Page 56 of Wishing Under a Starlit Skye
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Once their pizzas were finished, Archie and Grace cleared the table and then they all sat on the living-room floor in front of the fire with the interior design magazines laid out before them and the laptop at the ready. Cleo dozed off after her treats and began snoring loudly, much to everyone’s amusement.
After an hour, they had planned the whole room. They had also ordered toys and photo frames so Sophie could have pictures of her mum up in her room. Caitlin lost count of how much it was all going to cost, but Archie didn’t seem bothered. Then a bookcase was purchased from a huge online store, along with books to go on the shelves.
After Sophie’s needs had been addressed, they turned their focus onto Bowie, Sophie’s pet pug. A navy-blue bed with a plush cream cushion for the floor of Sophie’s room. Two bowls for food and water for the utility room, some chew toys and a huge sack of dog food that would no doubt last months.
‘Jackie was always a David Bowie fan, so it’s no surprise to hear that’s what they named the dog. Her favourite song was “Star Man” which also explains a lot I suppose.’ He gave a small, sad smile. ‘It’s amazing how many things I’d forgotten about Jackie and how many of them are coming back to me now.’
As they tidied the magazines into a neat pile, Grace asked, ‘Will Sophie have your second name when she comes to live here?’
Archie paused and frowned. ‘Oh… do you know, I hadn’t even thought about that. I could maybe add my name to hers so she can keep her mum’s name but also feel like she belongs here with me too. Sophie Fraser-Sutherland,’ he suggested with a smile.
Grace beamed. ‘I think she’ll like that.’
Caitlin nodded. ‘I think so too. It has a lovely ring to it. You’re going to have a busy few days ahead of you. If we can help on an evening at all, just say.’
‘Ooh, ooh, I can help through the day! School is finished and Cora is… Anyway, I’d like to help,’ Grace said.
Archie reached out and patted her shoulder. ‘I’d love you to help, Grace, if you don’t mind. How are you with a paintbrush?’
‘I’m an expert!’ she said, but then glanced at Caitlin and burst out laughing. ‘Okay… maybe not quite an expert, but I can paint!’
‘I’ll make sure to send her in old clothes,’ Caitlin said with a chuckle. ‘And I recommend covering the carpets. Last time she helped me paint her bedroom, she ended up wearing more than went on the walls.’
‘That’s it sorted then. I’ll go first thing Wednesday and collect the paint, then when I get back, I’ll call to your house for you. Deal?’ Archie said, holding out his hand.
‘Deal!’ Grace replied with a smile.
* * *
At the end of the evening, Archie walked them to the front door. ‘I bet the postman and the delivery drivers are going to be sick of visiting here by the end of the week,’ he said with a grin.
‘It’s going to look amazing. I can’t wait to see it all done. And I can’t wait to meet your little girl,’ Caitlin told him.
‘My little girl. It sounds so strange. But I love hearing it already. Thanks for all your help, ladies.’ He hugged them both and gave Cleo a good scratch behind the ears, then bid them all a goodnight.
As they walked the short route home, Grace stopped. ‘Thanks for bringing me to help, Mum. I’ve had a fun evening. Archie is so lovely, and Sophie is lucky to have him to look out for her, isn’t she?’
Caitlin hugged her daughter. ‘She certainly is, sweetheart. She certainly is.’
20
Grace helped with Sophie’s room for the rest of the week and when Caitlin was asked to pop round to see it, she was gobsmacked at how much they had achieved. It looked absolutely wonderful. Luckily, everything had arrived in time and the room now appeared like a bed on a space station. Sure enough, the wall behind the bed and the ceiling were navy-blue. Caitlin got the full effect of the glow-in-the-dark stars when Archie lowered the blind and closed the curtains. As if they weren’t enough, there was the soft glow of a night light that cast stars onto the rest of the walls. When the lights were on again, she saw that the other walls were adorned with rainbows – applied by Grace no less, who seemed to have had a brilliant time helping, judging by how excited she’d been each night telling Caitlin about what they’d done – and the bookshelf was built and stacked with all manner of stories and picture books befitting a five-year-old.
‘You’ve really done her proud, Archie,’ Caitlin told him as they stood in the room, staring up at the stars.
‘I think I’m going to take her camping so she can see the real night sky here. It’ll be totally different to what she’s experienced in the capital, and she’s never used a telescope so that should be amazing for her.’
Caitlin’s heart skipped as she watched her friend talking about his plans with his little girl. He really was a very special man. ‘You really are going to be the best dad,’ she told him.
He hugged her and she tried to ignore the way it felt to be in his arms.
* * *
On Saturday, Archie texted from Edinburgh to say his first meeting on Friday with Sophie had been a little rocky, and that he would be home on the Monday now instead of earlier as he’d originally anticipated. He said he’d had very little sleep, worrying if he was doing the right thing for her, so she immediately replied to reassure him that he was. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy for either of them, but she couldn’t think of a better father for the girl, and she was determined to help in any way she could.
It was now late July and Caitlin sat in her cottage garden with Morag, Jules and Ruby. Dexter was covering at the campsite for Archie, or she knew he would have tagged along too. When her friends had arrived, Caitlin had filled them in on the horror that was her brief relationship with Lyle. She was relieved not to have encountered him again after their last meeting, and it struck her, as she told her friends about the whole debacle, that she hadn’t really given him much thought.
