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“How could you?” I whisper sadly. “How could you leave him like that?” My voice grows angry, and Cameron turns to cup my face, halting the angry triad I can feel on the tip of my tongue. The gate clangs loudly, and Beau struggles over with Noah in her arms.
“Dad, are you coming?” she huffs, and I rush to take Noah from her and pull him into my chest. Cameron cups Beau’s shoulders and stares at his parents.
“I never did it,” Cameron states.
His father has the audacity to clench his jaw, and I take a step forward. “She did it.To him,” I state crossly. “He was the victim. Imagine leaving your child to fight for himself, to face that trauma alone. Sarah did it to him!” I cry, my lip wobbling.
“Holly, we’re leaving!” Cam snaps, and Beau looks around, confused.
“What’s wrong?” Beau sniffles, taking her father’s hand.
“Nothing, baby girl. Holly, can you head back to the car?”
I reach for Beau, and she takes my hand, unsure but always so damn sweet. I don’t want these people around our children. Noah blows a raspberry in my ear, and I begin to usher them away.
“Please tell me that isn’t true?” Martha, his mother, gasps, and I flinch but keep moving. Beau is hanging back, worried about her dad.
“Why, does the alternative make you happier?” My husband's humourless laugh scrapes like nails on a chalkboard. “You left me.Without. A. Word.Not so much as a letter. Do you have any idea of the level of trauma Sarah caused me? You both caused me! I never even so much as looked at her. Sheassaultedme! You’re not welcome in my life. Or my family’s. Any attempt at contact will result in a restraining order.”
“Mum, what’s happening?” Beau croaks.
“It’s okay, please help me to the car. Your dad is…”
“Holly!” Cameron’s broken voice calls, and I see him walking to me speedily. Beau whimpers and I watch as he picks her up, swinging her on his shoulders.
“Dadda!” Noah gurgles, and Cam smiles. I twist to see Beau looking back over her shoulder. She lifts her hand in what I expect will be a wave, but she must think better on it, so instead, she reaches for Cameron’s hands resting on her knees and we walk away.
“Who was that?” she asks softly.
“We’ll tell you later. Right now, Daddy wants to get back to the cottage. Build the biggest sandcastle and eat ice cream with my little horde.”
“You’re sad,” she comments, and Cameron's shaken green eyes find mine. I rub his back as we reach the car.
“No, boo, I’m happy. But those people make me madder than Arabella Jacobs makes you in PE when she cheats.” He helps her down and Beau pulls a face. “Yes, that mad.”
“Are they your parents?”
I listen as I put Noah in his car seat and Beau clambers in beside her brother in the Range Rover. Cameron stands at the door, our eyes meeting briefly, and I look back down the promenade to where his parents stand stricken.
“Remember when I adopted you last year, and you asked why, even though me and Mummy are married?” She nods, resting back against the seat.
“Yes, you said that not everyone is lucky enough to choose their family, but we got to.”
“That’s right, baby girl. We got to choose. I also choosenotto have them in my life,” he says calmly. “It’s a lot more complicated than that, but they do not make me happy.”
“Are they not nice?”
“No, they’re not.” I pull the keys dangling from his back pocket, and Beau nods. “Fancy another surf lesson later?” he asks, changing the topic. “You’re getting so good now.”
“Yes, I can show Grace when she comes tomorrow.”
“She’s pretty good at surfing. She will be able to help you as well.” Cameron winks and clunks her door shut.
He turns to me, and I wrap my arms around him. “Get me out of here,” he pleads. I nod and get in as Cameron walks to the passenger side, his face averted away from where I see his parents hurrying to their car. No doubt trying to follow us. I drive away, heading straight for the cottage on the beach that Cameron purchased all those years ago. He is shaking, and I offer to take the kids for a walk to give him some space.
“No. I need you. All of you.” He lifts a sleeping Noah from his seat and slings an arm over Beau’s shoulder.
“I’m just going to grab some snacks and a blanket; I'll meet you down there.”
