Finally, closest to her, she spied Nate.
At the sight of him, her eyes bugged out comically, her mouth dropped right open and she freely gaped at him.
Seconds into her astonished stare, she tore her stupefied gaze from Nate to look at Lily. Her eyes narrowed on Lily’s face then shifted back to Nate.
After a moment, her mouth snapped shut again and she seemed to come to some conclusion. She walked into the room, right to Nathaniel and Laura held her breath.
“You,” she stated, that one word crackling with meaning then immediately her face melted into an absolutely stunning smile, “must be Nate.”
She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
Laura’s breath went out in a rush and, if she wasn’t mistaken, she also heard Victor’s do the same thing.
Nate walked to the table, set the three photo albums on it and came back to the woman.
“I’ll take that.” And without waiting for a response, he divested her of the box and two of the bags.
“Gallant!” she declared in a near-shout, as if he’d thrown himself bodily over a puddle so she wouldn’t have to get her elaborate mules wet. Laura was intensely relieved that all her years at drilling gentlemanly behaviour into her son were finally paying off.
“Since Lily seems unable to speak and Fazire isn’t polite at the best of times, I’ll introduce myself,” she announced. “I’m Maxine Grant, family friend.” She was looking at Nate when she said this but then her eyes moved to Laura. “You must be Laura,” she stated warmly.
Laura nodded and walked to the other woman, her hand extended.
Maxine, Laura learned quickly, was not the type woman who shook hands. When their hands met, Maxine’s closed over Laura’s firmly and, with a hearty tug, she pulled Laura forward and kissed her on one cheek.
After this, her eyes looked over Laura’s shoulder and she took in Victor. The warmth in her face and voice froze. “And presumably, you’re Victor.”
Victor, who was paying dearly (even Laura had to admit he deserved it, no matter how much she loved him and understood his actions) for his behaviour of a few days before, nodded and correctly read that he would be receiving no kiss on the cheek.
“Maxine,” Fazire proclaimed her name as if he was about to make a royal announcement, “you forget this is not a joyous family reunion.”
Natasha’s head jerked up in surprise, “Yes it is, I just saw –”
“Right!” Lily cried, interrupting her daughter, moving forward and setting her albums on the table with the others. “It’s time for elevenses.”
Laura saw Nate grin as he watched Lily and at the sight, Laura felt that lightening feeling in her belly as it flew to the stars.
Lily walked back to Nate, ignored the devastating grin indeed, she didn’t even look at his face, and pulled the box and bags out of his hands. She did this carefully, as if contact with his skin would burn her like acid. She moved industriously to the door and threw over her shoulder, “Maxine, would you mind helping?”
Without further ado, both women exited the room.
Everyone else stood and waited then Fazire made the peculiar proclamation. “I have some channelling to do,” he stomped to the door, whirled and stood, spearing all the adults in the room each with a glare, “a lot of it.” Then he stomped out.
Before anyone could react, Natasha called, “Daddy, come take a look at this.”
Nate’s gaze shifted to his daughter and his eyes warmed almost palpably. Laura noted he was happy. She noted that, even though she had no idea what was happening, whatever was happening, Nathaniel thought it was going well.
Laura felt the tension completely ease out of her as Nate went to sit on the couch. He reached forward and gently pulled his daughter between his legs. Together, both of their identically dark heads bent, they looked at the album.
Victor moved to join them as Laura stood uncertain.
“I think,” she said and all eyes turned to her, “I’ll go and help Lily and Maxine.”
“You do that, love.” Victor gave her an encouraging wink but Laura waited for Nathaniel’s approval.
The tips of his mouth moved up nearly imperceptibly and he nodded once.
She needed no more encouragement and she nearly ran out into the hall.
Eight years ago, Lily Jacobs had come into their lives and everything had changed. Laura couldn’t have explained how it happened if someone was forcing her to do so with a gun pointed at her head. It was simply a matter of fact that Lily was supposed to be with them, part of their family.
She belonged.
Then something terrible happened (and Laura was trying very hard not to think of what that was as it was too painful to bear).
Now, not just Nathaniel, but they all had work to do to win Lily back, win her trust and bring her back to her rightful place.
As she approached the back of the house where she saw the kitchen, her steps slowed when she heard the voices.
Laura was not the type of person to eavesdrop, indeed, she found the very idea appalling. But something about Lily and Maxine’s hushed voices, their tone, made her stop. She pressed herself against the wall unseen and she listened.
“Lily, talk to me,” Maxine was urging, “tell me what’s happened.”
“Nothing,” Lily answered and even Laura, who could not see her face, knew it was a lie. It was also said in a tone that clearly stated she was not discussing it.
“You didn’t tell me he was that good-looking,” Maxine said and Laura heard the noise of carrier bags rustling.
“Yes I did,” Lily returned
“You… did… not. He’s impossibly handsome,” Maxine noted.
“Maxine, I don’t want to talk about this,” Lily stated firmly.
“Unbelievably handsome,” Maxine was undeterred, “you didn’t do him justice when you described him.”
“Maxine! I’ve waxed poetic about Nate’s looks for years!”
At that, Laura smiled to herself and leaned a little closer to the door, careful not to get close enough to be seen.
“You still didn’t do him justice,” Maxine muttered.
“I’m not talking about this,” Lily snapped, clearly losing her patience.
“Then we’ll talk about why you’re blushing.” Maxine was like a dog with a bone, she was not, Laura thought delightedly, going to let it go.
“I’m not blushing,” Lily denied and, Laura thought, lied.
“You are!”
“Maxine, drop it.” Lily’s tone was full of warning.
“No. What happened? Did he say something? Do something? I hope he did something,” she said fervently.
“Maxine –”
“Lily, sweetling, you can tell old Maxie.”
“He kissed me!” Lily uttered in a disbelieving whisper.
This was met with silence and Laura, surprised herself at her son’s forward behaviour, leaned even closer to the door to hear Lily’s reaction.
Finally, Maxine broke the silence. “Did you kiss him back?”
“No! Yes! Well, not the first time,” Lily answered.
“He kissed you twice? How late was I?” Maxine asked in a muted-shout.
Lily didn’t bother responding to that.
“Was it nice?” Maxine pushed.
“Yes it was nice. It was always nice with Nate,” Lily said this in a voice that made it clear she was not happy that it was nice.
“I’ll bet it was nice,” Maxine muttered. Then she shot off a set of rapid-fire questions. “Did you talk? Did he explain? Did he say anything?”
Silence.
Maxine pressed on. “He must have said something, must have told you why he didn’t come to you.”