The 3rd Victim
Page 52
She went to smile but he could see the sadness in her eyes. ‘I miss her,’ she said. ‘Tomorrow will be hard.’
‘It will always be Eliza's birthday too,’ he said, ‘but one look at your little boy's smile will make it easier.’
She nodded before looking toward her husband and her son. ‘I know this is going to sound strange, but I consider myself incredibly lucky,’ she said.
‘You and me both,’ said David, as Sara moved across to join them, David reaching out to pull her close against the cold.
Sienna joined her husband then, as Arthur, Nora, Lauren and Madonna, carrying Caitlin, moved inside, and Joe and Simba made their way down to the yard to hit a snowball or two.
‘A penny for,’ said Sara after a time.
‘I was just thinking,’ said David, ‘how lucky we are.’
She smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and looked out at the group before them – laughing, joking, running red-faced around their new Brookline backyard. ‘You did this,’ she said.
‘What – turned my new backyard into a makeshift Fenway?’
‘You know what I mean,’ she said, as she reached up to kiss him softly on the cheek.
He hugged her tight. ‘Are you feeling okay?’ he asked.
She smiled. ‘A little tired, but it's a good tired,’ she said, her hands now resting on her swollen middle. ‘He's been kicking,’ she said.
David smiled.
‘He's gonna play rugby, just like his dad.’
‘He may not play rugby, but he will be just like his dad,’ she said.
He held her that much tighter then, as they enjoyed peace for a moment longer. And then the snow started to fall, the laughter began to rise and the voices of their friends drifted softly from the kitchen.