answer the question. Shall I wait in the car or come in?” I pulled up outside the building. It was a large house, a decent size drive in front with room for parking and a grassy area at the side with big playground equipment in it.
She fumbled with her seat belt. It was a new car, one bought as a pool vehicle for anyone who needed to take a trip out of the city for work purposes and luckily no one had used it this afternoon. I moved my arm over and unclipped the seat belt, stopping any second guessing and taking hold of her hand, giving it a squeeze.
“I’m going to come in with you. I guess you’ll need another pair of hands for her bag and stuff.” Decision made.
“Thank you.”
When she looked at me, I still saw the woman who was one of my partners, my tough, smart colleague. But I saw how fucking terrified she was right now too.
“I banged my head loads as a kid. Might explain a few things. Get her checked out – they’ll tell you to watch her but not to worry if she falls asleep – but she will be okay.” I braced myself for the tongue-lashing I would probably get but it never came.
There was a nod and she got out of the car, her long hair caught and tossed by the wind.
“I know – logic tells me – that if it was really serious, they’d have taken her straight to A and E. It’s just the shock.” She stood up slightly straighter. “I will really be okay if you need to get back to the office.”
“No. The office can wait. Does your little girl look like you?” We weren’t going to talk about work right now. That could wait.
“She has dark hair rather than red. It’s the same colour as my sister’s.” She rang the bell to the nursery, an assistant appearing pretty much immediately.
“I’m here for Rose Marsters. I got a call to pick her up.”
The assistant smiled. She was young, maybe not even twenty. “Come in. Rose is with Mary-Lou, the first-aider in chief. She fell off the chair she’d climbed on near the book cases and hit her head on the side of a book case when she fell. She’s been very brave.”
The woman I assumed was Mary-Lou came out of a side room, holding a tiny girl’s hand and carrying a backpack.
“Here’s your mummy.” The words were kind and gentle.
I saw a bottom lip wobble and Georgia dropped to her knees as Rose spilled into them. They were unquestionably mother and daughter, similar in their features, only Rose was petite, small and dainty, with huge eyes that were now pouring with tears, her arms going around Georgia’s neck.
I took the bag from Mary-Lou’s hand, and the older woman gave me a warm smile. “There’s a note in Rose’s bag about what happened and what treatment she’s had which you can show to the doctor. She is saying she feels dizzy and sick, and it was a bad bang. There’s a cut, which might need stitches.” She glanced at Georgia. “Maybe let the doctor examine it and suggest what needs to be done though.”
Georgia was talking to Rose, reassuring her and not really listening to what Mary-Lou was saying. I figured it was relief that Rose was okay and awake, and that Georgia had hold of her now that was making it seem better.
I thanked Mary-Lou and slung the pink bag with unicorns on over my shoulder, fully aware of what my brothers would say if they saw it, and totally aware of what Killian – who now had two daughters – would respond with.
