Page 10 of A Forever Home at Honey Bee Croft

To Fizz

Sounds good

‘Why are you in the hall?’ Tilly asked, pausing halfway down the stairs with Imogen’s small purple suitcase in her hand.

I held up my phone as an explanation and took the first few steps, reaching for the case.

‘I’m pregnant, not incapable,’ she snapped, snatching it away.

I couldn’t win with her, so I retreated and let her bring it down herself. Imogen appeared again, pulling on a thin white cardigan which she might as well not be wearing for all the warmth it would give her. Tilly placed the case by the door,removed Imogen’s coat from the hooks at the bottom of the stairs and draped it over the case.

‘I’ll take these out to the car,’ I said as the pair of them went into the lounge so Imogen could say goodbye. I’d spotted Imogen’s favourite zipped hoodie hanging up so I sneakily grabbed that to give her something warmer to wear under her coat.

A few minutes later, Imogen was safely strapped into the back seat wearing her hoodie, having unsurprisingly announced that she was cold the moment we stepped outside the house.

‘Joel!’ Tilly called as I was about to close the door.

I stiffened. Was she going to lecture me for challenging her wardrobe choices?

‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ I told Imogen. ‘I’ll see what Mummy wants.’

‘Just making sure you’re okay,’ Tilly said when I joined her. ‘About the babies, I mean. I didn’t want you to find out like this.’

Her concern took me by surprise. Could she possibly think I still had feelings for her and would be hurt by her news?

‘It’s none of my business how many children you have,’ I responded, keeping my tone nonchalant.

‘I know, but…’ The soft expression reminded me of the Tilly I used to know instead of the sparring partner she’d become.

‘There is nobut,’ I said gently. ‘If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you.’

‘Iamhappy. Shattered, but happy.’

‘Then we’re good. Congratulations, and I’ll see you tomorrow.’

I turned to leave, but she called my name again.

‘I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you and Marley.’

‘Marley? That ended over two years ago.’

‘And I never said I was sorry at the time, but I was. I thought she was the one.’

That threw me too.

‘So did I at first, but I’ve got form on that.’ It didn’t come out as flippantly as I meant it and I felt guilty when her shoulders slumped and tears pricked her eyes.

‘I just want you to be happy,’ she whispered.

She wasn’t normally like this around me and it was unsettling. The unprecedented show of concern had to be down to pregnancy hormones.

‘I’m fine, thanks. And don’t worry about Imogen. I’ll take good care of her, as always, and she’ll have an amazing weekend.’

‘I know. It’s just that I miss her when she’s with you.’

She missed her? Like I didn’t? Frustration bubbling over, I couldn’t bite my tongue any longer.

‘Then put yourself in my shoes and imagine how I feel most days. You truly want me to be happy? Then let me see our daughter more often and stop using my shifts as an excuse.’

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