Page 83 of A Forever Home at Honey Bee Croft

You rebel! But I don’t blame you at all. Can’t wait to see you x

I plumped my pillows and settled down to sleep, feeling better than I had in a long time. The episode with Chez tonight had been hard but it had led him to what I believed was the best decision he could possibly have made for his emotional wellbeing – to go to Portugal with my parents. It was also a weight off my mind that he wouldn’t be my responsibility for the foreseeable future, meaning I could focus on my fight to keep Imogen in Yorkshire as well as continuing to build my relationship with Poppy.

33

POPPY

It was nearly midnight when Joel pulled onto the drive of Dove Cottage and I rushed out to see him, the strength of my feelings towards him needing a release. Evidently, he felt the same as he dropped his car keys onto the ground as he kissed me with passion, leaving us both breathless.

‘Best welcome ever,’ he said, smiling at me.

‘Best arrival ever,’ I quipped. ‘But it’s freezing out here. Grab your stuff and let’s get inside.’

I was going to offer him a tea and give him a tour but, the moment the door closed, he took me in his arms again and those things didn’t seem so important anymore as I led him upstairs to my bedroom.

The following morning, we had a lazy start with breakfast in bed while he told me about his appointment with his solicitor.

‘There are two issues – access to Imogen and the move to Scotland. For the access, Tilly keeps banging on about having sole custody, but she doesn’t have that. We both have parentalresponsibility but, because of my shifts, there’s no set pattern for when I have Imogen which has always been the sticking point in the past – Tilly pretends to be reasonable by suggesting days I can have Imogen each week, knowing full well I can’t commit to that, so it’s gone back and forth between our solicitors with no resolution. My solicitor recognises that she’s just being awkward, which is common in situations like this. Inevitably, it’s the child who suffers so the goal is to find a way forward that works for all three of us and, if I was still working shifts, it’s not unusual to have an agreement to plan visits around a shift pattern.

‘As for moving to Scotland, I have rights to stop her. We operate within the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales and Tilly cannot move Imogen to Scotland – outside the legal jurisdiction – without my consent.’

I grasped Joel’s arm. ‘That’s fantastic news. So, what happens next?’

‘I can make an application for something called a prohibited steps order to stop her but Tilly can contest that. However, any decisions the courts make would have Imogen’s welfare at the heart as well as the principle that she has a right to have a relationship with both parents so that would help my case.’

‘It sounds a lot more positive than we were expecting.’

‘It does. Apparently there’s stacks of case law and it’s really complicated but Tilly choosing Scotland rather than, say, Cornwall, does work in my favour with my consent being needed. My solicitor asked me what the rationale was for moving to Scotland – why not open a campsite in Yorkshire if that’s what they really want to do? I’ll put that challenge to her after their holiday. I’m hoping Tilly will get up there, realise how ridiculously far it is, and drop the whole idea.’

‘And if she doesn’t?’

‘When she’s back, I’ll tell her we need to go somewhere for a proper grown-up discussion – a five-minute conversation on her doorstep won’t cut it – and I’ll lay it on the line.’

‘Sounds sensible. Are you feeling more positive about it now?’

‘Much more. I really hope we don’t have to drag it through the courts. That’s not parenting Imogen – that’s just fighting.’

I loved the way Joel put his daughter first in everything. It sounded to me as though Tilly put herself first instead, although I appreciated that was perhaps a little unfair when I’d never met her.

We took the breakfast dishes down to the kitchen and I gave Joel a tour of the house, telling him the garden could wait until we were dressed.

‘It’s a great house,’ he said as we returned to my bedroom, ‘but I can tell it belongs to your parents. The only room that feels like you is this one.’

‘It’s the only room I’ve changed. I did it after Mum’s diagnosis when I knew I’d be here for quite some time.’

He looked around him. ‘This reminds me of Whisperwood Farmhouse.’

‘Which is one of many reasons why I loved it there so much. It’s 100 per cent my taste and I’m already missing it. What’s weird is that Dove Cottage feels more like a holiday home I’m staying in temporarily and Whisperwood feels like my real home.’

‘Whisperwoodwillbe your real home. Scotland’s not going to happen because I’m not going to let it. It’s not right for you, me or Imogen. I think you should let Mary know you’d like to buy it but you have this place to sell first and things are a little complicated with your dad. She’ll understand. She’ll give you time.’

I smiled at him. ‘You’re right. I’ll get in touch. I’ve started the ball rolling with this place so there’s no reason not to make that next step.’

I wanted Joel to meet Dad. Even though Dad wouldn’t understand the importance of the introduction, it would mean the world to me. Joel wouldn’t see the dad I knew and loved, but at least he’d have physically met him. I could bring myrealdad alive through photographs, videos and memories.

Marnie was in the reception when we arrived, so I introduced her to Joel and she shook his hand with enthusiasm.

‘Good to meet you, Joel. You take care of this one. She’s an absolute gem.’

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