Page 69 of All We Want for Christmas
‘Thanks.’ Molly slotted Esme in the chair and sat on a breakfast stool next to her, feeding her with a plastic spoon.
‘Would you like a coffee?’ Lara asked.
‘Yeah. Thanks.’
Esme reminded Lara of a baby gannet with the way she opened her mouth to guzzle whatever was on the spoon. It was as if another greedy gannet chick might swoop in and get to it first. Weetabix was plastered around her mouth and she was banging the high-chair tray with her own spoon.
She was so gorgeous, though, with her fluffy dark hair. Even so, Lara wasn’t going to offer to feed her. She was sure that the baby would scream the place down or she’d shovel too much food in her mouth.
She made the coffee, trying to work out how she felt about having Flynn’s daughter and granddaughter in her home. She’d told Flynn she’d help in any way she could, but having the family to stay had never featured on her list of possibilities.
Lara made some toast for all three of them and they ate it, Esme happily chewing her toast ‘soldiers’ with the few teeth she had. There were pieces of toast and Weetabix all over the kitchen floor and Weetabix in Esme’s hair and on Molly’s top. Lara tried not to look.
‘Was that nice?’ she asked Esme.
Esme couldn’t reply because her mouth was full.
‘I’ll go and try to clean her up and get her dressed. She goes to nursery today so I can go to work,’ Molly said, seemingly oblivious to the chaos wrought on Lara’s neat cottageby one tiny person in the space of a few hours. ‘Thanks for the breakfast.’
While Molly was changing and dressing Esme in Lara’s bedroom and en suite, Flynn knocked the door.
‘Morning,’ he said, taking in the chaos in the sitting room and kitchen. ‘Jesus …’ He winced and lowered his voice. ‘I was going to say I hoped they haven’t been too much trouble.’
‘No trouble at all,’ Lara said, managing a half-smile at his horrified expression. His own rumpled hair and unshaven chin added to the general air of chaos surrounding them.
‘I’ll help you clear this up,’ he said.
‘Thanks, but I can manage, and Molly will need a lift to nursery and work.’
Flynn looked around him again and grimaced. ‘If you’re sure.’
‘It’ll be easier when they’re gone. I mean that in the nicest way. Once the decks are clear, it won’t take me long.’
‘I can’t thank you enough for this.’
‘It’s OK. It’s been an experience, and Esme is gorgeous. You’re very lucky.’
‘Am I? I know I am, but I don’tfeellike I am. Not yet.’ He sighed. ‘But we’ve been a burden to you long enough.’
At that moment, the burdens walked into the sitting room, Molly in a clean top and jeans, and Esme wearing a pink jumper with an otter on it. She smiled and babbled ‘Ga-ga-ga’ in Flynn’s direction.
Lara saw his face. The sheer incredulity and astonishment – and love. Her own heart felt as if it was squeezing and shewanted to cry, but she didn’t know whether it was for herself or him.
‘You’re chatty this morning, baby,’ Molly said, smiling and obviously unheeding of the cauldron of emotions seething around her.
‘When you’re ready, I’ll give you a lift to the nursery and the café,’ Flynn said. ‘I’ve – er – borrowed one of the maintenance vans. I need to collect some kit from the electrical wholesaler and it’s on the way to the nursery, so I don’t feel so guilty.’
‘I don’t think anyone would mind anyway. It is an emergency,’ Lara reassured him. ‘Although I suppose no one knows about Molly yet, do they?’
‘Not yet,’ Flynn murmured.
Lara was reminded how difficult this situation must be for him and suddenly wondered how she was going to explain Molly’s presence in the cottage, which probably hadn’t gone unnoticed.
‘I’ll be back in five minutes, OK?’ he said, recovering his composure.
‘Yeah. Thanks.’
Lara held Esme as Molly repacked their bags and was surprised by how heavy she was. She wouldn’t have liked to hold her for long. Esme wriggled a bit but then decided to pull Lara’s hair and make a grab for her earrings.
