Page 100 of Under Ground

“Always. Reece and Alex will work things out and then maybe life can get back to normal. In the meantime, let’s get you some spending money of your own.” She laughs. “Now, how about I make some lunch, then I’ll call Pania and see if she can babysit while we go shopping for supplies.”

She goes and busies herself in the kitchen while I keep looking at the sketch of Casey.

I should have known that despite the darkness we’ve found ourselves in, Delaney would lighten things up.

We’re still eating when Delaney’s mobile rings, and she grins as she picks it up. “Hey. Good timing. Are you at home this afternoon?”

I don’t hear the answer, but Delaney smiles.

“Cool. Can you look after the kids for a bit? Lana and I have an errand to run.”

She looks up and winks at me. “Nah. We just need to do a few things to make sure she’s all settled in. Life is a bit crazy for her right now.”

Delaney rolls her eyes and laughs. She holds the phone away from her face. “Pania says at least you’re not with Reece. That man is driving her nuts.”

I chuckle. Those two together are magical. They needle each other, but there’s so much love in it, it’s palpable.

A half hour later, Pania arrives, drops her bag on the couch, and holds up her hands. “I need a drink.”

Delaney laughs. “Beer or something stronger?”

“Beer would be great after the morning I’ve had.”

“Is Reece okay?” I ask.

Pania rolls her eyes. “He’s sulking. Which is kind of fair enough, I guess. It was just him for a long time, and then he finally has a family around him—bam!”

I sigh. “If it’s any consolation, Alex gave his mother a hard time. She never told him anything about his father, so this is just as much of a shock for him.”

Pania grips my arm. “We’ll get them through this.”

“I hope so. I know Alex is worried about his working relationship with Reece.”

She grimaces. “Josh will be all over that. They have to learn to work together regardless of what’s going on in their personal lives. They’ve had some tense moments together, which is why I need a drink, but they’ll sort it out.”

I want to think she’s right, but her reassurances don’t make me hate the situation any less.

It’s hard when you feel like you’re stuck in the middle of something that’s not even really anything to do with you. I hate it.

* * *

We haven’t been shopping together often.

Delaney goes out, and sometimes I tag along with her, but with Alex getting straight into work when we got here, there hasn’t been a lot of spare time to sort out our finances.

Not that we’ve wanted for anything.

Alex has offered several times to pay Josh and Delaney for letting us stay with them, but they won’t take a cent. They’ve fed us and given us a roof over our heads, and for that I’ll be eternally grateful. Still, I’m not exactly comfortable at Delaney’s suggestion she spend money on me.

“Artists have patrons. I can be your patron,” she says in the car.

“Once I get something sold, then, I’ll pay you back.”

She shrugs. “Whatever you want to do, but I don’t mind at all. Think of it as paying it forward.”

I growl but smile to myself as I look out the window, watching all the shops pass by. There are some stores I recognise from back home, but so many of them are new to me. Watching the scenery keeps me busy until we pull up to a huge beige building.

“This is Michaels. It’s my favourite place to get art stuff for Amelia. They have everything.”

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