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“That’s okay,” Raven smiles reassuringly at Nix but I can tell it’s forced. “Did you go to hospital to get a cast?”
“Yeah! I went a few times. I had to have a photo taken but it doesn’t take normal pictures, it can zoom inside your body and take a picture of your bones.”
“Wow! You had to have an x-ray?”
“Yeah. I forgot the name. My bone was all cracked and looked funny, so the doctor said this will magic it back together again.”
“That’s really good. I’m glad he gave you it.”
“Yeah. And I got to pick the colour! They had pink and purple and it was really hard to choose. I couldn’t pick and grandma shouted at me to hurry up so I just closed my eyes and pointed. I like purple though so it’s okay.”
I grind my teeth at the idea of Cordelia shouting at Nix over something so trivial as taking time to make a decision. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Raven raise her voice at Nix. I mean, obviously she must have, but we have only been around for a few months. It’s funny because she seems to have the patience of a saint with Nix, whereas she’s the one more like an impatient toddler when dealing with Rebel’s tantrums. But I do know for certain that she definitely wouldn’t shout at Nix over something so trivial.
“I love the purple,” Raven says, kissing her. “It’s a bit like Ace’s eyes, look.”
She beckons Ace over to the bed so that Nix can look at his unusual violet eyes. Nix giggles.
“I like purple a lot more now. Can I have pancakes?”
Of course we’ve forgotten all about the breakfast going cold on the side. I don’t want to eat, I want to know why our fucking daughter has her arm in a cast and thinks she isn’t allowed to talk about it. I twitch impatiently.
“Of course. Get into bed beside me baby, and let the others sit down, and we’ll all tuck in.”
Nix does as Raven says, climbing under the covers and patting the spot beside her for me to take. I do, and the smile they both give me relieves a little of the tension locking up my body.
Thorn passes out plates and cutlery while Ace hands out pancakes. It’s the most inappropriate breakfast in bed food, but no one seems to mind at all. Once everyone has a plateful, the others all perch on the end of bed.
“You need a bigger bed,” Baxter complains. Rebel looks smug as fuck, obviously thinking of his secret shag pad on the top floor that he thinks we don’t know about. Idiot. I know more about this house than he does, including his ‘secret’ plans for the garden for Nix’s Christmas present.
“What was your favourite breakfast you had at Grandma’s then Nix?” Thorn asks.
“I had gra-u-ola a lot.”
“Granola? Yuk.” Thorn pulls a face and Nix giggles.
“I liked yoghurt and fruit. I had that sometimes.”
“That sounds so much better!”
“It was. Grandma likes all the healthy food.”
“What was your favourite dinner then?”
“McDonald’s!” she yells.
“Your grandma got you McDonald’s?”
“Yes, for not telling the doctors about my arm.”
Raised eyebrows and significant glances are fired around the bed but no one says anything. I continue to film the exchange, my breakfast untouched.
“Did you go to any nice places when you were away?” Rebel asks.
“Yeah! Baxter took me out yesterday.”
“Did he now?” He smiles at her. “Where did you go?”
“To the beach, and I had candy floss and ice cream and a toffee apple! And fish and chips. We made sandcastles and played the flashy light games and had fish and chips.”
