“If I knew, it wouldn’t be asurprise.”
Whatever it was, Mim was involved. She waited at the front door, waving hello as we made our way up the stairs. My eyes widened. Simon stood next to her. Now,thatwas a surprise. He hardly ever hovered around the house these days.
Callan’s steps slowed.
The front portico narrowed into an awkward bubble with the two men refusing to look at each other. This was the first time they’d stood face-to-face since their fight. Simon wasn’t interested in arguing again. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and nodded his hello without looking up.
Callan seemed just as unsure how to react. “What’s, uh… going on?” he asked.
“Well…” Mim said. “We’ve been workin’ on a secret project. A surprise for our little Til.”
I flicked Callan a confused look. He shrugged.
O…kay.
“Come see.” Mim waved at us to follow her into the house.
When we landed at the top of the stairs, my gaze locked on the open door at the end of the hallway. Callan’s hand was comforting on my shoulder. I gave him a thankful smile, but my heart stayed strong and steady all on its own. The fear of falling apart walking into the room at the end of the hall no longer haunted me.
Mim paused in the doorway. “We thought since Erin’s stayin’, our little Til needs a special room of her own. And she did seem to like this one best…” A freckled hand reached out to pat Matilda’s back. “What do you say, Til? Want to see your bedroom?”
Matilda’s head lifted. She blinked at the open door. “Princess room!” She wriggled to escape Callan’s arms.
“Whoa there!” he said. “Let me put you down!”
Impatient, her tiny legs thrashed, and when the toes of her jelly sandals landed on the carpet, she bolted. A squeal of excitement erupted from inside the room. “It arealprincess room!”
Callan raised an eyebrow. Confused, I walked in, my hand curled tight around the edge of the doorframe.
Just in case.
The empty room had been reawakened with an explosion of pink. The walls were painted a soft pastel to match the new mesh draped over the top of the four-poster bed. A few simple pieces of antique furniture hauled down from the attic provided Matilda plenty of space to tuck away her clothes and books, and as I shuffled closer, my fingertips trailed the frilly edge of the pink and white gingham patchwork quilt spread over the bed. I smiled. It was one of Lila’s.
“We thought with Til’s birthday comin’ up and all…” Mim’s thin lips stretched in a nervous smile. “We hope you won’t mind.”
I glanced at the windowsill. The knot looped around my heart loosened. The porcelain unicorn was still proudly watching over the valley. How could I mind? Lila would have loved this space.
“It’s perfect,” I said. “Thank you so much for going to all this trouble for her… For us…”
Callan stood silent beside me.
Matilda, of course, was in awe of everything in the bedroom. She clapped her hands to her cheeks. “Matildalikethis room.” She twisted on the spot. “Who live here?”
“You can,” Mim said. “If your mummy says it’s okay.”
Matilda’s smile was sly. “Mummy say okay.”
The cheeky little imp. “Oh,doI?” I said.
She clasped her hands under her chin. With her sweetest smile plastered on, she said, “Please!”
“You have to say ‘thank you’ to Mim and Si,” I told her.
She toddled over to clutch her arms tight around Mim’s legs first, then, with cautious eyes on Simon, she sneaked closer. His face broke out with a rare smile, and he bent down with his arms wide.
She tumbled into him. “Thank you!”
After that, she scurried to the corner of the room. “Oh, wow!” Her dollhouse from the cottage sat nestled on a hill of fake grass, a village of shops and little houses sprawled around the bottom for her to play with. “Oh, wow!” She wedged her ginger bear onto the bicycle and started taking him on a tour of the new roads.
