Page 89 of Seal of Approval

I sucked a breath in. It was too much. The simple beauty of it. I nodded and smiled, even though it was forced. “I love it.”

She clapped her hands. “I’m going to mail it to you. That way we can be close all the time.”

Tears pricked my eyes. “I will put it on my fridge.”

She was beaming. “When are you coming back?”

“I don’t know.” The kids wanted me there but did Jasmine? She never asked me.

“You work at a school, right?” Rose said. “Can’t you come here on school holidays?”

I nodded. Not saying yes was less committal. I’d have to actually face my fear of not being wanted and speak to Jasmine.

“My turn now,” Bailey said.

Rose moved a mere two inches to give her brother some space. I searched for Jasmine in the background. She was at the kitchen counter, probably making afternoon snacks. Her head was bowed, and she didn’t look our way. I sighed inwardly. Perhaps Rose’s request wasn’t that exciting for her.

I turned my attention to Bailey. “How was school today?”

“Mrs Goode said that we are going to do a big assignment this term on animals. She said we could choose land, sea or sky.”

“What are you going to choose?”

“Sea. She said I can’t just do sea lions though; I need to do the ecosystem.”

Hundreds of thoughts ran through my head. If I was there, I could help him. My chest squeezed. Absence does not make the heart grow fonder. Absence breaks the heart. I was torn in two, wanting to be with the family I loved, but not wanting to give up what I’d worked so hard for.

I listened to Bailey as he told me about the assignment. All the while I snuck looks at Jasmine. She came over to the table and set two plates down.

“It’s late for Ethan. Let me talk to him so he can go to bed.”

My heart lifted, and I shifted in my seat as I waited for her to take over the screen.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

Jasmine

Another day without a call from Ethan. He sent us all a message saying he was busy with his dissertation. His mentor had edited and reviewed it, but there were some final touches to make before submission.

Once he finished, everything would be back to normal. Normal would be having him here with us. It had been five weeks since he’d left, and I knew we were drifting further and further apart. Two different oceans. Two different worlds.

I walked to the shop to collect the mail. I needed company. I needed to talk to another adult. Winter was coming, and I didn’t have the distraction of tours anymore.

The cool wind, unusual for this time of year, encouraged me to pick up my pace. The bell jingled as I entered. Jack looked up from his crossword puzzle.

“Hi, Jack.”

“How are you going, Jasmine?”

I shrugged.

He pursed his lips and put his pen down. “How’s Ethan?”

I shrugged again.

“You know, you’re going to have to use your words.”

He led me to the living area. Lily was busy sewing some hanging pouches for native rescue animals. No wonder she hadn’t come out. She wouldn’t have heard the bell. She stopped the sewing machine when she saw us.

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