Page 86 of Christmas at Black Cherry Retreat
Chapter Forty-One
‘Freebird?’
Tom’s reassuring hand on her shoulder gave Fee courage and she put on a bright smile to face her mother. Maddy’s appearance took her by surprise because the smart black trousers and dark red check blouse were a million miles from the bright-coloured hippie clothes she’d always favoured. At least her hennaed hair was the same, althougheven that appeared well cut instead of hacked at with the nearest pair of scissors.
Maddy ran down the path and seized hold of her hands. She checked Fee out from head to toe. ‘When did you get to be so…’
‘Old?’
‘I was going to say beautiful.’ She touched Fee’s cheek. ‘You were always so serious and well… plain.’
Thanks, Mum. Tom relied on his family to tell himthe truth even when it was the last thing he wanted to hear. He held it up as a good thing but she wasn’t convinced.
‘I knew you’d grow into your looks one day.’ She fingered Fee’s hair. ‘The style’s softer than I remember. And jewellery?’ Maddy lifted up the silver bracelet around her wrist. ‘You’ll be wearing red next.’
‘On the phone you told me people change. Aren’t I allowedto as well?’ Fee challenged and her mother’s familiar wry smile emerged.
‘That’s more like my spiky girl. Always sticking up for herself.’
I had to or I wouldn’t have survived. Fee swallowed back tears.
‘Aren’t you going to introduce me to your young man?’ Maddy asked.
She couldn’t believe she’d almost forgotten Tom in the shock of seeing her mother again. Fee pulledhim forward.
‘Pleased to meet you, ma’am.’ Tom’s soft, deep drawl brightened her mother’s smile even more.
‘Call me Maddy, please, or I’ll think you’re talking to the Queen.’ Her raspy laughter tugged at Fee’s heart. She’d missed her mother’s earthy good humour.
‘I can see where Fee gets her beauty from… and her uniqueness.’
Fee bit the inside of her cheek to stiflea giggle.
‘I can see why my daughter’s fallen for you.’ Maddy’s eyes shone. ‘You’d better pick up those bags and come in.’ She gestured to the luggage they’d set down on the path. ‘Oh, Will, come and say hello.’
Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a man hovering at the front door of the house, shadowed from clear view. As he stepped forward and headed slowly towards them Feecaught Tom’s quick intake of breath. ‘Long time no see.’
The older version of Will Sawyer was taller and leaner than she remembered, his shoulder-length black hair streaked with grey and sharp, hawkish features softened with age. He pulled her into an affectionate hug and Fee smelled spearmint chewing gum on his breath. The remembered scent assaulted her senses and she fought against crying.He’d sneaked her endless sticks of gum when Maddy was going through her organic, sugar-free phases and called it their secret treat.
‘I thought you were never coming home again.’ Will’s dark blue eyes glazed over and he draped his arm around Maddy’s shoulder. ‘We’ve both missed you.’
‘Well, I’m here now.’ A feeble response but the best she could come up with.
‘Come in.’
Tom picked up their bags and gestured for her to go first. Memories of arriving here with her mother, tired and hungry, flooded back and Fee walked up the couple of steps and into the entrance hall in a daydream. She glanced down at the familiar floor where Will taught her to play hopscotch on the black and white tiles and wondered how she could have allowed herself to forget so much. Thelarge Victorian house had been a sanctuary then and now it wrapped its comforting presence around her again.
‘Neat place,’ Tom commented.
‘Thanks. We’re happy here.’ Will tightened his arm around her mother. The loving smiles they gave each other told her that Tom was right. What else had she missed?
Tom tried to sort things in his head. Fee’s mother didn’t match the imagehe’d formed of her and Maddy and Will were obviously a couple in every sense of the word. He was no geneticist but he would bet his bottom dollar Will Sawyer was Fee’s father. Their bone structure was identical and when Tom met the older man’s shrewd gaze it’d been like facing Fee in questioning mode.
He left their bags in the bedroom and hurried back down the elegant staircase to thenow empty hall. Before Tom could go in search of Fee a door opened and Will came out frowning.
‘Maddy took Fee off tothe living room and she’s asking her about Allain and the paternity test. Tell me what you know.’ His blank, expressionless voice contrasted with the pain lingering in his bright blue eyes. ‘Don’t get bloody noble on me.’ Will growled. ‘I watched you put two and two togetherthe moment you clapped eyes on me.’
‘Maybe.’
