I spin around to see Florence in unicorn pyjamas and plaster on my friendliest smile. ‘Hello Florence. I’m here because… Daddy needs to sign a form for school.’
‘Oh, okay.’ She goes into the bathroom.
‘I’ll tell Daddy to come up and tuck you back into bed.’ I run downstairs.
FHD’s in the kitchen pouring wine.
‘She’s awake!’ I hiss. ‘I said you’d tuck her in.’ He looks only a little concerned as he passes me in the narrow kitchen. ‘I told her you had to sign a form for school. That’s why I’m here.’
‘Okay, wait here.’
A few minutes later he calls down: ‘Miss Lawrence?’
I clear my throat and step out into the hall. ‘Yes?’
‘Florence wants to say goodbye.’
FHD comes down the stairs, little Florence in his arms. She clings to his neck, her head resting on his shoulder. He hands me an envelope from the table by the door. ‘There’s the form – all signed.’
‘Great, thank you.’ I force a smile.
He opens the door for me.
‘Well, goodbye,’ I say brightly.
‘Goodbye,’ they say together.
Halfway down the path, I turn and wave.
Framed in the doorway, they wave back, then he shuts the door.
Now what? My phone, purse, keys are all in there. I go out of the gate and loiter behind a bush, clutching his gas bill. I want the ground to swallow me up.
A few minutes later, he’s leaning out of his gate beckoning me back to the house. I follow him cautiously.
‘It’s okay,’ he says, ‘her room’s on the other side.’
Back inside, I pick up my bag.
‘You’re not leaving, are you?’
‘It’s not fair on Florence. What if she wakes up again? How will you explain that?’
‘She won’t. She never wakes up… usually.’
I smile, eyebrows high.
‘Please?’ he says.
‘I wasn’t going to stay late, anyway.’
We wait for my cab. I’m poised to duck around the side of the house should Florence make another appearance.
‘I think the universe is conspiring against us.’ He laughs. ‘Or our daughters are.’
He might be right.
Chapter 41