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‘I’m fine.’ His lips twitched at her answer, and she made a face. ‘It’s what you say when people ask, isn’t it?’ she added.
‘Don’t say you’re fine if you’re not,’ he said.
‘Just like you don’t?’ she arched an eyebrow.
‘Touché.’ He hesitated. ‘Seriously, if there’s anything I can help with...?’
‘Unless you can magic me a house and a job— Shit!’ Annabelle felt awful. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean— I wasn’t thinking—’
‘No worries.’ His smile was sad. ‘I can’t manage to magic a house up for myself, so I’m hardly likely to magic one up for you. I do, however, have a job, of sorts. You’re welcome to share it.’ His smile became teasing.
‘Mum didn’t say. What do you do?’ Annabelle wondered if her mother knew, and if not, would the information change her opinion of him.
‘Odd jobs. Your aunt rents me out now and again.’ Another sad smile. ‘You’d be surprised how many elderly people there are who need a leaky tap fixing or a bit of decorating done. It’s not much, but it means I can pay my way.’
‘I’m not implying that you don’t.’
‘I know you’re not, but some people think that.’
‘Helen?’ Annabelle hazarded a guess. She thought her own mother could also be added to the list, and shame pricked at her.
‘OK,’ Kate called. ‘If anyone gets separated, wait at the entrance to the shows. Do not – I repeat –do notleave the fair. Sam, I’m looking at you.’
‘Mum...’ Ellis rolled her eyes. ‘I’m eighteen, not eight.’
‘Obviously that rule doesn’t apply to the adults or to Ellis and Portia. But please can everyone be at the entrance by ten o’clock?’
Without replying, the two older girls moved off, clearly eager to ditch their relatives. Annabelle didn’t blame them; she would have felt the same at their age. But when she saw Izzie staring sadly after them, her heart went out to her daughter.
Annabelle wasn’t the only one to notice.
Ron said, ‘I know you can borrow Pepe when you’re here, but how about if I try and win you a toy dog of your own?’
Oh, my goodness! What a lovely thing to say to a little girl who’d had to leave nearly all of her toys behind, Annabelle thought. Granny and Grandad had bought her a few more, but toys hadn’t been at the top of anyone’s list when Annabelle had been packing for what she’d assumed would be a three-week holiday.
‘We’ll take a stroll around, and you tell me which one you’d like me to try to win for you. There’s no guarantee I will, though,’ Ron warned, and Izzie nodded solemnly.
‘Thank you,’ Annabelle said, gratitude flooding through her.
He waited for Izzie to catch up with the boys, who were skipping ahead, before saying, ‘I hope to God I can actually win one for her. I should never have promised.’
‘It’s the thought that counts,’ Annabelle replied, ‘and I’m sure Izzie will understand if you don’t.’ She wasn’t sure at all, but she’d deal with that if it happened. For some reason, she didn’t think it would – she had every faith that Ron would come through for her daughter.
As they walked along the promenade, Annabelle tried to let go of her ever-present worry about the future, and enjoy the evening. Her children seemed happier than she’d seen them since she’d given them the news that the UK would now be their home, so that was a step in the right direction. And their happiness was her main concern, followed by where they were going to live, how she was going to support herself, would they settle into their new schools, would they make friends—?
Argh! Stop it, she admonished silently.
‘You’re fine again, aren’t you?’ Ron’s tongue-in-cheek comment made her smile.
‘Absolutely,’ she agreed. ‘Never better.’
‘Good. I’d hate to think of you as not being fine.’
‘We’ll be OK,’ Annabelle stated firmly.
‘I know you will. You’re tough, independent, resourceful…’
‘Keep going,’ Annabelle joked. ‘I need the pep talk.’
