Nick’s cheeks flushed. ‘It was easier to write it on my phone. That way I can text it to you.’
Kitty took the phone from him, and burst out laughing.
‘What is it?’ asked Nick. ‘What’s so funny?’
‘Sorry,’ said Kitty, trying to regain her composure. ‘You’re going to have to watch Emily. She’s a smart cookie and will play you like a fiddle if you’re not careful.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘This list,’ said Kitty, holding it out to Nick. ‘Do you notice anything unusual about it?’
‘No.’ He frowned, shaking his head.
‘What about this meal she suggested? Pizza with a side of ice cream and cookies.’
‘OK, so maybe it’s not the healthiest, but I want her to be happy.’
‘Chicken nuggets, chips, smiley faces and doughnuts. Nick, there’s no way Carla feeds her this kind of food. Emily has basically listed the food you’d find at a children’s birthday party for every single meal. There isn’t a single vegetable on this list, and nothing that you’d need to cook from scratch.’ Kitty handed the phone back to Nick. ‘Maybe we should message Carla and ask her for some ideas.’
‘No!’ snapped Nick. ‘I don’t want her thinking I can’t cope. Can you suggest some dinners you think Emily might like? You seem to be pretty experienced at this. Anyone would think you have kids of your own.’
Kitty froze. ‘No, of course I don’t.’ She turned to the sink so Nick couldn’t see the expression she knew would be plastered across her face. Her fingers tightened around a dishcloth, her knuckles turning white. She swallowed a sob and turned it into a cough. After squeezing her eyes tight shut for a few seconds, she took a deep breath and turned to Nick. ‘Pass me that list. I’ll write down a few ideas and be on my way.’
Chapter 12
Nick smiled at the little girl beside him at the kitchen bar, suddenly unsure of himself. The exhaustion of a disturbed night weighed him down like lead. At one point he’d wondered if he’d ever be able to console the homesick Emily, and it had seemed like failure on his part when she eventually cried herself to sleep.
At least breakfast had gone better than he’d hoped, and although quiet, Emily seemed happy enough. Now they’d finished eating, and an entire day stretched before them. Nick was at a loss. What did five-year-old girls do with their time?
‘What are we doing today?’
Nick flinched. He’d grown so used to being alone with his thoughts, he wasn’t used to them being interrupted. A pang of longing filled him, for the blissful ignorance he’d been in only twenty-four hours earlier. ‘I’m not too sure, Emily. What would you like to do?’
The little girl shrugged.
‘What do you usually do with your mum during the school holidays?’
She frowned and chewed on a nail. ‘Sometimes we go to the aquarium. Sometimes, we look around the shops. Sometimes we go to McDonald’s. On other days we stay inside and draw or bake cakes.’
‘Right.’ Without access to a vehicle, the aquarium and shops were a no-go, and Nick hadn’t the first idea how to draw or bake. ‘Why don’t we explore the village this morning? Would you like to see a bit more of Saffron Bay?’
‘OK.’
‘Then maybe we could come home and do some drawing?’ Nick was getting into the swing of things now.
‘Will you help me?’
‘I’m not very good. I can try, though.’
‘Mummy’s good at drawing.’
‘I bet she is.’ Nick still wasn’t sure what to make of Carla. They’d had a terse conversation the night before when he’d assured her Emily was alright. She hadn’t lingered on the call, or given any reassurance of how long she’d be away. He would have resented her more were it not for the wobble in her voice, which even he understood meant she was trying hard not to cry.
‘I miss Mummy.’ Despite the quietness of Emily’s voice, Nick heard its tremble like a rumble of thunder.
He shuffled closer to Emily and put an arm around her. She shrugged it off which, inexplicably, hurt. ‘Mummy misses you, too.’
‘When is she coming back?’
