Page 90 of Second Chance Summer
‘What’s the pest house?’ Tania chimed in.
‘It’s where he keeps his concrete mixer,’ Étienne said while Sam smiled wryly.
Lily shook her head at the fib but was relieved. None of them wanted to be embroiled in tales of death and disease right before bedtime.
‘Come on, then. Let’s go home.’
It was funny, she thought, how ‘home’ became a movable feast when you were on holiday. A tent, a caravan, a cottage on a remote islet. Did Sam think of the flat on Stark as his home – or Hell Bay House? She immediately answered her own question. Almost certainly Hell Bay House.
Her thoughts drifted back to the previous evening: Rhiannon had decided Sam would never be happy anywhere else, that he could never change.
Yet Lily herself had changed …
The twins soon claimed her full attention. Herding them into pyjamas, persuading them not to eat all the chocolates in the hamper at once or trampoline on the bed, was a major feat.
‘Can we haveRainbow Fairies, please?’ Tania asked when they’d finally brushed their teeth.
Amelie produced her own book. ‘I wantUnicorn Academy.’
‘Tell you what. Why don’t we have a bit of each?’
Lily was reading from the unicorn book when Étienne joined them and by then the twins were half-asleep. She wondered what he and Sam had talked about: boats, probably, or power tools … or plague and leprosy.
He took the book. ‘I can take over now.’
‘We want Auntie Lily …’ Amelie said sleepily.
Tania emitted a little snore.
‘I think it’s time to sleep,’ he said softly. ‘I’ll finish this story and let Auntie Lily get her beauty sleep.’
‘Why does she need a beauty sleep?’ Amelie said.
‘It’s just a saying. An English saying.Elle est parfaite.’
‘I’m very far fromparfaite, as you well know. That was Cara.’
‘No one is perfect, not even your sister,’ Étienne said, with a bitterness that took Lily by surprise. He must be missing Cara very badly tonight. He took the book from her. ‘Now, Sam could do with some help clearing up after us.’
Lily scoffed. ‘I can’t believe he would have said anything like that.’
‘I deduced it. Like Sherlock Holmes.’
‘Sure you did. I will go and offer, though.’
‘I may just turn in early. Read a book myself. I’m knackered.’
‘OK. See you tomorrow.’
‘It will come round soon enough with these two in charge.’
When Lily returned to the hub, Sam had already cleared away and loaded the dishwasher. Alone with him again, she wasn’t sure how to approach him. Last night had changed everything.
‘Coffee?’ he said. ‘I can make one for Étienne as long as he doesn’t complain that it’s not like the good French stuff.’
‘I think he might have fallen asleep already. I think he’s shattered.’
‘Holding down a job as an A&E consultant and a single parent? No wonder.’
