Page 52 of Sanctuary at MacLeod's Cove
‘But what’s it doing here?’
Lucy shrugged. ‘No idea. I guess Mum might know. Anyway,’ she said, rolling up her sleeves, ‘we need to get on.’
Suddenly they heard a shout, and Lucy, holding the spoon to her mouth ready to taste a sauce, looked around. She bobbed her head down to look out the window into the garden at the approaching figure. ‘Well, look who it is!’ she said, grinning widely at the figure outside.
‘Is that—?’ asked Kate, joining Jen by the French doors which were open onto the garden. She grinned at Jen. ‘It is!’
‘Dan!’ greeted Jen as she ran outside to give her big brother a hug.
‘The stranger returns,’ Dan said. ‘And about time.’
He gave her a big hug back, and then she stepped away, her hands firmly on his shoulders. ‘Oh my goodness, you’ve changed! Your hair is different and you’ve got broader!’
He grinned. ‘More muscly is what I think you mean.’
She laughed. ‘Exactly.’ But his smile — so full of the charm which had got him out of trouble his whole life — hadn’t changed. Then his eyes narrowed as he searched her face, and she realised that behind that charm his big intellect was still ticking away. The same intellect that had taken him to Australia, juggling various entrepreneurial ventures.
‘I last saw you in London five years ago, when you told me that everything was fine. You were fine. Alistair was fine. And Liam was fine. If I’d known what was hiding behind fine, I’d never have left you there.’
‘Yeah, I’m sorry. It was…’ She shrugged. ‘All pretty difficult. But I’m here now!’ She didn’t want to waste any time with her big brother, whom she’d used to idolise, talking about her past.
‘You are indeed. Here to stay?’ he asked, his eyes never moving from hers. He’d always been like that. Able to charm people by making them feel they were the only person he cared about. Thing was, it was authentic.
She nodded. ‘Here to stay.’ She glanced at her mother, who was watching them with a gentle smile on her face. ‘If Mum will have me.’
‘Course I’ll have you,’ said Kate. She beckoned Dan over. ‘Come here, Dan, and give me a hug. It’s been too long.’
Dan didn’t need telling twice, and he swept his mother off the ground and twirled her as if she were a teenager. He kept his arm around her shoulders as he greeted Lucy.
‘Dan!’ she exclaimed, giving him a kiss before wiping lipstick from his cheek with her thumb. ‘Last week I didn’t think you were going to make it to Mum’s birthday. Thought you were up to your eyes in business in Sydney.’
‘I was. But I got the word’ — one quick glance at Jen made her realise what the ‘word’ had been about — ‘and hot-footed it over here.’ He kissed his mother on the top of her head. ‘Besides, I can’t miss Mum’s birthday.’ Kate shot him a tender look. ‘I’d never hear the end of it!’
He grinned, and Kate gave him a playful slap on his chest.
Jen caught sight of Liam standing a little distance away, hesitating and nervous.
She walked over to him and put her arm around his shoulders. ‘That noisy one over there is your Uncle Dan, Liam.’ She turned to Dan. ‘Dan! Come and say “hi” to your nephew.’
‘Well, hello,’ said Dan, toning down his voice. Jen appreciated the thoughtfulness that Dan had always shown. Despite being larger than life, Dan was as sensitive as she was. He stopped short of Liam and took a seat so he wouldn’t loom so tall over him.
‘Hello,’ said Liam nervously, his grip tightening in Jen’s hand.
‘I heard you were here, so I brought you a present from Australia. Your grandma said you liked animals. So I brought you a few things you might like.’ He opened his bag and brought out a book. Liam took it but didn’t open it. ‘And this.’ He handed Liam a stuffed toy. ‘I thought this koala might enjoy hanging out with you in your new bedroom. And here’s something a bit more techy for you.’ It was a game. ‘We’ll play it later if you like?’
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. I’m so glad to meet you at last. You’re my only nephew.’
‘You’re my only uncle,’ said Liam. ‘I think?’ He looked at Jen for confirmation.
‘There’s also Matthew, but you haven’t met him yet. He’s my other brother but he won’t be coming today.’
‘No such luck,’ said Lucy, pausing before re-entering the kitchen. ‘Matt’s in Africa somewhere photographing something. That’s all I know from social media.’
‘My little brother is an enigma, even to himself,’ said Dan.
‘Hey!’ said Lucy at the sound of the doorbell ringing. ‘I wonder if that’s Ellie.’
