Page 6 of Sanctuary at MacLeod's Cove
Jen shrugged. ‘He told me his grandfather raised him, but they’d had a big falling out and he hadn’t had anything to do with him for years. But then the grandfather — James Cameron — wrote to me after Liam was born, saying he’d like to meet up. When I told Alistair, he was furious and so, to keep the peace, I never met him. It’s a shame, because I got the impression he wanted a relationship with us.’
‘I wonder what made Alistair so hostile to him?’
‘Who knows? Some small thing, maybe, which he’d blown out of proportion.’
‘Will you try to contact the grandfather now you’ve left Alistair?’
‘Maybe at some point. I kept his contact details, more for Liam than anything.’
‘Good idea. So… was Alistair equally uninterested in meeting your family?’
‘Totally against it. Meeting my friends, too. He only ever wanted to have me to himself. At first, I was flattered. I imagined that was what love was.’
‘And after Sam, that was something you wanted,’ said Kate.
Jen blanched. Her ex, Sam. The man she thought she’d wanted the opposite of. ‘Yep.’ Jen sighed. ‘When I look back now, I can’t believe I mistook Alistair’s control and jealousy for signs of love. By the time I eventually came to my senses, I was pregnant. And after that,’ she shrugged, ‘I had no choice. Alistair gave me no choice.’
Kate closed her eyes and massaged her temples with her fingers, while Lucy grimaced. There was obviously no need for Jen to elaborate. They both understood and didn’t need the details. Not right now, anyway.
She forced herself to smile. ‘So… I planned an escape, and here I am.’
‘And that,’ said Lucy, ‘is a cause for celebration, not a wake.’ She jumped up. ‘Anyone for a top-up?’
‘Absolutely.’
Lucy refilled her glass before curling up in the corner of the window seat beside Jen. Lucy looked at her thoughtfully as she swirled her drink around. ‘What you need is to leave the past behind and get on with your future.’
Jen grunted. ‘Easier said than done. Especially for Liam. It’s all affected him.’
‘With love and counselling, he’ll recover,’ said Lucy. ‘We’ll make sure of that. And you need to plunge back into life here.’
‘She needs to take a breath first,’ said her mother. ‘There’s no rush.’
‘No,’ said Lucy, eyeing Jen thoughtfully. ‘She needs a job.’
Jen spluttered, then laughed — a sound that shocked her. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed.
‘Lucy! Give Jen a chance,’ said Kate. ‘She’s only just arrived.’
‘And I want her to stay, so I want her to get everything sorted. First thing — a job.’
‘I can’t say I’ve thought that far ahead, but you’re right. I need a job.’ It felt good to discuss normal things. ‘What’s the job market like?’
‘In Wellington, not too bad. But I can always use an extra pair of hands at the café.’
‘Really?’
‘Yes, really. I’d love it if you came and worked with me.’
‘But I don’t have any experience.’
Lucy dismissed the idea with a wave of the hand. ‘You’ll quickly get some on the job. And it would mean you could stick close to MacLeod’s Cove and Liam.’
‘I’m not sure where we’ll live. But Liam will have to come first. He’s been through a lot, and I want to be with him to help him deal with it. He’s quite... insecure at the moment.’
Kate sat forward. ‘You both need time, not pressure about jobs and money. And you can have time here. You don’t need to rush into anything.’
‘I do need a job, Mum. Lucy’s right. But you’re also right about Liam needing time.’
