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After Sophie bombarded us with hugs and stories of her weekend, she introduces us to a row of gingerbread men and women. She named the lot of them, and I’m stunned that she’s not only able to remember so many names but that she also correctly pairs each name with the corresponding cookie character.
While Heidi goes upstairs to pack her bag, my husband spends time with Sophie, listening to her excited chatter. When it’s time for Angelo and Heidi to leave, he hooks an arm around my waist and pulls me in for a kiss. My cheeks heat a little, knowing Sophie and Heidi are watching. I’m not sure what to make of the caress, but like the sex this weekend, it’s different.
Sophie and I eat a light dinner, and then I put her to bed. I enjoyed being among people. I especially loved the chat with Mrs. Powell. Being without adult company takes getting used to again. To distract myself, I go through the dressing room and get reacquainted with my own clothes. To my surprise, the closets are also filled with new outfits, the price tags still intact. Most of the labels are from Milan. The wardrobe includes day and evening dresses, comfy sweaters and cotton leggings, lingerie in every color under the sun, exercise gear, and enough shoes to fill a store.
I try on a few items, which all fit perfectly. I no doubt have my husband to thank, but I’m sure Fabien took care of the shopping.
I go to bed with my notebook on sharks, highlighting notes Mrs. Powell may find useful, but I’m so exhausted from the weekend marathon sex that I fall asleep before I’ve read two pages. The next thing I know, Sophie is shaking me awake.
“What’s the matter?” I ask, jackknifing into a sitting position.
“The sun is out.” She runs to the window and yanks the curtains open. “Look. Let’s go outside for a walk.”
Yawning, I swing my legs over the bed. Every muscle aches. I swear I still feel him inside me.
“Breakfast first,” I say, but she’s already skipping from the room.
I dress quickly and do my grooming before joining Sophie in the kitchen. She’s sitting at the table with a carton of milk open on the side, shoving spoonfuls of cereal into her mouth.
I switch on the coffee machine. “You do know that eggs and fruit have more healthy nutrients than all that fiber and sugar?”
“I like cereal,” she says around the spoon.
“We don’t speak with a full mouth.” I take a mug from the cupboard. “It’s not good table manners.”
She swallows and sticks out her tongue to show me her empty mouth. “I have good table manners.”
“Yes, sweetheart.” I smooth a hand over her hair as I set the mug on the table. “You do.”
When we finished our breakfast, Sophie pulls on her brand-new coat while I fit mine, and then we take Beatrice for a walk. We stop near the cliff to admire the view.
“Don’t go too close,” I say, holding her back with a hand on her arm. “There may be loose rocks. It can be dangerous.”
She picks up pebbles and hurls them over the cliff. “Look how far I can throw, Sabella.”
The rustling of the bushes on the border of the yard pulls my attention. A shadow moves between the trees. Can it be an animal? The property is so remote, there must be wildlife like rabbits and small deer.
Worried that it may be a boar, I take Sophie’s hand. “Let’s go back to the house.”
She pulls free and picks Beatrice up from where she left the doll sitting against a rock. “Don’t be scared of the noise in the forest, Sabella.”
I look at her. “Did you hear it too?”
“It’s only Johan.”
“Johan?”
“My brother,” she says as if I should’ve known.
“Your brother?” I ask with surprise.
Clutching Beatrice in one hand, she selects a pebble from the small heap at her feet and throws it over the cliff. “I saw him through the window.”
I glance at the forest again, but it’s quiet now. “When?” Fixing my attention on Sophie, I ask, “Did you see him this morning?”
“Yesterday.” She aims and projects another stone through the air. “He was sneaking around the yard.”
“Why didn’t you tell Heidi?”
