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“I am.” Edie pulled out of Caroline’s embrace, wiping a hand across her cheek. “I just didn’t want you to be angry with me.”
Caroline brought her hands to Edie’s face, cupping her cheeks and wiping away her tears with the pads of her thumbs. “You did absolutely nothing wrong, okay?”
Edie turned her head suddenly, smiling in the direction of Caroline’s living room door. “Hi, Mum.”
Caroline followed Edie’s line of sight, frowning when Hannah wiped tears from her cheeks. Why was she upset?
“Hi, love.”
Edie got to her feet and rushed towards Hannah, holding her by the waist as she nuzzled into her chest. Caroline could only smile, along with Ivy who was standing just the slightest distance from ‘her girls.’ But then Caroline realised that they were her girls, too.
Her heart rate spiked at that, her palms clammy. Caroline had never been in this position before.
Oh, wow. This was incredibly fulfilling.
“Mum, can I stay at home with you tonight?”
Hannah eyed Caroline, silently asking for help. Caroline knew Hannah wanted to be with her, but Edie needed home and a routine. She simply nodded and smiled.
“I…yes.” Hannah held her daughter’s face in her hands. “But I need to make sure Caz is okay before we go home, okay?”
“Yeah. I know.”
“Okay, so maybe you could go back to Nanna’s with her, and then I’ll pick you up once I’m done here?”
Caroline suddenly didn’t want Hannah or Edie to leave. She wanted them to be here with her, just lounging around and doing whatever they felt comfortable doing.
“I have an idea,” Caroline said, getting to her feet. “Maybe Edie could go home and get her uniform for tomorrow and then come back here. We’ll have a girls’ night at mine instead.”
Hannah grinned while Edie’s eyes lit up like never before.
“I can stay here?” she asked.
Caroline lifted a shoulder, and then she winced. “Do you want to stay here?”
“Y-yes! Mum, can I?”
Hannah eyed Caroline again, a brow raised. “If that’s really okay with Caz?”
“More than okay.” Caroline moved towards Hannah and Edie, pulling them both into a hug. “I’d like to spend the rest of the day with you both. So, why don’t we do that?”
Edie turned to Ivy. “Nanna, can you take me home for my uniform and homework?”
“Oh, Edie. I’d love to.” She wrapped an arm around Edie’s shoulder, guiding her towards the door. As Hannah and Caroline followed them, Ivy turned back and faced Caroline. “You’ve done well here. I look forward to getting to know you, Caz.”
With an arm wrapped around Hannah’s waist, Caroline simply offered a nod and pressed a kiss to Hannah’s hair when she rested her head on Caroline’s shoulder. “I look forward to it, too.”
Chapter31
“Edie! Ten minutes until dinner.”
Caroline smiled when Edie came to the top of the stairs. “I’m just finishing my homework and then I’ll set the table.”
“The table is done, sweetheart. Just come down when you’re ready.”
Edie nodded and rushed back into her room, the door slamming shut.
To some, Edie could be considered a baby elephant, but Caroline preferred the noise around here. She’d spent so long sitting in her own silence, with her own thoughts… This was much better. There was life around here. And now that life was back to normal and Caroline had healed, she really felt this relationship progressing beautifully.
