He held her carefully, mindful of her bandaged hand, pressing his face into her curls for a second like he was inhaling her.
"Late," Coral informed him, muffled against his shoulder.
"I know. I'm sorry." He pulled back enough to look at her properly. "You ready to bust out of here?"
"She's been ready for an hour," Fern said before she could stop herself.
He cringed, just a flicker, then nodded. "Yeah. I... I got held up. The lawyer rang."
They had been waiting for that call ever since the court had ordered the paternity test.
Fern's nails involuntarily dug into the straps of her bags. "The lawyer?"
He shifted Coral onto his hip and looked at her, eyes too bright, too wired. "He said he's got the results."
For a heartbeat she felt a bit dizzy as her stomach dropped with panic.
"The test," she mumbled slowly. "Already?"
"He pushed it through," Connor said. "Because of your complaint. Social services supported the petition because I don't think they are keen on Jacob returning to Matilda. He said he'd call as soon as he had anything. He wants me to come in. Would... Please, can you come with me?"
She opened her mouth to say no, that her priority was to get Coral settled, not to sit in some office to watch his face when they told him—
But she glanced at Harlan, who was hovering a few feet away with a Lego bag in one hand and his car keys in the other.
He'd clearly caught enough of the conversation to put the pieces together. His brows had climbed halfway up his forehead. "It might be better to know," he said carefully, catching Fern's eye. "Whatever it is. So you can... plan."
If the paternity test came positive, it would mean Jacob and Coral were siblings.
Fern looked at Coral, who was playing with the zip on Connor's hoodie, utterly oblivious to the adult earthquake happening inches from her.
She'd thought she was ready. She had her school letter; she had her dad's spare room all ready for her. She had a plan that was hers, separate from Connor's choices or Matilda's moods.
But she also had a daughter whose life was tied to this man's in ways that went beyond screw-ups and bad decisions. Knowing the truth about Jacob, about whatever else the test covered, was important for all of them.
"Can you take her?" she asked Harlan, her voice coming out thinner than she liked. "I've packed her stuff. I... I'll come as soon as we have the results."
"Of course." He stepped closer, switching the Lego bag to his other hand. "Hey, butterfly. I've got something to show you."
Her head whipped round. "Lego police?"
"Better." He crouched, grinning. "Lego fire station. With a little fire engine, a slide, and everything. Think you can help me build it while Mum and Dad go and talk to a boring grown-up?"
Her eyes went huge. "Slide?" she echoed, already half-squirming toward him. "Hat?"
"Lots of hats," he said solemnly.
Connor's arms tightened around his precious bundle for a fraction of a second before he gently transferred Coral into Harlan's arms. He buckled the strap of her tiny backpack around her shoulders himself at her royal decree, hands gentle.
"You be good for Papa Har, yeah?" he said.
"Kay," she said absently, already peering into the gigantic Lego bag.
They walked down to the front entrance together. The automatic doors hissed open, letting in a blast of cool air and traffic noise.Connor's Range Rover was parked crookedly near the drop-off zone, hazard lights flashing.
He had bought it three years ago, just after they got married. Fern had forgotten how they had talked about it and remembered how he had stared at the paperwork from his trust.
"I can't actuallybuyit yet," he'd said back then, waving the brochure for the muscle car of his dreams. "But I can start planning. House first, then a car that doesn't need resuscitation every time it rains. Maybe something stupid and loud."
