Page 11 of Changing Tides
Kasia frowned. “I should be coming with you.”
“I’ll be fine with Joey. You can come to the next one when we’re not so busy.”
“We’re always busy.” Kasia scowled and Tierney threw her a last kiss as the boat pulled away.
“She’s really stressed about Tom leaving. The timing couldn’t be worse.” Tierney settled on a clean bench for the short ride.
“Is there nothing you can do to entice him to stay?” Joey steered them toward the harbor exit.
“We’ve tried, but it’s really about the location. He’s got a girlfriend in Dublin, and they want to move their relationship to the next level. With the hours he works, they just can’t do it long distance.”
“And she wouldn’t move here?” Joey knew not everyone loved their little island like they did.
“She can’t. Her career is quite specialized, and she needs to be in the city. It’s a shame, but it was inevitable, really. We’re lucky to have had him as long as we did.”
“Is that how Kasia sees it?”
Tierney laughed. “Not so much, but she’s trying. She’s worried we’ll have to pick up the extra work and it’ll mean more stress for me.” She stepped outside for a moment as they pulled into open sea, then ducked back into the wheelhouse to avoid the spray that splattered onto the deck. “I swear if she could, she’d lock me in our rooms for the next six months and force me to stay in bed.”
Joey could understand Kasia’s worry. She was a very hands-on person; it was hard for her to support her partner through something she couldn’t directly do anything about.
“She’ll be happy when the baby’s born, and she can do her share of parenting.”
“Or oversee Project Baby, more like.”
Joey joined in the laughter for a moment, then sucked in a breath. “Have you ever talked about what would happen if you didn’t stay together?”
They regretted the words the moment they were out.
Tierney turned with a frown. “Strange question. But knowing you, there’ll be a reason for it.”
“I just mean, as you’re carrying the baby, do you see yourself as the main parent?”
Tierney shook her head. “We decided I’d be the one to carry the nugget…” She rubbed her bump. “For lots of reasons. But this isourchild. We’ll be their mums equally.”
Joey wondered how Marianne and Amira would resolve their own situation.
“I’ve answered your question, now you can answer mine. What’s going on?”
Joey paused, unsure about talking to Tierney after her teasing about Marianne at the weekend.
“Hey, come on. I’m your oldest friend. Talk to me.”
“It’s Marianne.”
Tierney’s mouth twitched, but her tone was serious when she spoke. “Is she having problems?”
“Her business has gone under. Her wife got them in a lot of debt and they’re going to sell up and separate.”
“Oh, that’s terrible.” Tierney’s amused expression vanished. “Is she okay? She can stay at the hotel for a while if she needs to.”
“I don’t really know what will happen, but I’m guessing Marianne will go back to Dublin. She’ll need to find a job.”
They steered Queen Maedbh into the mainland harbor, wishing there was more time to talk. “I wondered what would happen with little Denny. She works long hours, but she loves that kid.”
Tierney ran a hand up their arm. “They’ll work things out between them, Joey. Just like Kasia and I would if that day ever came. Which I dearly hope it won’t. Kids come first when relationships end. Denny has two loving parents; he’ll be okay.”
Tierney spoke with more sincerity than Joey would have expected from someone who’d had a raw deal in her own childhood. They guessed she was speaking less from personal experience and more as an optimistic mother-to-be determined to give her child the best possible future.
