Total pages in book: 217
Estimated words: 207224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1036(@200wpm)___ 829(@250wpm)___ 691(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 207224 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1036(@200wpm)___ 829(@250wpm)___ 691(@300wpm)
“And Danny’s changing his dressings regularly?”
“Yes,” I sigh, knowing why he won’t let me do it. “Just now before you got here.”
“I’ll leave some more waterproof dressings and fresh bandages here.” He pops some on the nightstand and collects his bag. “Perhaps you could pop in to see Beau now. I believe Mr. Kelly has left the house with Mr. Black.”
I nod and sit up. “Any advice?” I ask.
“Patience.” He smiles as he backs out of the door. “Lots of love and patience.” He disappears, and I get up, taking a shower and throwing on a loose blush-pink sundress and some flip-flops. I coil my hair into a bun, then I call Esther.
“How’s Daniel?” I ask, letting myself out onto the terrace. I cast my eyes around the expansive area, rewinding to three years ago. Three years ago when a missile took the old terrace out with me on it. I flinch, hearing Danny bellowing my name, scrambling to reach me as I dangled precariously off the edge. Scared to let go. But even more scared not to. Because I had fallen in love with the monster who’d taken me, and the repercussions of that were terrifying.
“He’s out with Barney and his father again,” Esther says, sounding a little flat and short, bringing me back to the present. “They collected him when his tutor left after lunch.”
“I’ll try his cell,” I reply, lowering to a sun lounger and looking across to the tennis courts. “Lawrence?”
“Working.”
“Does he know about what’s happened? About Beau’s mom?”
“Well, I haven’t told him,” she says, as the sound of crockery clatters in the background. “It’s not my place.”
“And you? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
My head tilts. She doesn’t sound fine. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Right,” I say slowly. I won’t push it. There’s little point. I expect it has something to do with Otto being here and Esther being there but, again, I’m not pushing it. “I appreciate you taking care of Daniel.” Esther takes care of everyone. It’s second nature to her, but I would hate for her to feel unappreciated.
“He’s settled. Best not disrupt him.” She’s saying out loud what she’s told herself endlessly. That this was her decision. We all know better, including Otto, and I can’t imagine it went down well with him. “I had better scoot. I have a pie in the oven. I need both hands to get it out.”
Or she could switch me to loudspeaker. “Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I hang up and consider my cell for a few moments. She doesn’t want to be in St. Lucia because Otto is no longer in St. Lucia. I never appreciated that Danny was being tactical when he asked Esther to remain behind to look after Daniel so that his studies weren’t affected. For me, it was more about safety. My husband, as always, is one step ahead.
I dial Daniel, and it rings and rings and rings and then goes to voicemail. I don’t bother leaving one as he won’t listen to it, so I text him instead, requesting a call back at his earliest convenience. A small part of me, selfishly, is sad he’s too busy with his friend to take my call. A bigger part is relieved he’s distracted from the cruel world we live in. God, I miss that boy, even though he doesn’t exactly give me much these days. A brief hug. A quick “love ya, Mom” as he dashes out the door. He’s smart, and we would be stupid to underestimate him. It’s only a matter of time before he figures out what Danny does. Who his family is.
I leave the room, finding it so ridiculous that I take deep breaths between my room and Beau’s, bracing myself, nervous to see her. I knock and get no invite to enter, of course, so I let myself in. I find the room shrouded in darkness, the curtains pulled, the lights all off. “Beau?” I call quietly, squinting to try and see her on the bed, the light from the corridor helping. She’s curled up on her side, facing away from me, and even though I can’t see her face, I can feel her anguish. My heart constricts and I close the door, walking in a straight line to the curtains and tweaking them just a fraction so that a slither of light takes the room from pitch-black to hazy.
I go to the bed and climb in with her, lying opposite, mirroring her pose, my praying hands under my cheek. Her eyes remain closed. Her body still. “I think Otto’s pissed off with Esther,” I say quietly. “For letting Danny dictate what she would be doing.” I get no acknowledgement, and I didn’t expect one. “Daniel’s out with Barney and his hot father again. He’s probably not even noticed I’ve gone. What do you think about me getting a job?” I ask. “Something part-time. Not too strenuous. Do you think I’ll be allowed?”