Page 87 of Broken Beyond Repair

“There, you can have that to remember me by. Use me gently… or don’t.”

Sydney’s phone beeped as the photo message arrived.

“Thank you. I will use you with respect.”

As they were about to leave, a middle-aged couple approached Sydney. She could make out enough of the conversation to know they were discussing Gertie. The pair were fawning over her so much that Sydney showed them the new engine. Was Gertie really that captivating? At this moment she was more impressive than the famous actress who was cooking in the heat in the front seat, admittedly hiding behind her enormous sunglasses.

CHAPTER32

Sydney and Alex stepped from the Range Rover, meeting in front of the bonnet where he dropped his bag by his feet. He was different to the kid she’d picked up all those weeks ago. Something had changed that she couldn’t put her finger on. Deciding it was her view of him that had changed, she held out a flat palm to him.

He cocked his head.

“You owe me fifty pounds. Your mum ran first.”

She waited for the inevitable look of horror as he realised he’d not only lost the bet, but she remembered he’d placed one.

It came.

“I’m kidding. You keep it. This win is enough for me.”

“Ha!” He laughed in relief. “Thanks for sticking it out with her. She’s chilled a lot since you’ve been around.”

“I wish I could have stuck around for a lot longer.”

“Me too. Forever even.”

Sydney gave him a flat smile. “You have my number. I’m always at the end of it. And go easy on your mum. She’s had — and still has — a lot to deal with. It’s not easy being her, as it’s not easy being her child. You’ll both do better if you’re on the same side.”

“I know.” Alex nodded. “I wasn’t going to say anything… I overheard you and my dad talking.”

What the…

“No! Oh, Alex.” Sydney sighed. “You shouldn’t have heard any of that.”

He gave a despondent shrug. “It’s okay. I needed to hear it. Kids are always told lies by their parents to protect them when the truth is what protects us.”

Sydney exhaled nasally in amusement. “Wise words, Alex. How old are you again? Your mum was always trying to protect you. She got a bit mixed up on the best way to go about it.”

Alex nodded. “Thanks for introducing me to Sam. He’s amazing.”

“Don’t I know it,” Sydney agreed. “Look what he’s done with Gertie. A full lung and heart transplant.”

She opened her arms. Was a hug too much to ask from a teenager? It wasn’t. He stepped towards her and embraced her.

“I’m going to miss thrashing you in the pool on a regular basis,” Sydney said with a grin.

“I’m going to miss thrashing you at Monopoly on a regular basis.”

“You’ll be able to thrash your mum now instead.” As they pulled apart, Sydney added, “You can only be one thing in life, Alex, and that’s you.” Pretending to hook her hair behind her ear, she brushed a tear away.

He nodded and picked up his bag. “Bye.”

She’d dropped off plenty of employers’ kids at train stations before, but this time something was different. It was like watching a friend or a favourite nephew walk away. She’d grown fonder of him than she realised.

If this was hard, it was going to be even harder to drop his mum at Heathrow in a couple of hours. She couldn’t have been less ready to say goodbye to someone. They’d spent the last few days packing Beatrice’s suitcases and enjoying the odd joke as friends, the type of friends who would promise to keep in touch but wouldn’t. That would be best all round anyway. A clean break was best in situations like these — for everyone.

The divide between the front and rear of the Mercedes was down, yet neither spoke on the way to the airport. They’d grown so much closer since the last time they were in the vehicle together, yet from the moment they re-entered it, that distance had returned.