Page 97 of Seven Letters

‘I’m going to be sick,’ Mia muttered.

‘TMI!’ Riley cried out.

‘What’s that?’ Olivia asked.

‘Too much information,’ Johnny explained.

Olivia giggled. ‘Falling in love is the most natural thing in the world. I think you two would make a lovely couple. And don’t they always say men and women can’t be best friends because one of them is always in love with the other?’

‘Seriously?’ Riley glared at Olivia. ‘In this century guys and girls can be mates. Maybe back in the dark ages you couldn’t, but we actually can.’

Olivia wagged a finger. ‘Mark my words, one of you wants to be more than just a pal.’

Riley turned to her mother. ‘Help, please.’

‘Olivia, Shocko is our neighbour and a friend of the family. Leave them alone now. We’ve more important things to discuss.’

‘What’s more important than love?’

‘My corpse of a sister and her dying baby,’ Mia snapped.

‘Well, I know that, but I was only trying to lighten the mood.’ Olivia rearranged the scarf tied around her neck.

Riley would have liked to yank it tight to shut her up.

‘So, I’m just gonna head out now,’ Shocko said, as he sprinted through the front door.

Riley wanted to go after him, to apologize for her granddad’s girlfriend being a total moron, but her dad put a hand on her shoulder. ‘Make us a pot of tea, will you, love?’

While Riley boiled the kettle, the grown-ups sat around the kitchen table and discussed what to do about Adam turning into a total psycho.

‘All of the doctors have said the baby will not make it past the next week or two,’ Charlie said. ‘But I can’t stand to see her disintegrate any more. We need to give her some dignity, let poor Sarah go and have a funeral.’

‘I know, Dad, but Adam is just clinging to hope.’

‘There is no hope.’

‘We’ve all accepted it, but I guess it’ll take him a bit longer. Hopefully he’ll come around in the next few days or … or the baby might die. Sarah’s getting worse by the day.’

‘It’s wrong, Mia, wrong for us, her family, to let this happen. To allow her to be humiliated and demeaned. You can see the doctors think it’s wrong too. I found Dr Harrington crying in the room with Sarah yesterday. She said it’s the saddest case she’s seen in thirty years. It’s just so wrong.’ Charlie began to cry.

‘I know, Dad. I agree with you.’

‘As if it’s not bad enough, I get this letter from Adam’s solicitor banning me from seeing my own child. My own little girl! As if he has the right to play God with her.’ Charlie thumped the table. ‘I won’t have it.’

‘Hush now, Charlie.’ Olivia massaged his neck. ‘Take a deep breath in.’ Turning to Mia and Johnny she said, ‘My Robert is a barrister, as you know. I rang him last night because Charlie was in such a state. He says you can send a letter back, telling Adam to basically sod off and that he has no right to stop you seeing your own flesh and blood.’

Mia ran a hand through her hair. ‘Look, I’d like nothing better than to send Adam a letter telling him to go to Hell, but what would that achieve? A huge family feud, in all likelihood. He could keep Izzy from us, remember. We have to think of her. We must tread carefully here, for Sarah’s sake. She’d want us to keep on good terms with Adam and, most of all, Izzy. That little girl needs us now.’

‘I tried calling her last night, but her phone was switched off,’ Charlie said.

‘That’s weird cos I called her this morning and she didn’t answer either,’ Riley said.

‘Maybe Adam’s taken the phone away,’ Johnny said.

‘I’ll see her in school on Monday. I’ll talk to her and find out.’ Riley put the tea pot on the table. She reached over and handed Charlie a KitKat. ‘I got this for you, Granddad. I think you need one today.’

Charlie smiled. ‘I think I do. Thank you, Riley.’

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