Page 54 of Daydreams & Doughnut Cake

‘You don’t need to do that.’

‘Yes, I do.’

I sighed. ‘I just feel bad that I set you on completely the wrong track, thinking Maisie would have gone back to that shop to buy the rattle.’

‘Well, never mind.’ She smiled. ‘At least we know where she is now.’

‘Which is where exactly?’

‘She’s waiting outside the village store and the little rascal had better still be there when we arrive.’ She dashed over to her car and jumped in, almost losing one of her sliders in her hurry.

Maisiewasthere. We pulled up outside the shop and got out, and Ellie rushed over and enveloped her daughter in such a long hug, I thought she was never going to let go. When she finally pulled away, Maisie gave a gasp of horror.

‘Mum, what on earth are youwearing? You’re still in yourpyjamas!’

‘Yes, well, you had me so worried, I just dashed out of the house completely forgetting to get properly dressed. Honestly, Maisie,neverdo that to me again! Promise? Not until you’re at least twenty-five and I can trust you to go places on your own!’

‘But you can trust menow,’ pointed out Maisie, sounding rather offended.

‘I know I can,’ she said more gently. ‘But you see, you’re my precious daughter and I don’t know what I’d do if anything happened to you, okay?’ She drew Maisie into another hug. ‘You’ll understand when you have babies of your own.’

‘But I’m not your baby. Not like Isla is.’ Maisie sounded sullen. ‘I’m just your step-daughter.’

‘What?’ Ellie looked alarmed as she drew away.

‘It’s true.’ Maisie shrugged. ‘You really wanted a baby of your own and now you have Isla. And she’s yourproperdaughter.’

Frowning, Ellie held Maisie’s shoulders and looked urgently into her eyes. ‘Maisie, for goodness’ sake. Is that what you really think?’

‘Sometimes. I mean, I know you love me.’

‘Well, that’s the understatement of the century. Maisie, I love you so much I’d lay down mylifefor you! And I know that probably sounds melodramatic to you, but as I said, you’ll understand when you have children of your own. You will do anything for them. Anything. And whether you’ve actually given birth to them or they’ve magically appeared like the world’s greatest blessing in your life, it really makes no difference. You love them allexactly the same!’

Maisie looked as if she might be about to cry, but then Amelie broke away from me and ran up to her and offered her one of her sweeties. And Maisie smiled.

‘Thank you, Amelie. The strawberry ones are my favourites.’

‘I like them as well,’ agreed Amelie. ‘What’s that?’ She pointed at something white that was sticking out of Maisie’s pocket.

‘This?’ Maisie pulled it out and showed it to her, and I smiled as I recognised it. It was just like the teddy rattle Maisie had seen when she was with me the other day. ‘I bought it for Isla.’

‘You bought it in the village store here?’ I chuckled.

‘Rosie and I have been all the way to Henley Green,’ gasped Ellie, ‘thinking you’d gone back to the shop there!’

Maisie frowned. ‘Mum, I’m notthatsilly! I thought you wouldn’t mind me getting the bus to here because it’s not very far. But I wouldn’t go all the way toHenley Greenon my own.’

‘Right. Well, that’smetold, isn’t it, Rosie?’ Ellie turned to smile at me. ‘But by the way, you still should have told me where you were going, Maisie.’

‘I didn’t think you’d notice if I’d gone.’

‘Yes, well, that’s nonsense. I not onlynoticed, I wasterrifiedin case something had happened to you.’

‘She was,’ I confirmed, and Maisie looked a little subdued.

‘Sorry, Mum.’

‘That’s okay.’ Ellie put her arm around her. ‘All’s well that ends well. Do you want to give the rattle to Isla?’

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