Page 2 of The Stolen Child

Her baby girl was oblivious to any worrying family dynamics and squealed again, but this time in delight, as her daddy tickled her.

‘Tickle me too, Daddy,’ Robert asked, raising his arms upwards.

Jason and Kimberly swapped children so Jason could tickle Robert, and peace was restored for the Murphy family.

When Kimberly had met Jason two years previously, the last thing on her mind was dating. Her only thought was taking care of Robert. But she hadn’t bargained on the love she would feel for her new beau, fast and all-enveloping. From the moment he’d knocked on the door of her flat in Dublin, she’d felt an instant attraction to him. And it wasn’t only a physical reaction to his good looks. It was a meeting of two like-minded souls, who both instantly knew that the other was to be an essential part of their future. Jason had proposed shortly after she found out she was expecting Lily. And here Kimberly was, twenty-eight years old, with that perfect family she’d always dreamed of having.

Looks are often deceiving, though.

‘Hey, Kimberly, no sad faces are allowed on holiday,’ Jason said, looking over Robert’s shoulder, a frown creasing his forehead.

‘Ignore me,’ Kimberly said, folding the towels into her large poolside bag. ‘I’m being overly sentimental, that’s all.’ She pointed to Robert, who was now snuggled in his stepfather’s arms. ‘It’s nice to see you two together like that, father and son. I’m sorry I snapped a minute ago. I know I can be a little overprotective.’

Jason’s frown disappeared instantly, and he leaned in to kiss his wife. ‘Forgiven! I can’t stay mad with someone as bonnie as you.’ Jason’s Irish accent changed to Scottish as he mimicked Kimberly’s soft lilt.

‘I couldn’t love him any more if he were my own; you know that, don’t you?’ Jason asked in a low voice as they began their short walk back to their family cabin.

‘Yes. I know that,’ Kimberly replied.

Jason’s face relaxed into an easy smile. ‘Don’t judge me, but I’m glad we have the kids’ club booked for later tonight. I’m looking forward to having a drink with my beautiful wife.’

Kimberly accepted a kiss from Jason as a tension headache began to thump in her temples. She pushed it aside, and within an hour all four of them were showered, bathed, dressed and ready for the evening buffet.

‘You’ve caught the sun – it suits you!’ Jason complimented Kimberly as they waited for the lift. ‘Doesn’t Mama look lovely tonight?’ he said to Robert, who nodded enthusiastically in agreement. ‘In fact, I think we all scrub up well.’

Kimberly took a moment to take their family in. There were striking, dressed in their holiday best, bright colours against sun-kissed skin. Robert and her, blonde and blue-eyed, Jason and Lily, dark with brown eyes.

They found a table at the Carousel buffet, taking turns choosing from the delicacies offered that evening. But as Kimberly spoon-fed Lily her mashed potatoes, she felt the tension headache that had niggled her all day tighten its claws into her.

‘You okay?’ Jason asked, a forkful of stroganoff held in midair. ‘You’ve gone pale.’

‘Headache,’ Kimberly admitted. She steeled herself for an argument, continuing, ‘I’m going to take a sleeping tablet and go to bed early, once the children are asleep. Knock it on its head.’

Jason’s eyes dropped, and his jaw clenched. ‘But the talent show is on tonight in the main theatre. We were going to go. A night for just the two of us.’

Kimberly picked up a napkin and wiped Lily’s face clean, then turned her attention to Robert, who was about to throw a piece of chicken onto the floor. ‘I know that was the plan. And I’m sorry to miss it. I need to sleep this headache off. But there’s no reason why you can’t go alone.’

‘I can’t do that,’ Jason answered warily.

‘Yes, you can. You’ve been looking forward to it. So go. Have a couple of beers. I’ll wake up a new woman, and tomorrow we can have a nice family day in Barcelona.’

Jason needed little encouragement. Kimberly knew she’d been snappy all day, and while her husband was a patient man he was ready for the escape and comfort a cold pint could offer. Jason offered to help her get the kids into bed, but Kimberly insisted he leave immediately. She needed time to herself, without his watchful eyes on her and the children.

If he looks back, I’ll call out and ask him to stay, Kimberly thought after he’d kissed them all goodbye. But he carried on purposefully and disappeared out of sight into the busy atrium of the ship without a backwards glance.

Back in their cabin, once Lily had drunk her bottle, and was drifting off to sleep in her crib, Kimberly turned her attention to Robert, who sat cross-legged on the floor watching TV. Cartoon Tom chased Jerry menacingly around the garden, and a shiver ran down Kimberly’s back as she picked up Robert’s empty night-time bottle of milk from the floor beside him.

‘I drank it all, Mama,’ her little boy said proudly.

‘You are such a good boy. Come here to me,’ Kimberly said, holding her hand out to him.

‘I sleepy, Mama,’ Robert replied, wiping his eyes with his hands. He clasped his beloved Peter Rabbit soft toy in his right hand.

Kimberly picked him up and gently placed him in his sofa bed. Then, climbing in beside him, she read him his favourite bedtime story, Goodnight Moon.

Even before Kimberly was halfway through, the quiet poetry had lulled Robert asleep in her arms. She lay beside him until her eyes became heavy too, the power of her sleeping tablet taking effect. Kimberly almost stayed there, her little boy wrapped up in her arms.

Safe, the two of them together.