Page 112 of Unspoken Words
“No, not yet.”
“Yet? So she’s planning to?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. The album will take several months, at the very least, to complete.”
Lilah put down the magazine. “I bet you’rethrilledshe’s back.”
I almost laughed at her obvious sarcasm but didn’t. I’d matured, and I no longer played her games or fell into the webs she spun. But I was respectful; she’s the mother of my child, after all.
“Of course I’m thrilled.”
“Well, you do realise you’re gonna have to help me out more with Max, especially now that his arm might be broken. I can’t afford to take time off work.”
I closed my eyes momentarily and stretched my neck from side to side, more worried about how Max was doing and if Ellie had found a nice place to sit and drink coffee while she waited. Being here could not be easy for her.
“Don’t worry, we’ll sort something out,” I said, yawning.
“You better. My job isn’t as ‘relaxed’ as yours.”
I stared at her. “Relaxed? You think what I do is relaxed?”
She swished her talons. “You know what I mean.”
Clenching and releasing my hand by my side, I chose to focus on a promotional poster on the wall opposite instead, warning that pregnant women should not be exposed to radiation.Maybe Mrs Perez was exposed when she was pregnant with Lilah and Tristan. That would explain a lot.
Scrubbing my face with my hands, I stood up and walked to the other side of the waiting area, needing to create as much distance from Lilah as I could. She was like wasabi; green and curious, and after one small bite you were ready to incinerate and never touch the stuff again.
I wasn’t a fan of wasabi, and I’d learned my lesson after the first burn.
The grey doors swung open, and Doctor Dexter and Max came through.
“It’s broked,” Max said, holding up his X-ray film like a trophy.
I took it from him and scrutinised the black, white, and grey mess. “Whoa! I can see that.” I actually couldn’t.
Lilah snatched it from me and held it up to the light, squinting. “How bad? Will he need surgery?”
“No. It’s only a minor fracture that should reset once immobile in a cast for a few weeks.”
“Good!” She smiled.
“So that’s where we’re off to now.” Dr Dexter manoeuvred the bed. “To see nurse Jackie and get a super cool cast moulded.”
“Doctor Dexter said I be like Ironman.”
“Sure will. But no flying, right?”
“Right.”
“Good. Let’s go.”
*
We spentthe next hourgetting a plaster cast fitted, and by the time we walked out of the ER department to the café waiting area, my stomach was churning with guilt for having abandoned Ellie for so long.
“I can’t see her,” I muttered under my breath, scanning nearby sofas in the foyer.
“Who’s Daddy looking for, Mummy?”
