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After all of that, he still doesn’t seem to give a damn about what I think or say. It’s maddening and now I’m getting pissed off about it all over again.
A female voice from the foyer filters into the room over the sound of the cartoon. It makes little Isla jump into my lap.
“It’s okay, honey.” I try to calm her as the hair on the back of my neck starts to stand up.
I’m triggered by the sound. But I also got triggered by the shadows in the bathroom this morning, so I can’t exactly rely on my instincts. I know it’s just my own irrational fear, but the memory of being pushed off the side of the Colosseum is still fresh in my mind.
Still… the frightened, trembling little girl in my arms obviously feels the same way. Her demeanor completely changes when a familiar face appears in the entryway, though.
“Aunt Saffron!” Isla squeals and jumps up from my lap, flinging herself at Keir’s sister.
Saffron beams at Isla, tossing a curtain of dark, shiny tresses over her shoulder. She’s dressed impeccably, in a light pink sheath dress and a dark pair of heels. Matching pearls gleam at her throat and ears.
She is clearly on her way to or from somewhere terribly important.
“Hi there, munchkin,” Saffron scoops Isla up and spins her around before setting the giggling child back down on her feet. “I’ve missed you. What have you been up to?” She shoots me a sympathetic look. “Staying out of trouble, I hope.”
“Mostly,” I answer.
Isla starts recounting the crazy ups and downs of the past few days. Saffron listens attentively to her for a full two minutes before Isla winds down.
I interject. “We’ve all just been trying to relax a little now that we’re back from Italy.”
She puts Isla down, but the little girl follows her closely, watching her with wary eyes. For a moment, I wonder if that’s what Isla and I have looked like for the past couple of days. Isla has been way more clingy and needy than usual, barely giving me a moment to myself.
My mouth twists as I take it in.
“Well, you’ve just got back. I can imagine you’re still unsettled.” Saffron shakes her head as she steps into the room with Isla tugging at the hem of her skirt. “I should have—well, we can talk about that later.” Turning her attention back to her niece, she asks, “Where’s your father? I have some plans for the two of you today.”
“I’ll get him!” Isla darts off toward Keir’s office while her aunt walks over to sit down on the sofa next to me.
Saffron waits until we can hear Isla’s excited voice chirping from the other room before sighing and giving me another commiserating look. “She’s such a sweetheart but I know she’s a handful. I hope you’ve been able to take at least some time for yourself.”
I haven’t, but I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining. I might have some issues with Keir right now, but this isn’t the time or place to start spilling my guts to his sister.
“I’ll be okay, but thank you. And honestly, I’m grateful that Isla’s been keeping me busy. The more time I spend with her, the less time I have to think about anything else.”
“That’s understandable.” She reaches over to give my arm a gentle pat. “Still, I think you need a little break. Maybe some time with an adult who isn’t my brother.”
Before I can ask what she means, Isla reappears in the living room with both hands tugging on her father’s arm. “See, Dad! I told you she was here.”
Keir gives his sister a look that’s equal parts confused and irritated. “I thought you told me you weren’t stopping by until this afternoon.”
It isn’t a question. His tone doesn’t leave any doubts as to how he might feel about the interruption.
“My interview finished early.” Saffron shrugs unapologetically. “And how was I supposed to stay away until later when I knew all my favorite people were in town?”
“Are you going to be here for a while?” It’s like they’re talking past each other instead of having an actual back-and-forth conversation. I’m annoyed on Saffron’s behalf but it’s also a little reassuring to know that Keir acts this way with someone other than me. “I have a lot of work that I need to get caught up on.”
“I hate that for you,” she says, still not sounding sorry at all. Saffron stands up and pulls something from her purse. Tickets? I can’t read the small pieces of paper from where I’m sitting. “But all that work will have to wait even longer because you and your daughter are going to be busy having fun this afternoon.”
Keiran’s face falls as Isla’s lights up. “I don’t like the sound of this.”
“I do!” Isla shouts, leaving him behind and running over to her aunt. “What is it?”
“Tickets to that inflatable amusement park—the one they always show those commercials for on TV?” Saffron waved the tickets in the air before handing them to her niece. “Have you seen those ads, honey?”
“Yeah! They have a huge slide and a ball pit and it’s all balloons! I have wanted to go there for ages!”
