“Allegedly. I’m not convinced they’re real, but it’s a good story. Can you put them somewhere safe?”
He nodded. “Want me to get them valued?”
“Not in the slightest. The mystery’s a lot more fun. Any word from Claire?” I’d been led to believe that another one of my spaces had been taken over by my children.
“She phoned to speak to the girls this morning. They’re heading back just before lunchtime. Are we all still meeting at the house tomorrow?”
“As far as I know, unless Marie has another ridiculous idea. I’d better head back – we have the final van coming round. Don’t tell Claire about the jewels.”
Killian shrugged. “I’ll add it to the short list of things she’s never found out about. I think that might be the only thing on it.”
For some reason, the route I took to get back to the house reminded me of New York, walking out from the hotel where I’d been based to Marie’s apartment, the busyness of it so much more than London at the time.
I’d been thinking about those few days in New York when we’d first met, the scramble to secure permanence between us before we boarded that flight to England and the chaos that ensued.
It had been chaos.
The Oxford house was a mess, literally and metaphorically. The kids had been scared of the room where Rachael had died and the place hadn’t been properly decorated for decades, still a relic of the nineteen fifties. They’d spent too long unloved and I’d spent too long with my head up my arse, but it’d taken acomplete change of scenery for that knowledge to hit me like a truck.
I regretted a lot. If I could go back and change those first few years when I’d worked instead of being a father, I would, but the chances were I’d never have met Marie and none of us would be who we were now and I wasn’t sure that would’ve been for the best.
New York felt like a lifetime ago, and yet I still missed it like it was yesterday, the heady days of falling in love with someone in a whirlwind when that was exactly what you weren’t meant to be doing, your life being totally turned upside down and put back just how it was meant to be.
Max was outside the house when I turned onto the street, talking to the removal men who were asking a lot of questions about the bureau.
I didn’t see Marie at first, mainly because she was short and easily hidden. She bobbed up, catching sight of me and waving madly, before jumping in the van with the removal men, leaving Max shaking his head.
“She’s just gone off with them?” I asked him as the van moved off.
“Of course. They’ve said they’ll drop her off afterwards.” He shrugged. “She knows one of their mums so he’s just faced a dozen questions about everyone in his family and who’s still living in Ballymena who she knows. I wouldn’t worry.”
“Oh, I’m not.” What I had remembered was my conversation with Seph from a couple of days ago.
“I think he worried that he couldn’t have a successful career and be the dad he wanted to be. He’s actually been amazing at both. I couldn’t be prouder of him. Take your shot.”
“Have you told him that?”
Maybe now was the time.
“Got time for a coffee?” I patted his arm. “I think she’s left the machine for tomorrow. We can take it in the car.”
“Coffee’s good. I only came round because Mum found one of Lucy’s friendship bracelets and that’s the sort of thing that can cause a huge meltdown if she realises it’s missing.” He shook his head. “I’m sure tweenage girls should come with a manual.”
I shrugged, kind of sympathising, kind of laughing inside because karma was a bitch. “I think you’re just meant to wing it. How’s Maddox’s bowling?” The kid really did have talent, but what was going under-noticed was Will’s batting skills. He was having to be the practice partner for Maddox, which he didn’t complain about because he liked cricket as well, but because Maddox was so good, Will was having to improve quickly.
“He’s just obsessed with it. He’s got a match this afternoon with Will, so Lucy’s currently moaning that she’s got to go with them.” He leaned against the empty kitchen counter. “It looks strange in here being so empty. I remember when we looked round it that first day.”
“You lot loved it. I preferred the first one we saw, but you four and Marie fell in love with this place.” So I’d gone along with the majority, because that meant more of a chance of peace. Happy wife, happy life. I’d learned that the hard way, really.
“It was so empty. Hadn’t it been renovated but the company had run out of money?”
I nodded, surprised at what he could recall. “That was it. So Marie wanted everything decorated and furnished within four weeks, so you lot could start school in the September. It was madness.”
“And she started the renovations at Oxford at the same time. You really were nuts, weren’t you?” He was laughing at me. “I never would’ve expected you to do that given how embroiled in work you always were before. Everything was carefullyplanned and you wanted to keep everything traditional and old-fashioned. How did Marie get you to change that?”
“I don’t think it was her. I think it was you four. I knew when I was in New York that we couldn’t carry on as we were. You’d been kicked out of school and I didn’t blame you for that – you were really bright and the teachers were struggling to keep you interested and at the same time you were being the best big brother you could be. I knew you were looking after Callum too much, and when I went home at the weekends, I hated the house. It reminded me of everything that’d happened. I wanted to sell it but Marie wouldn’t let me.” I could remember those conversations, short ones, conclusions quickly formed and then acted on.
“Why not?”
