‘Hi, Hannah. How are things?’ Jon leaned in a little so that Hannah and James could see him.
‘I’m okay.’ Chloe looked up at the screen and into Hannah’s face. There was no sign that she’d heard what Amy had said, and maybe the words had been lost somewhere between her laptop and James’s.
‘We went sailing yesterday,’ James broke in.
‘Yeah, and you nearly went over the side.’ Hannah smiled suddenly, nudging her brother, and Jon laughed.
‘I would have liked to have seen that.’
‘No, you wouldn’t. If I was going to get wet, then I’d have made sure you did too,’ James retorted, and Chloe began to breathe again. She hugged Amy, directing her attention towards the screen, as James and Jon traded a few good-natured insults, and Hannah joined in, saying a bit about what they’d been doing on their holiday.
‘So what are the arrangements for Saturday?’ Finally James got around to the one day that everyone was thinking about and not mentioning.
‘I thought I might drive up with Amy tomorrow night and stay at your place, if that’s okay. Then we’ll be there when you get back, the following morning.’
James nodded. ‘Yeah, that’s fine. Sounds good.’
Hannah was biting her lip. ‘There’s no rush.’
Chloe swallowed down her disappointment. It seemed that Hannah had mixed feelings about coming home. ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing you. And Amy’s been missing you, of course.’
‘I miss her too.’ A tear rolled down Hannah’s cheek, and James put his arm around her. ‘But she’s... She looks so happy. And you love her, don’t you...?’
‘Yes, I love her. So do you.’ Chloe felt as if she were walking a tightrope, and there was a very long fall beneath her. Telling Hannah that she’d loved having Amy here might imply that this was a state of affairs that could continue. Telling her that she had to take Amy back now might put her under too much pressure.
‘But you and Jon... You can both look after her so much better.’
Jon leaned forward towards the screen, speaking gently. ‘Hannah, there is no me and Chloe. I’m moving out in a few days’ time.’
Good. That was right. Hannah seemed to be taking it for granted that the very temporary family that had been created here could last. Maybe she was at fault for giving that impression. Maybe Hannah had seen her body language and had realised how much she’d fallen into depending on him.
‘I just think...’ Hannah shook her head, as if what she thought didn’t matter.
‘Hannah, there’s no pressure for us to do anything right now. I’m taking the next two weeks off work so we can spend some time together. I’ll be right there to support you and Amy in any way I can.’
Hannah nodded, wiping he
r eyes. ‘Yes. Okay.’
This was always the way with Hannah. The less she said, the more overwhelmed she was feeling. It was probably best to let things rest for now.
‘So I’ll see you all on Saturday.’
‘Yes.’ James answered for Hannah. ‘That’ll be great.’
* * *
They’d talked for a while longer, and even though James and Chloe were both obviously concerned, they’d stayed positive and smiling for Hannah’s sake. Amy was becoming drowsy, but Chloe managed to get her to wave and blow kisses to her mother before they ended the call.
Chloe leaned forward, closing her laptop, as Amy snuggled against her. At a loss for anything to say that might help, Jon went into the kitchen and made her a cup of tea.
‘I hope I said the right thing. About my not being around for much longer.’ He put her tea down on the coffee table in front of her.
‘It was exactly the right thing.’ Chloe turned her worried face up towards him. ‘All of this is about Hannah wanting the best for Amy. Right now, she’s feeling so worthless and scared that she thinks that I can give Amy more than she can. But I can’t.’
Jon sat down on the sofa next to Chloe, and took Amy from her so she could drink her tea. The little girl stirred and then went back to sleep. No doubt the moment she was taken upstairs and put into her cot, she’d be wide awake again.
‘Have you considered the possibility that it might be better to keep Amy with you for just a little while longer?’ Jon chose his words carefully.