‘I know. That’s what has me so worried.’ He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, rubbing her back soothingly as she sobbed. There was no need to pretend anymore and it was a relief to let it out. Maybe there was something to be said for crying.
‘Sit,’ Aidan said, eventually as her tears subsided.
He gently pushed her into the chair in front of his desk, then sank to his hunkers in front of her, looking up into her face. ‘Now, tell me what’s wrong?’ He tucked a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her face behind her ear, frowning in concern.
‘I just… I got some bad news this morning.’ How much could she tell him? She didn’t want to burden him with her problems.
‘What is it?’ he asked, alarmed.
She was silent for a moment, considering. Then she found she really wanted to tell Aidan. There was nothing he could do about it, but it would be a relief to say it out loud to someone. They did say a trouble shared was a trouble halved, and suddenly Lou felt that might actually be true.
‘I got a letter from a solicitor in Dublin. Rob is taking me to court. He wants guardianship of Jack.’
‘What? Can he do that?’
Lou shrugged. ‘I suppose so. He is his father. I don’t know. He has rights, I guess.’
‘Fuck that!’ Aidan was clearly incensed. He’d even forgotten his own language rule. ‘He never sees him, does he?’
‘No. He’s never had any interest. But he got wind of us inheriting the house and he obviously wants to get a piece of it somehow.’ She heaved a deep, shuddering breath. ‘The thing is, if he was Jack’s guardian, he’d have a say in where he lives. Maybe he could make me sell the cottage and move back to Dublin, so Jack is near him.’
‘But surely no judge would grant him guardianship when he’s never shown any interest in his son before.’
‘That’s the trouble. He’s saying that he wanted to see Jack all along, to be involved in his life, but I kept him away from him.It’s not true! I never did that,’ she pleaded, fresh tears springing to her eyes.
‘Hey, I know you didn’t.’
‘But he can just outright lie about it and what can I do? It’s his word against mine.’
‘Well, yours and everyone else’s. We all know you wouldn’t do that, Lou – anyone who knows you knows you’d do whatever was right for Jack and you’d never stop him seeing his father, regardless of how you feel about him.’
‘But you can’t know that for sure. No one can. You don’t know what went on between us.’
‘We knowyou, Lou.’ He sighed and sank to the floor. ‘Look, why don’t we bring this letter to a solicitor and see what they say?’
‘Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that. I can probably get free legal aid. I’m going to look into it as soon as I get home.’
Aidan frowned, shaking his head. ‘Sean O’Sullivan is a solicitor – that’s Mum’s friend Carmel’s husband. He’s not in family law but he’ll know someone. I’ll give him a call. And don’t worry about the money.’
‘I can’t let you do that. This is my mess. I’ll sort it out myself.’
‘Come on. You don’t think I have a vested interest in you staying here in Dingle? Where else am I going to find a woman to put up with my bullshit?’
‘Language!’ she chided.
‘I’m in love with you, Lou, in case I haven’t mentioned that, and I really don’t want you to move back to Dublin. It’s a long way to drive at the end of an evening shift.’
Lou was aware how she must look, snotty-nosed and smelling of onions, as Aidan brushed away the tears that slid down her cheeks. It wasn’t the most romantic setting for declarations of love.
‘I love you too, by the way,’ she said softly. ‘I can’t think why, but I do.’
‘No accounting for taste, I guess. Though you do have an exceptional palate.’
Lou smiled, a jumble of emotions warring inside her as they gazed into each other’s eyes.
‘Well, we’d better get back to prep,’ she said eventually, standing. ‘Those onions aren’t going to chop themselves.’
‘Ian can chop the onions.’
‘Don’t give him a hard time about it,’ she said to Aidan as they walked to the door. ‘I really did make him let me do them.’
‘I bet he didn’t put up much of a struggle.’
‘He did, actually. But I managed to twist his arm.’
‘Well, I do know how stubborn you can be.’
