“I don’t know,” Kim says at last. “I was thinking friends. Now, I don’t know. Maybe more.”
Danika turns, faces her. “More, how?” Her stomach winds itself tight, pushing acid into her throat.
“More like an extended family. Chris told me he didn’t have parents. Is that true?”
“It is. At least, that’s what I’ve always been told. He immigrated—that is, he told me he immigrated from Britain when he was twenty. That his parents aren’t living. No brothers or sisters.” Her mouth twists. “A month ago, I would have just said ‘he immigrated’. Now, I’m second-guessing everything he ever told me. The facts.”
“And you?”
“My parents are local. You’ve already met Shirley. I have an older brother, Ronan. He lives in Perth. We catch up at Christmas. He’s married and has two kids, both boys, but they’re a lot older than Cami.”
“My parents live in Far North Queensland,” Kim says. “I don’t have siblings.” She twists the silver ring on her thumb. “My parents never liked Chris much. Dad said straight out he didn’t trust him. I haven’t told them about you, about Cami, yet.”
“Will you?”
“Eventually. But I don’t have the family that you have. I see my family, my close family, as me and Bella. But I’m hoping, a small hope, that maybe Cami—and you—will be like family, too.”
Does she want that? Danika sucks her lip. “I can’t say. I don’t know what will happen. I’m taking this one step at a time. First, we tell the girls. Then…” She falls silent. Already, she’s talking asif they are in this together. First,wetell the girls. Plural. Cami and Bella. Bella and Cami.
We.
First. We.
She swallows. That word choice implies a commitment.
Is she ready for that? It’s almost like a marriage, except this is more nebulous, harder to sever ties.
Kim picks up Danika’s hand and grips it. “I can see you worrying. We can’t stop this now. We just have to see where the journey takes us.”
Danika heaves a shuddering sigh. “Often, I wish I’d never opened the door to you that time. Maybe you’d have gone away and not come back. Then I’d never have known all of this.” She meets Kim’s eyes. “But sometimes, too, I’m glad you did, even though it’s uncomfortable, even though I’m grieving again, not for the man that died, but for the marriage I thought I had. But I’m glad I know the truth now.” She grips Kim’s fingers tightly, feeling her dry hands. Comforting. Steady.
Until now, Danika has always been the steady one.
“I’m glad you feel like that.” Kim takes a breath. “Now, let’s see if we can pick a time to tell our girls.”
“Separately,” Danika says.
Kim nods. “Yes, separately. But if we time it together, they will have the option of supporting each other, too.”
“Next Saturday?” Danika asks. “So they don’t have to go to school the next day.”
Kim nods, agrees.
Danika closes her eyes and imagines Cami’s face. Her reaction.
She has no idea what that will be.
Chapter Twelve
Kim
Saturday evening.
After soccer.
After pizza for dinner—Bella’s favourite.
This is the day Bella’s life will change. She only hopes Bella can handle it.
