I nod. ‘And it’s sad because you and your Mummy are trulythe best people I know.’
‘ButcanI stay with you, Auntie Enzie? Just for a teenylittle while? I’ll be really good, I promise.’ She was trying so hard to be bravebut her mouth was trembling.
‘I wish you could.’ My heart was breaking as I summoned up asmile. ‘But hey, we’re so lucky living so close to each other, aren’t we? We’repractically next-door neighbours and you know, I’m always there, just along thestreet. If you ever need me.’
This seemed to cheer her up. ‘I can come and see you all thetime, can’t I?’
‘You can. With your mummy’s permission, of course.’
Rachel came into the room at that point, and we both swungto look at her. Our faces were probably a picture of guilt. But instead ofbeing annoyed that we were talking about her, Rachel walked over to the sofaand sat down on the other side of Poppy.
Taking Poppy’s hand in both of hers, she seemed to bestruggling to speak. She blinked rapidly and I realised she was overcome withemotion. She must have been listening in to my conversation with Poppy.
‘It’s all right, my darling,’ she murmured at last, hervoice choked. ‘We’re not going to be living with Uncle Darren anymore. It’sgoing to be just you and me and Auntie Enzie again, okay?’
‘Forever and ever?’ Poppy gazed up at her.
Rachel glanced at me, smiling through her tears. ‘Foreverand ever is a long time. But okay. I’m up for that.’
‘Me, too,’ I agreed, relief flooding through me.
‘Yay!’ Poppy beamed at us both and threw her arms aroundRachel’s neck, snuggling into her. ‘Can I have some more hot chocolate now,please?’
*****
‘It broke my heart hearing Poppy asking you if she couldcome and live with you,’ confessed Rachel that afternoon, as Poppy played inthe garden. We sank, exhausted, onto the sofa, one at each end, facing eachother, with a restorative cup of tea. ‘I really thought I was managing toprotect her from the rows and the nastiness at home, but I was obviouslyfooling myself.’
‘Kids are more aware than we know,’ I murmured.
Her face was etched with misery. ‘I feel so guilty for whatshe’s been through... with Darren.’
I nodded in sympathy. Rachel wasn’t the only one who wasfeeling burdened with guilt. I couldn’t stop reliving what had happened the daybefore on the road... the surprise on Maggie’s face as shestopped in front of my car and looked in at me.
I should have phoned for an ambulance.
It could have made all the difference.
‘You look so tired,’ murmured Rachel. ‘I’m really sorry, Kenzie,for dragging you into all of this... mess.’
‘Hey, don’t apologise. We’re like family. You know that. I’mhere for you no matter what.’
She smiled. The first genuine smile I’d seen on her face in along time. ‘Well, the same goes.’
We exchanged a look of affectionate solidarity.
‘Do you think you should go and stay with your parents in Glasgowfor a while? After we leave here?’ I asked Rachel.
‘There’s no need.’
‘No?’
She shook her head. ‘I told him it was over and I didn’twant to see him again.’
‘Did you? When?’ I looked at her in surprise, not sure if Ibelieved her.
She sighed. ‘Listening to Poppy so upset, saying she wantedto go and live with you, really brought it home to me just what she’s beenthrough. I want to make things better for her. And that means getting Darrenout of our lives for good. While you were reading Poppy her bedtime story, Itexted him and told him it was over.’
‘Right. How did he respond?’
