It made sense, didn’t it? This was my home, and when they’d asked me whom I wanted to invite? Well. My boys. My colleagues. Even Baronetess Daniels, who'd stood up in the middle of it all and recited her sketchy memories of my first day at Kilmartin School. Father McSloan had delivered a blessing, and a local wedding celebrant had sorted all the paperwork.
Huw and Simon had sent a card. I’d thrown it in the bin. Seriously? A card? I’d texted them a lame invite in a moment of madness. They’d politely declined due to work commitments. A relief, to be honest, and in a way, now I knew. I knew who mattered and who didn’t. I knew who I was and who I loved.
Everyone that mattered was right here. Noah, me and Bailey.
We’d done it. Figured everything out, and Baronetess Daniel’s impromptu speech had been the icing on the cake.
It was done in kindness, and despite the shock of her revealing I’d disgraced myself during my first exam, I’d laughed. Because it was all in the past. It was me. It was who I’d once been and the person standing here today?
Better, stronger, smarter. Braver. Me. Who would have thought?
“Riley, a word.”
Emma, dragging me away from my cake-gazing antics, out the back door, where one of our sous-chefs was enjoying a cheeky smoke.
“I just had an email. Not the first one, they emailed yesterday too, and I asked for more information, and it just came through. Inverness socialservices. Word’s gone round that we’re an option and they want in. They have an emergency placement. Young boy, only seven, no viable foster placements available. Bright and no major issues present, again, cannot be placed in the local area for reasons…and needs both schooling and a stable environment.”
“Emma, we’re full. We don’t have a room, and our quota…”
“I know, Fox,” she said softly. “And I know I am going against all my principles here.”
“I can’t do this to Bailey. I don’t have space, we’re…”
“I wouldn’t ask that.” Whispers. Her tapping her fingers against my sleeve. “I see what you do, and in a way?”
“Emma?”
“I have a two-bedroom accommodation module. I have space. We both know he’s too young for us here, but he can go to Kilmartin Primary. Mrs Jones can drop him with her brood in the morning; she already takes Mr Gillespie’s son and… It’s not…that complicated.”
“Emma.” I wanted to roll my eyes, but the look on her face stopped me. I could see it. Fear. Absolute fear. “Do you want this?”
“Never thought I did. I don’t have the maternal gene. I don’t have that particular skill set, but I see Bailey and I see the change in you. I see the joy. I get it, Fox, I really do. And if it all goes wrong, that would be on me.”
“I’m off on holiday tomorrow.”
“It’s mid-term. I’m here. I had plans to read a book for once, but I’d happily change that for…getting to know…” She looked at her phone. Held up the screen to a photo of a child who looked as terrified as she did.
“They make the pictures look like that, to make us soft.” Not a funny joke. Just a reality.
“They didn’t have any photos on file; this woman has him in her office. That’s him, right this minute. She just snapped it and sent it. They can get him on a train tomorrow.”
“On his own?”
“What do I know?” she shrieked.
Fuck. I huffed that out loud as well.
“I can…take a train ride,” she offered.
“Emma. Not our problem. Not our issue to solve.”
“I take Hill and Overstone home every year.”
“Yes, because their parents pay you an obscene amount of money to do so.”
“I could drive. A little road trip. I hear Inverness is beautiful this time of year.”
“Very much so. The roads are…” Crap. Double crap. “You want to borrow my car.”
