Caitlin smoothed back the hair that was sticking to the dampness on her cheeks. ‘Oh, sweetheart, I know you do. But… do you understand that she’s gone?’
Sophie nodded. ‘But that lady said I could go see her.’
Caitlin frowned. ‘What lady, sweetheart?’
‘Wozadeath.’
‘Sorry, who?’
‘Archie’s friend, Wozadeath.’
Caitlin stopped the smile from forming on her lips. ‘Ah, I think you mean Rosabeth?’
Sophie nodded. ‘That’s what I said. She told me I could go see my mummy in Devon, so I want to wait for a bus.’
Confused, Caitlin wiped at the tears that were still streaming down the little girl’s face. ‘I don’t understand, lovey. Your mummy isn’t in Dev—’ She closed her eyes briefly. Heaven… Rosabeth told her that her mummy was in heaven. ‘Oh, sweetheart.’ She pulled Sophie into her arms and picked her up. ‘Come on, let’s get you home.’ Bowie trotted along beside them, tongue lolling out and panting. Caitlin got the distinct impression he was happy the ordeal was over.
* * *
Back at Archie’s, Caitlin watched as he scooped Sophie up into his arms and sobbed into her hair. The police officers looked on with concerned expressions and the rest of their friends hugged and shook hands.
Caitlin thanked Kenneth and he embraced her. ‘Well done, lassie. You did a grand job,’ he told her before saying goodbye to the others and leaving.
Dexter came over and put his arm around her shoulders. ‘Are you okay, Cait?’
She nodded. ‘I am now.’ She whispered, ‘Sophie said that Rosabeth told her she could go see her mum in Devon, bless her.’
Dexter smiled. ‘Out of the mouths of babes, eh? Look, I’m going to shoot off. I think you and Archie might need some time to just calm down.’
She smiled. ‘That’d be good. Thanks for all your help, Dex.’
He squeezed her arm. ‘It’s no bother. Come on, guys, let’s leave these folks to it, eh?’
‘Hey, honey, Grace can come and stay at ours tonight if you like?’ Jules said with her arm around the girl and her soon-to-be stepson.
‘What do you think, Grace?’ Caitlin asked, secretly hoping her daughter didn’t want to leave her side after the events of the evening, but also knowing it would be good for her to be with her friend after the whole awful ordeal.
Grace nodded. ‘Yes, I’d like that. I’m so tired and I know you need to be here a bit longer.’
Caitlin hugged her daughter. ‘Thank you for being so understanding, sweetie.’
The other friends hugged Caitlin and left along with Dexter, with promises to check in tomorrow.
Archie was on the sofa with Sophie nuzzled into him. ‘You mustn’t do that again, sweetheart. I was so worried about you. Why did you run away?’
‘Wozadeath told me my mummy had gone to Devon and that I would see her again one day, so I wanted to wait for a bus.’
He smiled and stroked her hair. ‘Oh, sweetheart. I think we need to talk about this when you’ve had a good sleep. I’m so glad you’re home. I missed you so much.’
‘But Wozadeath said you didn’t really want to be a daddy, and that you were a last report because no one else wanted me. She said I had spoiled everything by coming to live here.’ Her chin trembled. ‘She said I’m tecklickly an awful.’
That bitch, Caitlin thought.Sophie isn’t technically an orphan, far from it, she has Archie, and Archie was not a bloody last resort, he’s her biological father!
Archie scowled and his nostrils flared; anger evident in his eyes even though his voice remained calm and soft. ‘Rosabeth said that to you?’
Sophie nodded her head and chewed her finger. ‘She… she told that mister with no hair who came with Cakelin. I heard her saying it. She said you were happier when you weren’t a daddy.’
He pulled himself upright and placed a hand on either side of her face. ‘Sophie, I can assure you with all my heart that I am happy to be a daddy. I’m happy to beyourdaddy. So don’t you listen to what anyone else says. You and me, we’re a team. And I promise you I want you to be here with me, so very, very much. Okay?’
