Page 92 of Je T'aime, Actually

“I think we can allow that,” she said, holding the door open for him.

As they walked out together, the quiet between them felt a bit lighter now, still heavy with everything they couldn’t change, but stitched through with comfort and the start of healing.

Monroe smiled as Benji stepped into the room. “Hello, sweetheart,” she said gently.

Kitty still slept soundly, now curled into the narrow space between Monroe and the arm of the sofa.

Benji didn’t hesitate. All the bravado he’d worn upstairs had fallen away. He crossed the room in two strides and sank into the sofa beside her, pressing close, his good arm wrapping around her waist.

Monroe held him with one arm, resting her cheek lightly against his hair.

Barely above a whisper, he asked, “Is Dad going to be okay?”

Monroe took a breath, steady and slow. “I’m sure everyone is doing everything they can to make sure that’s the case,” she said. Careful. Honest. She wouldn't make promises she couldn’t keep.

“When’s Mum coming home?” Benji asked, his voice cracking slightly.

“I’m not sure,” Monroe admitted. “But I’m here, and Chloé’s here, and between us, we’re going to make sure you and Kitty have everything you need.”

“I want Mum,” he whispered, and the tears finally came; quiet, heavy, unchecked.

Monroe tightened her arm around him. “I know you do.”

She glanced up at Chloé, who didn’t need a single word. She was already reaching into Monroe’s bag and pulling out her phone. Without speaking, she passed it across.

“Let’s see if she can take a call, hmm?” Monroe said softly. “And if not, we’ll leave her a message. Just so she knows you’re thinking of her.”

Benji nodded, wiping his face with the sleeve of his good arm as Monroe unlocked the phone.

She opened the video app and hit record. “Want to say something?”

He hesitated for a moment, then leant a little closer, his voice barely above a whisper, “Hi, Mum…I miss you. We’re okay. Kitty’s asleep, and Monroe’s here… Chloé too. I hope you’re okay.”

Monroe turned the camera on herself briefly, offering a gentle smile. “We’re all thinking of you. Call us when you can. We love you.”

She ended the recording and tapped send, knowing it would wait silently on Poppy’s screen until she was ready.

Benji sagged against her, exhausted again. “Thanks.”

“You did good, sweetheart,” she murmured, holding him a little closer. “You did really good.”

seventy-eight

The smell of melted cheese and oregano filled the kitchen, the warmth from the open pizza boxes fogging up the windows. Kitty sat cross-legged on a dining chair, her slice loaded with sweetcorn and extra mozzarella, her curls wild from sleep. Benji, more himself now, ate quietly but with appetite, occasionally glancing up to watch his sister with a small, protective smile.

Chloé poured drinks while Monroe brought the last of the slices to the table. The atmosphere had softened, calming now, the way it sometimes did when food, company, and exhaustion collided.

“So,” Monroe said lightly, wiping her hands on a napkin, “I know it’s a school day tomorrow, but…”

Both children exchanged a look, then shook their heads in unison.

“I didn’t think so,” Monroe confirmed, reaching for her drink. “That’s okay. We’ll stay home. We’ll figure it out as we go.”

Kitty leant in, solemn. “Will you be here in the morning?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Benji’s voice came, quieter. “Thanks.”