Page 76 of Broken Beyond Repair
“What if I don’t know what that is?”
“It takes us all time to figure that out. Sometimes we never figure it out; we must go with the flow and see where it takes us. Sometimes we think we’ve figured it out, and it turns out we were wrong, and we choose another route. There’s no rushing these things.”
Beatrice frowned as she released the last strap on her boot. Earlier today he had wanted to be a chef, and now he didn’t know. Children were so fickle.
“What did your dad get you for your birthday?”
Beatrice shuddered at the reminder of Peter’s existence.
“A PlayStation 5. I’m glad he isn’t here today; he would have only upset Mum. I don’t want him around anymore if he’s going to do that. It’s best they are far apart from each other.”
Beatrice was awash with pride at his words. How had he turned into such a considerate young man? She wasn’t sure she could take any credit for it, and he certainly wouldn’t have learned that behaviour from Peter.
Slipping her leg out of the boot, she made her way outside with the help of her crutches. Her leg was beginning to feel normal again. Although the boot was just as heavy, if not heavier than the cast, it weighed less on her mind. Knowing she could remove it at any time no doubt helped, and it certainly made a difference to her mood when it wasn’t on.
She’d given up wearing it at night, which not only improved her sleep but also accessibility to the bathroom. The skin was already beginning to heal in the few days since the cast removal. Regular soakings in the bath, followed by a light dab with a towel and a moisturiser, as instructed by Rosie, was doing wonders.
She lowered herself on the first step of the pool and let her legs float in the cool water.
“Are you not coming in, Beatrice?” Sydney asked.
“I don’t want to get my hair wet.”
“Come on, Mum. Come in,” Alex said, splashing her with water.
Her jaw dropped as she wiped her face. She retaliated, sweeping the back of her hand across the surface of the pool, only to completely miss Alex and hit Sydney with a face full of spray.
“Sorry, Sydney! I was aiming for Alex,” Beatrice said, failing to keep a smirk from her lips.
“Oh yeah?” Sydney spluttered, reaching her arm back, her hand scooped.
Beatrice’s hands shot to defensive mode in front of her face. “Sydney, no. I forbid it.”
“You forbid it.” Sydney’s eyebrows rocketed. “Really?”
Realising her error in her attempt to dissuade Sydney, she tried again. “Okay. I beg you, please don’t.”
“Do it, Sydney!” Alex shouted from the sidelines.
Sydney scooped some water in her hand and threw it at Beatrice, making her scream. Alex let out a howl of laughter.
“Sydney! I even asked nicely.”
“Yes, you did, but you need to learn that sometimes asking nicely won’t get you what you want either.”
“Hmm,” Beatrice muttered, unconvinced by Sydney’s tactics to make her see things differently. “Well, I’m wet now, so I may as well get in.”
Pushing herself from the step with her good leg, she let herself glide into the water.
“I’m going to shower and then choose a movie?” Alex said, climbing the steps.
“Great idea,” Sydney replied.
“I’m sure we have some popcorn somewhere,” Beatrice called after him.
Alex disappeared into the house as Beatrice swam slowly towards the deep end to join Sydney.
“I’m not sure this was a good idea,” Beatrice said, beginning to flounder. “I can feel my leg beginning to tire already.”
