Page 87 of All We Want for Christmas
After, he helped Molly clear up wrapping paper and packaging from the carpet. Esme was already rubbing her eyes and ready for her bottle and bed.
Brenda went back into the kitchen, leaving Molly alone with Flynn again while she gave Esme her milk.
‘I am sorry about what happened. I honestly was going to tell Mum and I did try to warn you.’
‘I know.’
‘Would you have come over if you’d found out she was here?’ Molly asked, allowing Esme to hold her own bottle. Her eyes were fixed on Flynn while she was drinking and his heart did that squeeze of love that always took him by surprise by its suddenness and intensity. He already knew he’d die for them both if he had to and that was terrifying.
‘I – probably would have waited for a more convenient time,’ he said tactfully.
‘I thought so. It’s been a shock for you and Mum, and I’m not looking forward to what she’ll have to say later. I bet you want to talk to her …’
‘You could say that. But today isn’t the moment.’
‘Nan says she’ll come round.’
‘Yeah.’
‘And that it hasn’t been fair to keep you in the dark about me. I wish I’d asked Mum to get in contact sooner. I never wanted to upset her … but when this one came along, I realised how much being a parent means. I wasn’t even sure ifyou’d want to get to know us after all this time, but I’m glad you did.’
‘So am I,’ Flynn said.
Molly took Esme to bed, allowing Flynn to kiss her cheek. In the brief moment before Brenda and Imogen returned to the lounge, Flynn looked around, experiencing one of the many ‘pinch-me’ moments he’d had lately. The artificial tree in the window, bedecked with tinsel and baubles, and the cards from people he’d never met but who meant a lot to his new family.
The card and photo on the sofa next to him: this was his family now.
Imogen and Brenda returned, but Flynn refused the offer of cheese and sausage rolls, saying he was still stuffed after the Ravendale Christmas dinner. His appetite wasn’t great and he had the feeling he’d outstayed his welcome – with Imogen at least. Brenda wanted him to take a ‘doggy bag’ of buffet snacks, and he didn’t want to offend her, so he accepted it.
Molly hugged him. Brenda gave him a smile and thanked him for coming warmly enough for him to know she meant it.
Imogen stood by in the hall, arms folded, like a shaken bottle of pop about to go off.
Esme had started to cry, so Molly trotted upstairs. Brenda seemed to have conveniently vanished and only Imogen remained.
‘I’ll let myself out,’ Flynn said, picking up his helmet from the coat rack.
‘I need to talk to you.’
‘We both need to talk,’ he said calmly. ‘That’s the understatement of the year, but I thought we’d agreed now wasn’t the best time.’
‘Yes, but I want you to know somethingnow.’ Imogen folded her arms. ‘I know what you’re thinking. Why didn’t I tell you about Molly? I bet you hate me.’
Flynn hesitated. ‘I don’t hate anyone and Molly’s given me some idea why you kept her existence a secret, but, yeah, I’d like to hear it from you. You could have got in touch as soon as you found me on social media. Maybe before then.’
‘I could have but I didn’t. I managed to bring up Molly on my own. We were a one-night stand – there was never going to be an ‘us’. We had no future. We were young and our hormones were in overdrive. You were handsome and I fancied you rotten, but let’s face it, you could have been anyone.’
Flynn snorted. ‘Jesus, Imogen. Don’t hold back!’ Remembering where he was, he lowered his voice. ‘Yeah, Icouldhave been any man but I wasn’t. I’mnot. You could have given me the benefit of the doubt and asked me if I wanted to be part of my child’s future.’
‘I could have but I decided not to. I had to carry Molly and give birth to her and, once I’d got used to bringing her up on my own – and with Mum’s help – I realised I didn’t need a man in my life.’
‘Did you not think Molly might have needed a father in hers?’
Imogen pressed her lips together. ‘Of course I thought about that, but even after we knew where you were and how to contact you, I couldn’t tell you.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I was scared you’d try to take Molly and Esme away from us. I still am. You can hate me for that if you like, but I love them too much to see them hurt.’
