Page 37 of The Christmas Star

I recalled what Mum had said in her video. If she and Jackson had a long drive ahead of them, that meant Theo and I did as well. In a Smart car. That didn’t drive particularly fast. I sighed. Getting to Mum sooner rather than later was a big ask.

As I gathered up my things and exited the bathroom, Theo looked up from my phone.

‘Who goes the wrong way down a slip road?’ He frowned. ‘They’re lucky to still be alive.’ His tone was calm and measured but gone was his casual demeanour; he seemed quietly furious.

To be fair, I understood his position. If it were my son in the car, I’d be blaming Mum too.

‘If anything happens to Jackson…’

‘Nothing’s going to happen to him.’

‘And you know this how?’ Theo huffed, his frustration coming to the fore. ‘You said yourself Maeve has no driving experience and if this…’ He indicated my mobile. ‘…is anything to go by.’

‘‘You’re acting like this…’ Mimicking his action, I, too, indicated my phone. ‘…is all Mum’s fault.’

‘She’s the one behind the wheel.’

Theo might have been right, but that didn’t stop me feeling defensive. ‘And you heard what she said about the roundabout situation. She’s learnt her lesson.’

Theo shook his head. ‘No wonder you want to put her in a home.’

Wondering how he knew about that, his words stung. I gave him a questioning look.

‘Maeve told Jackson and Jackson told me. Maybe if you hadn’t suggested it, none of us would be in this mess?’

‘Great. Now I’m the baddie.’ Not that Theo had suggested something I didn’t already know. ‘Just remember Jackson’s a willing passenger, Theo. He could’ve got out of that car at any point in their journey and yet he chose not to.’

‘He’s a kid, Erin.’ Theo rose to his feet. ‘He doesn’t know what he wants.’ He paced up and down. ‘Who would after…’ Falling silent, he stopped still and running a hand through his hair, took a deep breath.

‘After what, Theo?’

He looked at me direct but rather than say anything further, he made a grab for his overnight bag and stepping into the bathroom, shut the door.

Hearing the door lock click into place, I put one hand on my hip and rested the other against my forehead. ‘Fantastic,’ I said.

CHAPTER 26

CHRISTMAS EVE

Theo had hardly said two words to me since getting up and as we sat in the ferry cafeteria eating breakfast, it didn’t look like that was about to change. We still hadn’t resolved the previous evening’s discussion, and he obviously thought he was in line for some sort of apology.

‘It isn’t attractive,’ I said.

Theo looked up from his plate. ‘What isn’t?’

‘A grown man sulking.’

‘Who says I’m sulking?’

My expression hardened.

‘I’m sorry if it comes across that way, because I’m not. I’m just worried.’

I thought back to the beginning of our sorry chain of events, unable to recall any understanding shown for my concerns. ‘Cry me a river. When this all started, you thought it was funny, remember?’

Theo sighed and put down his knife and fork. ‘You’re right.’ He put his elbows on the table and clasping his hands, looked at me direct. ‘I was wrong and I’m sorry. The last thing I should be doing is making you uncomfortable.’

If I’d heard a man apologise once, I’d heard them a hundred times. ‘Does that mean the pity party’s over, and we concentrate on what we’re here to do?’