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I went to bite a nail but stopped, thinking of the manicure I was about to have. “He runs off with a gorgeous supermodel…” I held up my finger. “Or he tries to get total custody.”
It just tumbled out. That’s what had been worrying me from the moment Caroline saw me in the village. I’d seen it in her eyes. She wanted my son for her own.
“He won’t try to do that. Will he?” Her brow furrowed.
“Ethan wouldn’t. But his mother. I don’t know. She seems crazy about my son. Theadora’s pregnant. Maybe once she has another grandchild, that might defuse the situation.”
“Don’t worry. You’re the mother. Unless you do something stupid like get caught sniffing glue with a bunch of losers, then they can’t just take the child.”
I chuckled at that sad scenario. “I won’t be doing that. I’ve even gone off booze. At least, I finally kicked the ciggies.”
A knock came at the door, and our facilitator arrived. In caressing tones, she ran through our programme of pampering, and from then on, paranoia gave way to pleasure. By late afternoon, I felt so clean and relaxed that I couldn’t stop smiling as we floated out of that beautiful place.
“It’s like we’ve had an E—without the thumping rave music and comedown,” Sheridan said as we ambled along, our bag of goodies swinging along with us. “This reminds me of a setting forThe Wind in the Willows. I’m expecting Mr Toad to come strutting out of that pond any minute.”
I chuckled. “You can stay the night if you like. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. Merivale has twenty bedrooms, I’m told.”
“Wow.” Her eyebrows rose. “As tempting as that sounds, I think I’ll drive back. Bret’s invited a couple from work. I should be there.”
I accompanied my cousin to her car. “I’m so glad you came. It was fun to have someone to share this with.”
“Thanks for inviting me. I loved it. I think I ingested a ton of essential oil because it’s still up my nose.” She hugged me. “Hey, go with the flow, Bel. Think about Cian’s future. It can’t be too bad having money around, can it? Especially these days. It’s tough out there.”
I couldn’t disagree.
“Are you going to tell him about the paternity test?” She squinted from the late afternoon sun.
“Maybe not tonight, but I will.”
My cousin didn’t miss a thing, not least the hesitant note in my response.
“They won’t try to take Cian away. I don’t know why you keep thinking that.”
“Look at how I live,” I said.
“You’ve got the money to move. Why don’t you?”
“I am looking. I’m just attached to my little flat. I like my neighbours, and it’s a quick walk to the shops.”
“Then renovate.”
“Do you think they could fix that place?”
“Yeah,” she sang. “They can do anything these days.”
I hugged her again. “I love you, cousin of mine.”
I walked slowly to the hall, wondering whether Cian would be aware of the opulence around him.
Being late afternoon, the sun sprinkled its golden light over the endless garden of colourful blooms. I might have been walking into a picture book. Would there be a witch hidden under a designer dress with a shining apple?
I had to laugh at my silly imagination. I’d always been a little paranoid. Since giving birth, I’d become a complete worrywart. That had to stop. My cousin was right.
I took tentative steps up to the entrance and rang the bell. A moment later, an attractive woman opened the door. She was in her thirties, with dark hair. Her stare was cold and remote.
Mm… This is going to be fun. Even the staff look and act like Caroline Lovechilde.
Ethan came to meet me in that astounding room that reminded me of the Tate gallery.
