‘Bonnie’s size might fit for now but I’ll tell Laura to bring some of Lili’s over tomorrow. Oh, Lili and Theo are going toadoreBouton.’
‘It’ll be a while before they can play with her. I think she’s been confused and frightened enough for her first day in the world.’
‘We’ll wait. Or they can just have a peep from the door. And Mam will want to see her before she goes. Oh…’ Ellie gave her head a small shake. ‘That’s what I came over to tell you. She’s busy packing to go back to Scotland tomorrow and… guess what?’
‘What?’
‘Dad’s going with her.’
‘How long for?’
‘There’s no time limit. Mam says they’ll take it one day at a time and if he’s not happy or it’s too much, she’ll come back to make sure he’s home safely. Laura’s going to drive them both to the airport.’
Fi found herself going very still as she absorbed this news. The love was there for her father. From all of them but especially from the woman he had married. He was being given a second chance. A chance to get past the nightmare that had destroyed life as he’d known it.
This was huge.
And just as emotional as having a newborn to nurture.
It was a heady mix of family and love, forgiveness and healing and… hope. It shone like a star that was almost close enough for Fi to touch.
To believe in for herself?
Ellie must have picked up on how overwhelming it was. She wrapped her sister in a tight hug.
‘Is there anything I can do to help?’ she asked.
‘I’ll let you know,’ Fi said. ‘The next few days are going to be intense, with keeping her warm and feeding her every hour or two round the clock. If Christophe needs to go into work during the day, tomorrow, I might need some help with the feeding but…’ She looked past Ellie to see Christophe tucking the blanket around Bouton and her heart melted. ‘We’ll manage for tonight,’ she said.
Ellie followed her gaze and she smiled. ‘I’m sure you will,’ she murmured.
* * *
It was well past midnight when they managed to get Bouton to drink the last of the colostrum and they both went into the kitchen to clean the bottle and teat.
‘This is good,’ Christophe said. ‘She’s had most of it probably within the twelve hours of being born. We’ll make up some formula for her next bottle.’
Fi turned her head to look at the only part of the foal that was visible – a face framed by the blanket and straw. ‘I think she’s asleep. Can I get you something to drink, Christophe? A cup of tea or a glass of wine?’
He considered this. ‘I think we both deserve a glass of wine. It’s been… what’s the expression… “a hell of a day”?’
It had been a total rollercoaster, starting with the shock of suspecting that Fiona’s feelings for him were as deep as his were for her and the decision that it was time to kill this game of pretending they were a couple, only to put it off because he simply didn’t want it to stop yet, and finishing with the horror of having to milk a dead donkey that became a poignant joy when the little baby managed to drink all the milk in the bottle. Fiona had to be feeling even more emotionally battered – she now had to factor in the news that her mother was leaving, taking her newly found father away with her.
It was a surprise to see the smile that softened her whole face now. And to see in her eyes that the peaks of the rollercoaster were overriding the swoops and low points. He loved that she could choose to see the positive things in life. He loved how strong she was and how she was embracing all the new challenges that life was throwing at her. Christophe felt so proud of her, in fact, he could feel a lump in his throat.
‘Ithasbeen a hell of a day,’ Fi said. ‘I’d love a wine, too. And there’s plenty more of the bread and ham and cheese that Mam and Ellie brought over, if you’re hungry.’
They took sandwiches and wine and went to sit on what felt like the most comfortable couch in the world.
For a while they ate in silence. It was Christophe who broke it.
‘Are you happy that your mamma is going back to Scotland, with your father?’
Fi nodded slowly. ‘I’ll miss them both but I am happy. And I really hope it goes well and she doesn’t need to bring him back too soon because it’s too much for him.’
She took a sip of her wine. ‘I love that my mother still loves him. And that she can forgive and forget what was such a hard time for our family when her children were so young. It’s astonishing that she’s been lucky enough to find the man who is the love of her life again. But…’ She bit her lip. ‘I do envy the fact that she found him in the first place, to be honest.’
Christophe nodded. ‘It would be wonderful to find that person. To know that there was no one else in the entire world that you wanted to be with. And even better, that they felt the same way about you.’ He held Fi’s gaze. ‘You’ll find that person,’ he added softly. ‘One day.’
