Fox had dropped off the hamper with Frank and Sandra. “They were very touched. Frank said the cashmere socks and silk dressing gown were so ridiculously luxurious, the nurses were going to think he was some kind of Mafia boss.”
Reggie was in my arms, and Fox pulled us both into a hug. He kissed the top of my head. “I’m just starting on dinner. I tried calling before pickup—where were you?”
“I took some stuff to the charity shop. I needed something to do.”
“What?”
I looked round to see Bibi staring up at me.
“What you take?” she demanded.
“Nothing of yours.” White lies save lives.
But she’d already run into the playroom. I handed Reggie to Fox and followed. She was wildly looking through all the neatly organized boxes.
“Do not make a mess!” The Zen-like calm I’d experienced earlier was fast disappearing.
Bibi cried, “My one-legged doll with the chopped-off hair. I miss her!”
“You have not played with her in years. I took her to the charity shop so another little child could love her properly.” Another lie, but it sounded better than admitting I’d dropped her at the tip enroute to the charity shop
“That’s not…She was mine. MINE!” Bibi pulled a soft bunny out of a box. “What about my Playmobil vet?”
This was a plastic vet’s office for which half the pieces and the roof were missing.
“And my Barbie caravan?”
The caravan had no wheels and was covered in permanent marker. It looked like it belonged outside a crack den.
“They might still be there. I’m not sure.” Lie.
“Not here!” Bibi threw the bunny down onto the floor. “Charity shop, charity shop. My precious things are there!”
“Enough, Bibi! Sometimes bad stuff happens, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You just need to accept it and focus on all the good stuff.”
“I’m too sad!”
“Then bloody distract yourself!” I kept thinking about Jenny. She was heartbroken, and I couldn’t do anything to help. “Sorry, I mean…I just…” My voice caught a little.
“You can go watch TV, Bibi.” Fox was behind me. He wrapped his arms around me as I leaned back into him.
Bibi stomped off.
“Let’s get you a glass of wine.” Fox rested his head on top of mine. “Two hours of watchingOctonauts,and she’ll have forgotten all about it.”
The doorbell rang.
Fox extracted himself from me. “Another Amazon delivery, I’m presuming?” He squeezed my shoulder and went to the door.
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Fox
I opened the door toa tall, debonair man in his sixties.
Something about him seemed familiar.
“Alain Drake.” He held out a hand, which I shook as my mind started shouting. “Can I come in?”
