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Max holds Poppy in his arms. ‘I know I promised I’d be home before dinner,’ he says, easing her down. ‘Sorry.’ His voice is gentle. Soft.It belongs to the Max I married.
I smile, studying him carefully. There are no frown lines across his tanned face, and he looks handsome in his navy suit. It’s the one I got him for his birthday and risked choosing myself, even though he’s as fussy as his daughter when it comes to clothes.
I kiss him. ‘I can warm your dinner up.’
‘I can do it,’ he says, pulling off his suit jacket.
Like a shadow, Poppy hovers behind him. Perhaps she, too, can sense that tonight he might just be himself again.
‘Can I stay down here while you eat?’ Poppy asks. ‘Please? Just this once.’
‘It’s already past bedtime,’ I warn. ‘And it’s a school night.’ Perhaps I’m worried that anything might set Max off. It doesn’t take much to irritate him at the moment.
Poppy glances at Max. ‘Please,’ she begs, her voice quieter this time.
He ruffles her hair. ‘Just this once, then.’
She squeals and throws her arms around him.
‘I had ice cream,’ Poppy tells him, as we make our way to the kitchen.
Max smiles. ‘Did you now? I hope you saved some for me.’
‘You can have some.’ Poppy laughs. ‘But only if you eat all your dinner first.’
Max laughs and picks her up, spinning her around.
Everything is normal.
‘How was your day?’ I venture, placing Max’s plate in front of him.
He scoops up some rice with his fork before answering. ‘Yeah, good.’
I glance at Poppy, who is now playing with her Polly Pocket toy on the floor, but she’s not listening. She doesn’t seem to notice the bluntness of his response. Or that normally we can’t stop him talking about work.
Max looks up. ‘How was yours?’
I nod, and fill the awkwardness. ‘Katy was late again. Thankfully Cole was happy to take over in the coffee bar till she got in.’ I don’t add that it took a lot of persuasion on my part, along with a promise that he could leave early. Of course he didn’t take me up on this offer, though. He never does. Sometimes I think Cole’s whole life is tied up in the bookshop.
Max raises his thick, dark eyebrows. ‘And how many times has she been late so far this year? Fifteen? Twenty? You seriously need to rethink your staffing arrangements, Hannah.’
Normally I would argue my case, and point out that it’smybusiness to run and I’ll do it however I see fit, but this evening I keep my mouth clamped shut. And neither do I admit that I’ve lost count of the times Katy’s strolled in late, full of apologies and promises that it won’t happen again. Until the next time it does. She’s only twenty-four, still finding herself, she tells everyone. Can I blame her for not being committed to the bookshop?
‘I’m still hungry. Can I have fruit?’ Poppy asks. ‘An apple without the core and skin.’
I nod and get up to fetch her an apple. Even though I’m not looking at him, I can feel Max’s eyes on me, and I know he’s silently questioning why I haven’t responded to his comment. Why I haven’t taken the bait. Am I becoming as much a stranger to him as he is to me?
‘Just say it!’ he suddenly snaps, staring at me.
‘What?’
‘I know you want to have a go at me for being late. Just get it over with. Nothing stops you normally.’
I glance at Poppy, who’s staring at Max, her eyes wide circles.
‘Why are you shouting, Daddy?’ Poppy asks, shrinking back against the wall.
He rushes to her and pats her arm. ‘I’m sorry, sweetheart. I wasn’t shouting. I just…Daddy’s had a long day.’ He turns to me. ‘I’m sorry.’
