‘Mum!’ Charlie called out again. ‘Hurry, it’s creepy in here.’
‘How on earth can your own bedroom be creepy?’ Annie asked, coming in and sitting on his bed.
‘It’s too quiet, like one of those scary movies.’
‘Ah, Charlie, I told you not to watch those movies with Callum, didn’t I? You’re too young for that stuff.’
‘I know, but I couldn’t help it. They were just on. Mum, can I have two stories tonight, please, please?’
‘I don’t know, hon, I’ve had a very rough day and I’m tired. I had to make a lot of calls to a lot of people.’ She sighed. ‘There are a lot of people angry at Mummy at the moment.’
‘Why would anyone be angry at you?’ he asked, concerned. ‘You’re brilliant.’
She smiled, despite herself. ‘I’m glad you think so,’ she said as she hugged him. ‘I wish more people did.’
‘Nick thinks so,’ he told her seriously.
Annie looked at him. ‘How do you know that?’
‘I heard him say it just the other day at Gemma’s house.’
‘Really?’ She really hoped that Nick wasn’t talking to his sister about her financial problems in front of her son. She didn’t want Charlie to pick up on any issues. ‘You heard them talking about me?’ she questioned. ‘What else did you hear?’
‘Nothing.’ He shrugged. ‘Me and Callum just went outside to play football then.’
She tucked Charlie in, snuggling under the covers and nestling him into the crook of her arm as she read him a story while he drifted off.
When he was finally asleep, she stroked his hair and eased herself out from beneath him, studying his face as she watched him sleep.
He looked so like his father sometimes it killed her.
Going back downstairs in her bare feet, Annie padded into the kitchen, then went to the fridge and poured herself an extra-large glass of wine.
After the week she’d just had, it was badly needed.
Chapter 46
‘Mum?’ Charlie called out blearily from the bottom of the stairs. It was the following morning and Annie was sitting at the breakfast bar in her pyjamas. ‘You’re not dressed.’
She looked up and smiled. ‘I’m not going into work today, love. I’m staying home with you instead.’
The look on her son’s face said it all. A bright smile lit up his features, causing Annie to smile, too.
‘Really? You’re not going into the salon?’
‘Nope.’
The salon was the last place she wanted to be today. Saturday was their busiest day, of course, but there was no point in her sitting in the office, stressing over things she couldn’t control. She’d done enough of that.
Besides, there was something else she needed to take care of.
‘But you never take a day off,’ Charlie continued, shocked.
‘What? Should I change my mind and go to work instead?’ she teased.
‘No!’ he shouted as he ran and threw his arms around her with a laugh. ‘No way!’
Again, Annie felt guilty because of all the long hours at the salon that had taken her away from Charlie, but there had been no other option.
