‘Are you sure? Don’t let the naughty little toads pressure you. It was just a fun little thing.’
‘I love fun little things.’ As she took her focus off the children and concentrated it all on him, he felt his heart beat faster and he tried to take a deep breath while at the same time hiding the fact that he was doing so. But she just fixed him with that all-knowing look and slightly smirk-smiled, blinking slowly as the smile crept across her face.
‘I know you.’
Her words were slow and deliberate. Did they contain a hidden subtext? Or was he just so besotted that he hoped they did? He paused, unsure of himself, and therefore not knowing which words he was supposed to say in return.I know youcarried so much weight. Was this a flippantI know you? A my-soul-sees-your-soulknow you? An I’m-so-happy-our-kids-get-along-but-otherwise-I-wouldn’t-want-to-know-youknow you?
‘I know you,’ Sylvie repeated, ‘and whatever you have cooked up between the lot of you, it’s going to be pretty awesome, and if it’s important to these two toe-rags that they do it, then so be it. As long as you all promise that it’s gentle and not going to make Sam do loads of stuff. I still want him to take it easy tonight, no running about. If that’s OK, then let’s do this!’
‘Sure? I’ll have to ring Marion.’
‘Yes, sure. Then you can tell her that Sam’s OK. Actually, do either of us have a car here? Nope, we’re going to have to ring Andy’s Cabs.’
‘Is there no bus service?’
‘Seriously, you’ve been living here for months now and have you ever seen a bus past five o’clock other than the college bus?’
‘Yeah, good point, but I also know Andy’s Cabs seems to use the Smuggler’s Curse as his base from six on in the evening, so he might not be a good idea?’
‘Oh, bloody hell, I thought he had stopped that.’
‘Marion?’
‘Letting her come over to yours to do this surprise thing is enough. We’ve all been in the hospital once today as it is – have you seen the way she drives? Rosy claims to still be having nightmares.’
‘Fair point. Right then, I guess you’re going to have to ring Tom?’
‘OK, on it.’ She pulled out her phone to call her uncle, and grinned at the people in front of her, resolute in her determination to grab the moment.
Chapter Forty-five
Sylvie sat in Tom’s car once the others went in. Marion had already arrived and she and the boys had greeted Sam like he was some kind of miracle child. The boys were patting him on the back and Sylvie had to resist the urge to screech, ‘Gentle!’ from the car window as they all went in the house together. She had been instructed to stay in the car for five minutes so they could set up whatever had to be set up, although they all reassured her Sam would not be allowed to even look at a tree let alone go within three feet of one.
‘Some day you ’ad today, maid.’
‘Huh. Tell you, I’ve never been so scared in all my life, Tom.’
‘Aye.’
‘It hammered home the point that life is too short to not grasp it.’
‘You’ve always known that, bird.’
‘I know, but it’s been reinforced. That family, be it blood or chosen, is the most important thing in the world. And that life is too short for miscommunications, for secrets, for misunderstandings, and that sometimes you just have to stand up and own the truth that you see.’
‘Aye.’
‘Like you did Julie.’
‘Aye. I did.’
‘So, I’m going to with Alex.’
‘Aye. That you should.’
‘Really?’
‘Aye, of course. He’s a good man and he’s besotted with you, and I think that you need to hurry up and get on with it. He’s been hanging round now for months and you treating him casually like he’s just your friend when even the cows can see you two are meant to be together. So yep, stop this damn stupid shilly-shallying and gerron. Or he’ll go elsewhere. There be women everywhere eager to get a man like him. That blonde bit he teetered into the house with, for example.’
