Page 52 of Wandering Souls

Then she was gone, leaving Abi to mind an infant who banged a rattle against the bar of his pram with glee. Moving them to an outdoor setting in the sunshine, Abi sat and wheeled the babe closer. The blue eyes were clearly a family trait, but the black hair was a new addition. Stevie’s husband, the man with the scar, had black hair and as Abi stared into the chubby little face, she saw features that didn’t completely belong to the McCafferty’s.

“Hi, Max.”

At the sound of her voice, he went quiet, stopped smashing his rattle and looked at her with eyes as wide as his mouth. She was an aunt. The news of having more family rocked her, but the irresistible little guy was just another innocent in this upside-down reality that was now hers. Adorably, he dropped his toy and reached toward her. Abi leaned forward and allowed both of his hands to squish her cheeks. The kid laughed, his giggle ridiculously contagious and she found herself joining in.

“Oh, Abigail. I’m sorry.”

Stevie rushed forward but Abi waved her away. “Sit. It’s fine.”

“He’s at the grabby stage. Be mindful he doesn’t pull your hair—”

Too late. Abi winced at the baby’s tug before prying his fingers loose. Free, she sat up and smiled at Stevie, who looked mortified. “Really, Stevie. It’s not a problem.”

Stevie pulled out the chair and eased herself down. “I hope you don’t mind, I ordered you a ham and cheese croissant and a coffee with milk.”

With a nod, Abi thanked her.

“You must be so overwhelmed. How are you doing?”

“Honestly?”

Stevie nodded, her bright eyes encouraging Abi to go on.

“I’m a little numb. I don’t know how to feel.”

“You are not alone. Oh,” she shook her head, “not me. I’m over the moon. This might sound immature, but I always wanted a sister and now that I have you, I want you to know how much we want you to be a part of the family.”

Abi’s chest tightened. It seemed too good to be true and felt too easy. She should be thankful, and in some ways, she was, but envy reared its ugly head. Stevie had had Damien in her life. She hadn’t been given up. When she was in danger, their father came to her rescue.

“Oh, I see I’ve touched on a sore point.” Beautiful, successful and perceptive, Stevie shuffled her chair around until she sat beside Abi. “Do you want to go somewhere more private?”

Abi closed her eyes to get hold of her emotions. Did Queensland count as private? “It’s a lot to take in.”

A hand rubbed circles on her back. “Yes, I imagine it is. The family you thought dead comes back to life?” Stevie chuckled softly. “Welcome to my world, honey. When Dad appeared, I remember feeling angry. He was my only parent and left me, not just willingly, but deliberately. Faked his own death and left me to fend for myself. I hadn’t even turned fifteen. Then ten years later, boom.”

Abi opened her eyes. “Did you stay mad at him for long?”

“A while. Worse still, I knew he’d disappear again and I had no idea if I’d ever see him.”

The young waitress from the bakery approached their table with a tray. She set down two plates with croissants and two mugs with steaming liquid. With a smile and a nod, she ruffled Max’s hair and returned to the shop.

“How did you deal with that?”

Stevie tucked a lock of blond hair behind her ear. “I reminded myself to be grateful he was alive. I knew he’d look out for me wherever he was in the world. But here he is, retired from saving everyone else to be a father and a grandfather.” The faraway look in her sister’s eye told Abi all was forgiven. “He just wants a chance with you, Abigail.”

Needing a distraction, Abi reached for her coffee. The hot liquid sliding down the center of her body soothed and comforted. Giving Damien a chance didn’t seem so hard. He wasn’t responsible for her growing up without a father, and since he hadn’t known about her, she couldn’t hold his absence against him. Whether she could call him Dad was another question, but she couldn’t deny the little girl who’d prayed every night for him to come for her desperately wanted to.

Pity she wasn’t five anymore.

Things would be so much simpler.

“He’s a good man,” Stevie continued. “If you can find it within you to get to know him, you’ll see.”

Setting her mug down, Abi pulled her croissant into two pieces. Melted cheese stretched between the two halves, and her mouth watered at its stringy gooeyness. Taking a bite of one side, she closed her eyes as soft cheese and hot ham woke her taste buds. The buttery goodness of the pastry was delicious.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Stevie do the same thing. Family trait or common action? She decided it didn’t matter. Stevie’s presence alone warmed an empty hollow in Abi’s past. Denying her childhood wish to be surrounded by family seemed stubborn and ungrateful.

“So, you’re a doctor?”

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