it.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Tom soothed, ‘we’ll get it sorted.’
Guessing what was wrong, Lainey went to take over, but Tom said, ‘It’s OK. I’ll do it.’
‘Lainey, it was there and then gone,’ Peter told her.
Gazing into her father’s bemused blue eyes, Lainey cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. ‘You’ll be fine,’ she assured him. ‘Tom’s going to get you all cleaned up, then we’ll sit down for a lovely dinner.’
Peter nodded, and patted the hand Tom had laid on his arm. As they went out through the hall, the loyal Sherman padding on behind, Lainey turned to Grant, who’d followed them into the kitchen.
‘Would you mind carrying the dog up the stairs?’ she asked. ‘He’s obviously in a bit of pain, but he hates being apart from Dad.’
‘Leave it to me,’ Grant responded, and going after Tom and Peter he closed the hall door behind him.
‘This must be so hard for you,’ Cara sympathised, as Lainey drew in a shaky breath.
Lainey couldn’t deny it.
‘Does it happen often?’
‘His incontinence? More and more these days,’ she replied, glancing up as Tierney come in. ‘It might be easier on him if he didn’t realise it was happening; as it is, he feels so ashamed that he ends up getting into a terrible muddle. As if he’s not in a big enough one already. Tierney, can you go and find out what’s happened to Zav? I sent him to wash his face ten minutes ago and he hasn’t come back yet.’
Tierney, who’d been giving Cara a hug, helped herself to a slice of cucumber as she left. ‘Sorry, may I?’ she asked, looking at her phone as she turned back again.
‘May you what?’ Lainey asked.
‘Have a piece of cucumber?’
Lainey blinked in astonishment. ‘Well, you’ve already eaten it now, but I hardly think you needed to ask.’
‘I just don’t want to seem impolite, or to take anything for granted,’ Tierney explained, looking up from her texts.
Since she wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, Lainey simply smiled.
‘We’re very lucky to have food whenever we want it,’ Tierney reminded her, ‘even if it is just a slice of cucumber. So many people in the world don’t have anything, and I think it’s wrong for people like us simply to stuff our faces and forget all about them.’
With a quick glance at a bewildered Cara, Lainey said, ‘I don’t think a slice of cucumber can qualify as stuffing your face, but your sentiments are admirable, my darling.’
Seeming pleased with that, Tierney spun round and went off in search of her brother.
‘Don’t ask,’ Lainey muttered, as Cara seemed to flounder for words. ‘Let’s just get the rest of dinner under way and do our best to pretend we’re a normal family.’
Upstairs in her room, Tierney’s whole attention was fixed on her laptop. He was there, online, taking time out to Instant Message her and ask if she was happy.
Just wait till she told Skye.
Her fingers almost shook as she typed in her answer.
I am now.
That’s good.
Are you?
Of course. I’m in contact with you.
She desperately wanted to see him, but didn’t have the courage to say so. He’d said the last time, though, that they would definitely get together again.
He was typing. You understand why I can’t see you this weekend?
Her insides churned with longing. Yes, but I wish you could.
I know. I wish I could too. You have become very special to me.
She felt suddenly breathless, hot, desperate to see him if only on Skype, but there was no time now.
You’re special to me too, she typed, and felt her insides flutter with the electric frissons of daring.
It’s not long until your birthday.
Tomorrow week.
Will we be able to spend it together?
I’m working on it. I’ve told them I’m going to be at my friend’s in London. She’s OK with that, she’ll definitely cover for me.
That’s good. I’ll make sure you have a really special time.
Thinking of the one kiss they’d shared she almost sobbed with dread
‘Don’t worry,’ Tom soothed, ‘we’ll get it sorted.’
Guessing what was wrong, Lainey went to take over, but Tom said, ‘It’s OK. I’ll do it.’
‘Lainey, it was there and then gone,’ Peter told her.
Gazing into her father’s bemused blue eyes, Lainey cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. ‘You’ll be fine,’ she assured him. ‘Tom’s going to get you all cleaned up, then we’ll sit down for a lovely dinner.’
Peter nodded, and patted the hand Tom had laid on his arm. As they went out through the hall, the loyal Sherman padding on behind, Lainey turned to Grant, who’d followed them into the kitchen.
‘Would you mind carrying the dog up the stairs?’ she asked. ‘He’s obviously in a bit of pain, but he hates being apart from Dad.’
‘Leave it to me,’ Grant responded, and going after Tom and Peter he closed the hall door behind him.
‘This must be so hard for you,’ Cara sympathised, as Lainey drew in a shaky breath.
Lainey couldn’t deny it.
‘Does it happen often?’
‘His incontinence? More and more these days,’ she replied, glancing up as Tierney come in. ‘It might be easier on him if he didn’t realise it was happening; as it is, he feels so ashamed that he ends up getting into a terrible muddle. As if he’s not in a big enough one already. Tierney, can you go and find out what’s happened to Zav? I sent him to wash his face ten minutes ago and he hasn’t come back yet.’
Tierney, who’d been giving Cara a hug, helped herself to a slice of cucumber as she left. ‘Sorry, may I?’ she asked, looking at her phone as she turned back again.
‘May you what?’ Lainey asked.
‘Have a piece of cucumber?’
Lainey blinked in astonishment. ‘Well, you’ve already eaten it now, but I hardly think you needed to ask.’
‘I just don’t want to seem impolite, or to take anything for granted,’ Tierney explained, looking up from her texts.
Since she wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, Lainey simply smiled.
‘We’re very lucky to have food whenever we want it,’ Tierney reminded her, ‘even if it is just a slice of cucumber. So many people in the world don’t have anything, and I think it’s wrong for people like us simply to stuff our faces and forget all about them.’
With a quick glance at a bewildered Cara, Lainey said, ‘I don’t think a slice of cucumber can qualify as stuffing your face, but your sentiments are admirable, my darling.’
Seeming pleased with that, Tierney spun round and went off in search of her brother.
‘Don’t ask,’ Lainey muttered, as Cara seemed to flounder for words. ‘Let’s just get the rest of dinner under way and do our best to pretend we’re a normal family.’
Upstairs in her room, Tierney’s whole attention was fixed on her laptop. He was there, online, taking time out to Instant Message her and ask if she was happy.
Just wait till she told Skye.
Her fingers almost shook as she typed in her answer.
I am now.
That’s good.
Are you?
Of course. I’m in contact with you.
She desperately wanted to see him, but didn’t have the courage to say so. He’d said the last time, though, that they would definitely get together again.
He was typing. You understand why I can’t see you this weekend?
Her insides churned with longing. Yes, but I wish you could.
I know. I wish I could too. You have become very special to me.
She felt suddenly breathless, hot, desperate to see him if only on Skype, but there was no time now.
You’re special to me too, she typed, and felt her insides flutter with the electric frissons of daring.
It’s not long until your birthday.
Tomorrow week.
Will we be able to spend it together?
I’m working on it. I’ve told them I’m going to be at my friend’s in London. She’s OK with that, she’ll definitely cover for me.
That’s good. I’ll make sure you have a really special time.
Thinking of the one kiss they’d shared she almost sobbed with dread
Similar Books
