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Sol put the book aside and jumped off the seat. He came over to Quin, who pulled him up between his legs. Sadie looked at Quin and he sent her a nod of his head. She went pale, but nodded back. She understood.
Quin looked at his son. ‘You know how you were asking about your mother a while ago, and I said she’d had to go away?’
Sol nodded, looking serious.
‘Well, when I said Sadie was a colleague from work, it was not really true.’
Sol frowned. ‘Did you tell a lie?’
Quin nodded. ‘I did. And I know that’s wrong, but I did it because it was too big a secret to tell you straight away.’
‘What secret?’
‘That Sadie is your mother.’
Sadie was holding her breath so hard that she had to force herself to breathe. Her heart was thumping. Her eyes were glued to Sol, who looked over at her now, suddenly shy, cleaving closer to his Papa. Her heart ached.
He looked up at Quin. ‘Sadie is my mom?’
Quin nodded. ‘Yes she is.’
‘But where was she?’
Quin looked at her. ‘I think you should ask your mother that question.’
Sadie got off her seat and went over to kneel down near Sol. ‘Sol...?’
The little boy looked at her warily. She mentally sent up a prayer for forgiveness and understanding.
She said, ‘When you were born, I had to leave. Someday I’ll explain why I had to go, but I really,really, didn’t want to go. Leaving you was the most horrible thing I’ve ever had to do. And for the last four years I’ve been on a really long journey to come back to you.’
Sol’s eyes widened again. ‘Like a magical adventure?’
Sadie felt like smiling sadly. She nodded. ‘Something like that.’
‘That’s cool.’
Sadie couldn’t help smiling at her son’s interpretation of her absence as some kind of epic adventure. He was too young to feel the more adult emotions of anger and betrayal. Like his father.
Sadie continued. ‘What’s most important for you to know is that I won’t ever be leaving again, and even if I’m not living in your house with you I’ll be somewhere very close. I promise.’
‘You can stay with us—can’t she, Papa?’ Sol looked up at his father.
‘We’ll have to see. Sadie might want her own space.’
‘But she has the garden house by the pool.’
‘Don’t worry. No matter what happens, you’ll still see her as much as you want.’
Sol looked as if he was going to say something else, but he actually said, ‘Okay, Papa. Can I watch a movie now?’
‘Yes—in the bedroom, in your pyjamas. You need to sleep before we land.’
‘Okay, Papa, I’ll change.’
Sol sped off, seemingly not all that fazed by the momentous news he’d just received.
Lena appeared. ‘I’ll get him changed and washed and settled.’