Page 26

Morgan shrugged. Shouldn’t it have been the proudest day of her own life too?

“It’s not that I doubt it, I just…” Her thoughts went to her brother Mason again, always in trouble as a kid, in and out of the police station for minor things, while Morgan stayed in, diligently finishing her studies and working hard. “There were times when Mason took up a lot of your and dad’s attention and maybe, if I’m honest, I felt a bit ignored.”

Her mum stared at her for a moment, before she inclined her head. “I can understand that. It was never intentional. I suppose you never gave us any reason to worry and so that allowed us to deal with Mason’s issues.”

“I never gave you any cause to worry, cos I knew we were all at breaking point.” Morgan stood up and took her empty plate to the sink. “Mason needs to learn to stand on his own two feet and stop thinking the world still owes him something.”

“What your brother went through…”

“I’m not unsympathetic, Mum.” She dunked the plate into the hot water in the bowl. “No child should ever have to deal with that happening to them, but…he can’t keep using it as the excuse to screw up. He needs more counselling, and you and dad have to stop bailing him out every time he messes up with another cockamamie idea.” She put the dripping plate into the rack and turned back to face her mum while she dried her hands on the tea towel.

“He’s trying, Morgan, and I really think this time he might be on to something. This Alison, I told you, she seemsgood for him. He listens to her, and this new venture sounds like it has some legs to it.”

“I hope you’re right. I want to see him succeed, just not at you and Dad’s demise. Has he paid you back for the last fiasco?”

Her mother breathed deeply and exhaled loudly. “Most of it, yes.”

Morgan stared at her in disbelief. “So, that’s a no then.”

“It isn’t that simple, darling, is it? He’s got Christie to pay for, too.”

Morgan’s heart sank at the mention of her niece, a child she’d only met once. Her brother’s drinking and clubbing had led to a baby with a one-night stand called Leanne, a girl who now lived with another man on the other side of the country and refused to allow Mason any more contact than was absolutely necessary.

“Has he seen her lately?”

“He went down last month and stayed for the weekend.” She picked up her phone and opened the picture app. A little dark-haired girl with a big cheesy grin stared into the camera, cheek-to-cheek with Mason. They looked happy. “Leanne is coming up at Christmas to visit her parents and said we can all see Christie then.”

“All of us?” Her heart leapt at the idea.

Smiling, her mum, close to tears, said, “Mason said, they talked while he was down there, and Leanne said that Christie asks about us a lot now she’d old enough to understand who we all are. He and Leanne have agreed to try and be a little more flexible around Christie and to let her decide who she wants to spend time with.”

“Wow, that’s—”

“A miracle, I know. I think Leanne just wanted to see Mason grow up. He’s done a lot of that in the four years since Christie came along. He wants to be her dad.”

“Well, I for one, am happy about that. I want to be a proper aunt, too.”

“I’ll keep you in the loop for everything.”

Morgan caught the time on the microwave clock. “I’d best be off, got a lot to do before we head off.”

“Alright, have a nice time and fill me in when you can.”

Chapter Thirteen

The night before…

“How long will you be gone?” Zoe asked again. Morgan’s neighbour and best friend since moving here stood in the kitchen, hip leaning against the counter, with her arms folded across her waist.

Morgan poured hot water into the cups. “Sixteen nights,” she answered. It had been a weird last couple of weeks, and she hadn’t heard from Alex at all. Which had both calmed and unnerved her all at the same time.

Francine had only called to confirm dates and pickup times and make sure she understood this was a job, and not a jolly. She’d been given an itinerary and told to make sure that any medical bag she carried wouldblend in.

“That’s a long time. Where are you going?” Zoe asked for the second time.

Standing tall, Morgan looked her friend in the eye. “I told you, I can’t give any details.”

“Very mysterious. Come on Morgan, it’s me.”