Page 58 of The Condemned (Echoes from the Past #6)

FORTY-EIGHT

London, England

Quinn threw some clothes into a suitcase, then took half out and added several warm jumpers.

She had no idea what she’d need, or how long she’d be staying, but it was sure to be cold.

Her insides quivered every time she imagined her first meeting with Jo.

What would it be like to finally meet her face-to-face?

Quinn sat down heavily on the bed and stared out the window.

Even after all these months, she knew next to nothing about her sister and had no idea what to expect.

Would they have something in common? Would there be an instant spark of recognition between their souls, or would it be like meeting a complete stranger?

Would Jo be welcoming or wary of her, resentful that Quinn had forgiven their parents for abandoning her?

Would Jo want to be a part of Quinn’s life?

All these questions would get answered soon enough, but Quinn couldn’t leave for Germany without making sure Gabe and the children would be all right.

Gabe would take a few days off work, but he’d have his hands full.

Emma went from being sweet and cuddly to bristling with defiance at the drop of a hat, and Alex drooled incessantly, his gums red and swollen with incoming teeth.

He didn’t seem to be suffering too badly at the moment, but the pediatrician had warned that Alex might run a low-grade fever and experience periods of severe pain when the teeth cut through.

Gabe was a hands-on dad, who didn’t shy away from any task, but he might need a helping hand all the same.

Quinn picked up her mobile and selected Jill’s number.

She hadn’t spoken to Jill since shortly after the New Year, when Jill was in the midst of running her post-holiday/going-out-of-business sale.

Her cousin put on a brave face about closing her vintage clothing shop, but Quinn knew she was bitterly disappointed.

The shop had been a cherished dream, a mad gamble for a person who, having trained as a forensic accountant, did not easily leap into the unknown.

Jill wasn’t a risk-taker; she was someone who liked lists and balance sheets, a person for whom every column had to add up.

And now she was walking away from something that had been important to her and planning her return to the world of corporate accounting.

Quinn didn’t expect her to be in good spirits and felt a twinge of guilt for not calling sooner.

“Hey there, Quinny,” Jill exclaimed when she answered the call. “How’s the new year treating you?”

“Not too badly. You sound surprisingly chipper,” Quinn replied with an amused smile.

“No wallowing in self-pity for me. What’s done is done. I’ve given it my all and failed miserably, but I was wise enough to admit it and make the decision to move on. I embrace this experience and see it as a learning opportunity.”

“That’s a very healthy way of looking at it.”

“Not really. I’m just trying to sound like a New Age guru and talk myself into seeing this as a positive experience. I’m utterly gutted and want to drown myself in a vat of Malbec.”

“Now, that’s the Jill I know and love,” Quinn said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, New Age positivity lasts for about thirty seconds before I remember that I have to start interviewing for a new job come March. How are things with you?”

“Rhys has found Jo,” Quinn said, a catch in her voice.

“Blimey. Where is she?”

“She’s in a military hospital in Germany. She was hurt in an explosion while on assignment in Kabul. She was lucky enough to be picked up by some passing Americans. They saved her life. ”

“Oh, Quinn, will she be all right?”

“According to Rhys, she’s on the road to recovery. I’m flying out to Germany tomorrow morning. I would have gone today, but Jude’s overdosed. He’s still unconscious. Logan’s with him. I feel awful about leaving at such a difficult time. Logan needs me,” Quinn said. “And so does Sylvia.”

“Quinn, you can’t be in two places at once. Jude has his mother and brother to look after him. Jo has no one. She hardly knows Rhys.”

“She doesn’t know me at all,” Quinn replied, her anxiety returning. “She might not want me there.”

“She might not know you, but you are her sister. You should be by her side whether she wants you there or not.”

“Thanks, Jill. I needed to hear that.”

“How will Gabe cope on his own while you’re gone?” Jill asked, her practical nature making itself known.

“Actually, that’s why I called,” Quinn admitted. “Purely selfish reasons. Is there any way you can give Gabe a hand while I’m away? I’ve weaned Alex, so he’s on the bottle now, but he’s teething, poor mite. And Emma’s been a right little madam. Sometimes I forget she’s only five.”

“No problem. I’m a free agent till the end of the month. The shop’s closed, the inventory has been disposed of, and I have nothing to occupy my time besides updating my CV and fretting about what comes next. I can even take the children for a night or two if that will make things easier for Gabe.”

“Will Brian not mind?” Quinn asked. Jill and Brian had just moved in together at the beginning of January, a marked step toward formalizing their relationship, according to Jill .

“The way I see it, Brian will either get on board or run for the hills and stay at his brother’s flat until it’s safe to come home. It will make for an interesting experiment.”

“I’m glad you see my children as a means to an end,” Quinn joked.

“I don’t. It’s just that Brian seems to be on the ten-year plan when it comes to starting a family. I wish he were more like Gabe.”

“Gabe was on a ten-year plan as well. I just wasn’t aware of it,” Quinn replied. Gabe had waited eight years for her while she wasted her time with Luke.

“Hm, that’s true. Well, he did get what he wanted in the end.”

“So did I. And so will you, Jill. Brian is getting there. Slowly, but steadily.”

“Yes, at the rate we’re going, he’ll pop the question by the time I’m forty. Did you know that if you get pregnant past the age of thirty-five, it’s referred to as a geriatric pregnancy?” Jill’s sigh sounded like a deflating balloon.

“Jill, you’re thirty-one. You’re a long way from a geriatric pregnancy. Give him time. He loves you, it’s obvious to anyone who cares to look. I have no doubt you two will end up together.”

“As a wise man once said, ‘There’s many a slip betwixt the cup and the lip,’” Jill intoned theatrically. Had Shakespeare still been alive, Jill would have been a fawning groupie.

“Yes, there is, so hold on to your cup with both hands,” Quinn replied, making Jill laugh. “Brian isn’t going anywhere, even if you subject him to my children. I bet he’ll surprise you.”

“Thanks, Quinn. You always make me feel better about things. Have a safe flight and good luck with Jo. I can’t wait to meet her. ”

It was Quinn’s turn to sigh. “What if she wants nothing to do with me, Jill? What if she doesn’t like me? I wish I could just teleport myself there right now because I can’t wait another minute, but then I wish I could put off meeting her until I’m truly ready.”

“‘Time is very slow for those who wait, very fast for those who are scared, very long for those who lament, very short for those who celebrate, but for those who love, time is eternal.’ William Shakespeare.”

“All right, I see where this is going. Parting is such sweet sorrow, but methinks I really must go now before I starteth speaking in iambic pentameter.”

Jill giggled. “See you tomorrow, coz. I’ll come by before you leave.”

Quinn was still smiling after she ended the call. That was how it was with Jill, even when they were girls. They’d start off upset, moaning about their teenage sorrows, but after a few minutes, they’d be laughing like they didn’t have a care in the world, their silliness a shield against reality.

A loud whine came from the direction of Alex’s cot, and Quinn set aside her mobile and reached for the baby.

He pressed his warm cheek against her neck, still sleepy, but ready to fill his belly.

“I don’t want to leave you, but I have to go away for a few days,” Quinn whispered into his ear.

Alex seemed to sense her mood and whimpered, grabbing a fistful of her hair.

“I’ll be back soon. I promise.” Quinn spoke softly, hoping to comfort him, but Alex began to cry in earnest. “Daddy will take care of you. And Emma.”

Alex wailed louder, but the sound of a key in the lock seemed to quiet him.

Did he really understand the sound meant the arrival of Gabe and Emma?

Was he that aware at only four months? Alex turned his head toward the door, his bad mood forgotten.

Quinn felt him holding his breath as he waited for the sound of Gabe’s voice.

“You clever little lad,” she said, holding him tighter as his little body leaned forward in his eagerness to see his father.

“We’re home,” Gabe called out.

Emma burst into the room, her cheeks ruddy with cold. “It’s snowing outside. Rufus loves snow,” she exclaimed. “He had so much fun.”

Alex leaned even further forward, his gaze fixed on the door.

“He knew you were coming,” Quinn said as Gabe walked into the room. “He was waiting for you.”

“That’s because he’s brilliant. I saw that, Emma,” Gabe said as Emma made a face.

“He’s not brilliant. He’s just a silly baby.”

“He’s not silly. He’s adorable,” Gabe said as he reached for Alex, who was smiling at him and holding out his arm. “You’re adorable too,” Gabe said, kissing Quinn over Alex’s head. “All right?” he asked carefully, watching her to see if anything had changed since he’d left an hour ago.

Quinn nodded. They’d spoken at length last night, but it was their lovemaking that had made her feel more balanced.

No matter what happened with Jude or with Jo, Gabe would still be the center of her world, and as long as her center was intact, she would remain whole.

Her only choice was to take things day by day, or in the case of Jude, hour by hour.

She’d spoken to Logan earlier and he said there’d been no change during the night.

Jude wasn’t better, but he was no worse, which she supposed was something to be grateful for.

“When do you think you’ll be back?” Gabe asked, his gaze travelling to her open suitcase.

“I really couldn’t say. ”

“Why are you leaving again?” Emma demanded. “It’s not fair.”

“I’m sorry, darling, but it’s only for a few days. It’s important.”

“What’s more important than us?” she demanded as her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want you to go.”

“I will call you every day, and you can tell me all about school and how Daddy and Alex are doing,” Quinn promised.

“No! I don’t want you to go,” Emma screamed.

“I have to go, but Jill said you can have a sleepover at her new flat. Would you like that?”

“I’d rather have a sleepover with Maya.”

“Maybe we can arrange that once we move into our new house. I’ll ring Maya’s mum and work out the details with her. In the meantime, Jill is looking forward to having you over,” Quinn said in her most convincing tone.

“Does Alex have to come?” Emma asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

“Alex is too little for sleepovers. He’ll stay right here with me,” Gabe said.

“All right,” Emma conceded. “I suppose a sleepover at Jill’s will be fun. We can play dress-up with some of her weird old-fashioned frocks, and Brian makes pineapple pizza. But you’d better come home soon,” Emma warned.

“I will.”