Page 14 of Now and Again

Amanda looked at Mike. ‘Your office?’

Mike raised an eyebrow, but he followed his wife. Juliet took Mia outside to play with her teddies. She’d gone rather quiet. It was quite out of character for the child, and that disturbed Juliet. She wondered how often Mike flew off the handle at the smallest problem.

Mia sat down on a tiny chair and picked up an errant teddy from the lawn. ‘Teddy sorry,’ she said, handing Juliet the bear.

Juliet took the bear, trying not to break down in tears. ‘Teddy doesn’t have to be sorry. Teddy didn’t do anything wrong,’ Juliet told her gently. ‘Do you think he needs a hug?’

Mia nodded. Juliet gave the bear a small hug. ‘Would you like a hug as well, Mia?’ Juliet asked. Mia nodded. Juliet picked the girl up and held her. Mia squeezed her tightly.

The back gate at the far end of the garden suddenly opened, and Riley walked through. ‘Oh,’ she exclaimed when she saw Juliet and Mia. ‘I thought no one would be… Well, anyway, hello.’

Mia jumped down off of Juliet and ran over to her older sister. ‘Daddy’s angry,’ she told her with some urgency.

Juliet wanted to die. This was the one thing she didn’t need in the middle of getting the sack. For Riley to see it.

Riley looked down at Mia. ‘Is he?’

‘Yes. Angry at Joo-et.’

‘At what?’

‘She means me,’ Juliet said awkwardly.

Juliet thought Riley wouldn’t want to get involved, that she’d make an excuse, like every other time they’d been forced into each other’s orbit. But Riley said, ‘OK, Mia. I’ll go and talk to Dad, see what’s going on.’

Eight

Riley thought she had it licked. The backyard would be the easiest way to circumvent everyone in the house; she could sneak right around the living room and dash up the stairs. But what do you know, Juliet and Mia were in the back, playing.

Or maybe not. They both looked a bit… sad. And then Mia came running to her, something she never did. She was quite obsessed with her mother and would be around her legs all the livelong day. But Amanda wasn’t around, and apparently, Mia thought Riley could help with, ‘Joo-et.’

Riley wasn’t sure what was going on and how useful she could be. But little Mia was relying on her. They didn’t have a close relationship, being that being around Mia meant being around good old Daddy, but Mia didn’t care about that today. So Riley didn’t either. She wanted Mia to know that if she needed her sister, she had her. She had to get in the middle of whatever this was, regardless of her history with Mia’s new nanny. ‘OK, Mia. I’ll go and talk to Dad, see what’s going on.’

Juliet sighed. ‘Err, Riley, you may want to… I mean, there’s stuff going on. I don’t know if you want to be involved in it. I screwed up and…’

Riley turned to her. ‘What actually happened?’

‘Mia drew on a kitchen cabinet, and your dad’s livid. He wants to fire me. I don’t know if Amanda agrees with him.’

Riley waited for the rest of the story. But then it became clear that Juliet was finished. ‘Wait. That’sit? Mia drew on the cabinet? He wants to sack you because Mia did what literally every kid does the second they get a chance? Are you fucking kidding?’

Mia tapped Riley’s leg. ‘Not say that word.’

Riley tutted at herself. ‘Yes, very bad word. Sorry, kid.’

Riley looked back at Juliet. She looked a bit flustered. As well she might. This was the longest conversation they’d had so far. ‘Riley, don’t worry about it. It’s not your problem.’

‘Well, Mia thinks it is. So, it is,’ Riley said, giving Mia a quick smile. ‘Back in a minute.’

Riley jogged into the house before Juliet could argue further. She wasn’t sure what she could say, or whether it was even necessary. Amanda might be sorting it this very second. But if she needed backup, Riley wanted to be on hand. Juliet couldn’t get the sack. It was clear that Mia liked her already.

She heard shouty noise coming from her dad’s study, and she knocked on the door. She didn’t wait for anyone to invite her in. Her father and Amanda spun around to look at her. Her dad looked peeved at Riley’s presence. Amanda looked relieved to see her. ‘Yes?’ her dad asked irritably.

‘Yeah, I heard what was going on. I just wanted to let you know that you’re a dick if you fire Juliet.’

Amanda sucked a shocked breath in. But Riley wasn’t scared of Mike Powell. There was no reason to be. He didn’t support her in any sense; their relationship was practically non-existent. The only thing she needed from him was temporary accommodation. Which she would put on the line for the right cause.

‘Beg your pardon?’ Her dad said, shocked.

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