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Casper is getting dressed while I pick up after us. All the stuff that was on the desk is scattered on the floor, including my mother’s jewellery box. It’s lying open on the ground, the contents tipped out.
I hadn’t worked up the courage to open it. I’m not sure why, but I just couldn’t. Righting the box on the floor, I pick up the random bits of jewellery. There’s nothing about them that’s familiar, but they’re all stunning, all heavy and precious-looking pieces. Some are modern and others more antique and aged.
I’m not paying much mind to any of it. Today has been long, and I’m still trying to make sense of everything. Not to mention that every move I make is punctuated by my sore muscles.
“Here.” Casper crouches beside me. He picks up a few Polaroids that are a little farther than my reach. “Are you sure you want to go down for food? I can get something brought up. You can rest…”
“No.” I close the box without looking at the photos. Something tells me I should, but I’ve had enough for today.
There’s a low knock at the door, and like he’s got a spark up his butt, Casper jumps up to open it. Penny peers in the minute he stands aside to let her in. I didn’t know she was here, but seeing her brings me some more peace.
Walking in, she looks around while he takes the bags in her hands. “I got everything you asked for and some things you didn’t but that you’re going to need.”
Once her hands are free, she walks over to me, and without any pause she hugs me. Her embrace is the best. It reminds me of my mother’s—strong and loving…unconditional.
“Grace would be so proud of you,” she says, rocking me from side to side.
“Why?”
“Because you’re already a wonderful mother. Even if I am disappointed that you didn’t come to me. You know I wouldn’t let anyone hurt you, either of you.” She beams down at my belly with the same teary and happy smile she had when Cassie and Leo got engaged.
“You’re all growing up and making us feel old.” I look at the doorway to find Francis standing there with Arabella and Cassie in tow.
“Get out of the doorway, Dad.” Cassie nudges him, practically skipping into the room. “Casper said that your clothes were confiscated.”
“So, we thought we’d bring a peace offering,” Arabella adds.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah we did.” Cassie perches on the edge of the desk, throwing the cushion onto the chair by the window. I can’t help but cringe at the sight of her handling it, knowing how messy everything got earlier. I swear the room still smells of sex. “And anyway, the guys have man things to take care of, so we wanted to do girly things.”
“Girly things?”
“We might have put together a little baby thing for you.” Arabella sits beside Cassie, smiling. “Us ladies need to stick together, right?” Her eyes round on mine as though she’s reminding me of our whispered conversation earlier.
“Right,” Penny agrees, moving to sit in the armchair by the window—the cushion at her back.
God, I wish that fucking thing would disappear or something.
“Everything okay?” Casper asks with a chuckle. He knows exactly what I’m thinking, and he’s having a laugh at my expense as he side-glances to the damn thing.
He comes closer, pulling me into a hug. “We’ve got a meeting, but I’ll be back soon.”
“You’re leaving me again?” I whisper into his chest, aware that we’re being watched closely.
“Only for a little while. A few hours tops. I need to talk to Francis, and you need to relax and have some normal baby shit…”
“Fun,” Arabella corrects him, glancing at the door when Georgina sings, “Sorry I’m late! I got distracted at the shops, and then it took forever to get back.”
She holds up a few bags with a wide, excited grin cutting her face. “Mum and Nan are on their way up. They were just making sure that, ummm…the sandwiches were done?”
She puts her bags down beside Penny’s on the bench at the end of the bed and then sits down.
I’m not sure what to make of any of this at all. I wasn’t expecting any of it. If I’m honest, after this morning, I was waiting for my body to hold up the white flag and surrender to what it’s been preparing for.
Casper walks me to the door with him. Francis carries on walking ahead of him, giving us some privacy.
“Did you know about this?”
