“I think Grannie’s is happening this weekend. You’re both staying and you can go swimming. But you won’t enjoy it if you’re tired, so you need to bank some sleep now. It’s late, so late the man in the moon is wide awake and having lunch.”
“Lunch? But it’s night-time.” Heidi had lain down so hope was not lost.
“The man in the moon does the night shift, which you do not. Mia, are you okay?” I pulled the summer blankets over Heidi. Mia was already snuggled back down in the bed. “Is the light from the moon going to stop you from sleeping?”
“No, I like it. I like this house too.” She turned onto her side and curled up, a bit like a cat.
“I’ll tell Mr Caddick that you like this house. Maybe he’ll show you some more tomorrow after school.”
“We’re staying here while our house is mended?” Heidi stirred.
I put the covers back where they were.
“For a few days we are. It’ll be like camping.”
Heidi’s eyes fluttered. My daughter woke up rapidly but fell asleep the same way. Her father had been the same.
I thought about what Cassian had said, how she was like me. I hadn’t seen it before, not in her personality because she looked like me enough, but then I hadn’t seen the traits he’d listed in me. I pressed a kiss on her forehead, doing the same to Mia, whose eyes flickered open.
“I want to stay with you when Mummy comes home. I love Mummy but your home is happy.”
Mia’s words broke my heart.
“We’ll make sure your mummy knows you love her.” I wasn’t sure how to respond to the rest, but I understood what I’d known all along: I’d do whatever I could to keep Mia safe and happy, just like I’d do with Heidi.
If she stayed with me, we’d definitely need a bigger house.
SIXTEEN
Cassian
For the first time in my life, I took children to school. There was no need for Romy to take them and she’d looked exhausted on the first morning, the girls that sort of fizzy wide awake that was probably going end in tears or a tantrum before the end of the day. They were ready early and I was running later than usual, so they walked with me to school.
What they didn’t know was that the person walking the dog behind them, a rather large Alsatian, was employed by Roe’s security firm. Another employee, a woman this time who looked like she should’ve been a ballerina, picked us up at the school gates.
“Are you Mr Caddick, the head teacher?”
I nodded, knowing what the question would be.
“I’m here to fill in as a teaching assistant today. Where do I show my certificates and disclosure form?” She smiled at the girls who were instantly enchanted by her.
“Walk with me and I’ll take you to the school administrator.”
I took the girls straight to class, passing them over to their teacher and introducing Miss Piper, who I suspected could probably disarm most of the members of Puffin Bay, Roe probably being the only exception.
Her details checked, added to the school’s log for safeguarding purposes and she was back in Mia’s class, an extra pair of hands for the day as well as the person keeping an eye on what was going on around the school. I knew she was wired up, hearing from someone else on the team who was outside. This was all in place until Friday at least, unless the police found Cara or Blake, or something happened so we knew Mia would be left alone, safe.
It was worrying me. The school site wasn’t as secure as it could be, with the school fields open at the back, no fencing to stop anyone from walking – albeit a long way – into the back school yard. I’d mentioned it at a governors’ meeting before I’d moved, one of the handovers so I could lead the school from day one. It’d been brushed off, an easy dismissal that had concerned me then. I was responsible for safety and welfare of the children and staff in school and that left us with a too open area.
Roe’s team were aware of it, and right now, the school site was safer than it’d probably ever been.
The day went as smoothly as usual, Romy collecting the girls from school at the end of the day with a promise of tea at the Puffin Inn, which pleased them both. Another couple of parents joined them, and I felt a bit more satisfied that we’d get through the day without a major event, or at least until this evening when I might get some alone time with Romy.
The evening passed with a quick tour of the schoolhouse for the girls before they had a bath in what was also a relic from the spit up of the seventies. I had football practice, moved from the Tuesday because of the town meeting, and by the time I got back to the schoolhouse, Mia and Heidi were in bed.
“They wanted to stay up to see you, but I figured you’d had enough of kids for one day.” She smirked, pouring a glass of wine for both of us. “All they could talk about was you taking them to school and they were full of Miss Piper and how fun she was.”
Her smirk changed to a smile, one that beamed.
