by Ciara Shayee
But was it fair? On them, or to Laker?
Sure—he didn’t seem to have any plans to leave right now, but he would eventually. And where would that leave Marley and Bodhi?
Where would that leave her?
With two heartbroken children and a broken heart of her own to deal with.
Looking between the sleeping faces of her beloved children, their expressions relaxed and content, Indie felt her heart fall. She knew it wasn’t wise to let the children grow any closer to Laker, and vice versa.
She knew that, but she wasn’t fully prepared for just how much it would hurt to begin weaning them off each other’s company.
Nor was she prepared for how suddenly she’d have to put their long-distance relationship practice to the test.
~ oOo ~
Laker froze, his hand holding the key in the lock as his hand trembled at his ear. “What…what do you mean, ‘Nonno’s had an accident?’ Nonna, what’s going on?”
“Tesoro, my treasure, Nonno fell. He hit his head and they think…” Contessa sniffled, breaking her grandson’s heart from over a thousand miles away. “They think it was a heart attack. Will you…will you come? Will you come home?”
Laker turned, gazing back at the house he’d just left—thinking of the family he’d soon be leaving behind.
He already knew the answer to his nonna’s question.
He already knew that he’d be going. He had to go.
He just didn’t know how he was ever going to be able to leave.
chapter thirty-seven
Monday came far too soon.
Laker told everybody about his return to Italy first thing Sunday morning, but he wasn’t able to get a flight out until Monday.
It was almost worse that way—knowing he was leaving, but unable to think about it.
Enrico was stable according to Contessa, but the doctors advised family to get there as soon as possible. It wasn’t looking good for him. At seventy-seven he was no spring chicken and the heart attack had knocked him for six.
Laker spent all of Sunday alternately worrying about his Nonno and Nonna, and worrying about Indie, Marley, and Bodhi.
By the time five a.m. rolled around on Monday morning, he felt sick with nerves. Reagan had volunteered to drive him to the airport so he’d said ‘goodbye’ to his aunt and uncle, who’d be flying out later that same day, and walked down the street to meet Reagan at the car. He was surprised to find that he wasn’t alone out there on the driveway. Skidding to a stop, he rubbed his eyes.
“Pie?”
Indie stood beside her father’s car, lit only by the sunrise painting the sky red and orange. She had Bodhi over one shoulder—chewing sleepily on his hand—and Marley sitting on her other hip, her face tucked into her mother’s neck and hidden by the curtain of her hair.
“I…I thought we’d come out to say—”
“Indie? What are you doing out here?” Reagan appeared in the doorway, confusion knotting his brows as he raised the key fob and pressed the button to unlock the car. The sound of the locks disengaging was loud in the silent street.
“We just came out to see you off,” she murmured softly, apparently unable to look at her father or Laker; her eyes were fixed on Marley’s jiggling, slipper-clad feet locked against her hip, below Bodhi.
“Oh, okay.”
Reagan had always been an observant man. He’d also come to accept that his daughter wasn’t a baby anymore, or even a little girl. She was a young woman with babies of her own—and a man she was in love with, whether she’d admitted it to herself or anyone else, or not. It was for this reason that he tamped back his sadness at no longer being his daughter’s number one and motioned toward the car, saying, “I’m gonna get in and warm the engine up. You’ve got a few minutes before we need to go.”
Laker nodded, reaching up to adjust his cap by tugging at the peak. “Sure, Ray.”
The sound of Reagan starting the engine made Indie jump even though she’d expected it. Her movement startled Marley, who peered out from behind her mother’s hair at the offending noise. Then she spotted Laker and her beautiful eyes filled with fat tears that tumbled over her rosy cheeks—she’d already been crying.
The sight of his favourite little girl so obviously distressed broke Laker’s heart.
“Little Sweet…hey, it’s okay.”
Laker couldn’t help himself. He had to go to her.
Three long strides brought him to Indie, where he reached up to cup Marley’s cheek. She reminded him of the puppies he’d seen in adverts for rescue shelters. Her eyes were wide and sad, her forever smile turned down. His heart splintered when her lower lip jutted out and wobbled.
“You’re leaving!” she accused softly, her small voice trembling.
“Only for—” Laker trailed off. He couldn’t promise that he’d only be gone for a few days, a week, or even two weeks. He had no idea how long he’d be away for, how long his nonna would need him.
At his lack of response, Marley’s sniffles turned into sobs, then wails as she buried her face in Indie’s neck and clung on tight. Poor Bodhi didn’t know what to do with himself and soon joined in; Laker held his hands out and took the squalling baby boy, soothing him against his chest as Indie whispered to her daughter in an attempt to calm her.
“Bu-but he’s go-going, Mamma!” Marley cried, tearing Laker’s heart to shreds and stomping on it with her next words. “He d-doesn’t love us!”
He couldn’t bear it any longer. He stepped closer and placed his hand on Marley’s back, gently tapping her to get her attention. She turned to face him with an accusing, distraught look on her tear-stained face.
“Hey, don’t ever say that, okay? Don’t even think it, Little Sweet. I love you all more than anything. You and your mamma and brother are my world. But my nonno is sick, Little Sweet. Nonno Enrico is sick, and I’ve got to go help Nonna look after him.”
Laker sucked in a deep breath, forcing a weak smile as he thumbed a tear from Marley’s cheek. “I can’t promise that I’ll be back tomorrow, but I’ll be back just as soon as Nonno is better. I’ll call every day and video chat you every bedtime. You won’t even miss me, you’ll be so sick of talking to me.”
Marley sniffled, wiping her nose on the sleeve of her pyjama top. “I will,” she told him sternly. “I’ll miss you lots and lots.”
“Oh, Little Sweet, I’ll miss you too.”
Reagan revved the engine ever so slightly—just enough that Laker knew he’d done it on purpose.
It was time to go.
“Can I have a hug before I go, please?”
Marley hesitated before nodding tentatively and reaching for him. He kept Bodhi and held them both tight to his chest, greedily inhaling their combined scent of baby shampoo and Marley’s strawberry children’s perfume.
God, I’m going to miss you, he thought, feeling the tell-tale prickle of tears. This is too hard.
“Laker, buddy, I hate to rush you…” Reagan called softly when, a few minutes later, he still hadn’t relinquished the children back to their mother.
Laker winced, feeling Marley’s grip tightening around his neck. “Little Sweet…” he whispered, his heart breaking all over again as she began to shake with sobs.
“Hand her here,” Indie said quietly—emotionlessly. Laker handed Bodhi over first, then gently pried Marley’s hands from behind his neck and pressed a kiss to her head. Instead of clinging tighter like he expected, she squirmed free of his hands and kicked him in the shin before running into the house.
Staring after her with tears burning his eyes, Laker rubbed his beard. “Indie, I—”
“It’s okay,” she murmured sadly, managing the smallest, weakest of smiles; it came nowhere close to reaching her eyes. “You’ve got to go. Give Enrico and Connie hugs from all of us. I hope Enrico feels better soon.”
Laker searched her face. She didn’t appear angry, just resigned. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too.”
With o
ne last sad, upward twist of her lips, Indie turned and carried Bodhi inside, closing the door silently behind her.
Laker had never felt so miserable.
~ oOo ~
“Good afternoon passengers. This is your pre-flight announcement for flight 54A to Rome. We’d like to invite those of you with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding. Please ensure you have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately fifteen minutes. Thank you!”
Laker sighed, double-checking his ticket. Seat 13A. “At least it’s a window seat,” he muttered to himself, stowing the book he’d brought along to read until his flight but hadn’t actually touched. He’d been at the airport for almost five hours by then, his flight having been delayed for two hours because of a mix-up on the runway.
Laker was bored, hungry, and missing Indie, Marley, and Bodhi. He’d scrolled through the photo album on his phone named ‘Little Sweet and Bo’ twice, and dialled Indie’s number more times than he could recall—not once had he pressed ‘call’ though. He’d distracted himself by wandering through duty free before finding an empty table in a relatively quiet restaurant and treating himself to a chocolate milkshake. Oh, and messaging his dad. Antonio had confirmed what Contessa had already told him; Enrico was stable, but his prognosis was not good.
Realising that he still had to cross the airport to get to his gate, Laker tossed his trash in the nearest bin and shouldered his rucksack as he weaved through the throngs of busy travellers. One of the airlines was running a promotion in the main departure terminal and there were crowds of people gathered around four people on pedestals. As Laker passed the one nearest him he smiled, recognising the iconic Madonna outfit. An elderly lady was posing with the Madonna impersonator as he paused to let a large group of Japanese students pass. ‘Madonna’ had her hands in her hair and a sly smile on her face as the elderly woman’s giggly friends snapped photos of them together.
Hold on…
Laker shook his head, muttering a curse. He thought he saw…but no. It couldn’t be.
Madonna and her friend parted ways, Laker unable to resist stretching onto his tiptoes to scan the sea of heads behind them. Even though he’d known it was impossible, that they weren’t there, he was still disappointed when he couldn’t see Indie and Marley, like he’d just thought he had.
“Get a grip, McKinley,” he mumbled, hoisting his bag further onto his shoulder and marching in the direction of gate twelve where he’d soon be boarding. As he approached the gate he quickly sent two messages—one to his dad, to tell him that he was about to board, and one to Indie, to check on her and the kids. Phone shoved back into his pocket, Laker fished his passport from his coat and was about to join the queue when he heard it.
Footsteps. Rapid footsteps on the tiled floor. He shook off the jolt of recognition; it sounded like Marley charging around in her pawpaw’s kitchen.
“Lakerrrr!”
No…
In his hurry to turn, Laker almost hit a woman trying to go around him to join the queue. She gave him a filthy look before huffing and going ahead. Immediately, Laker’s eyes found her.
Flip-flops smacked the tiles, hair streamed in crazy chocolate waves behind her head, and a beloved stuffed bunny was being dragged along by his ears by the most beautiful sight Laker could imagine.
“Little Sweet!” He threw his rucksack to the floor, opened his arms, and sank into a crouch just as Marley reached him. Her small body hit his chest full-force as she threw her arms around his neck and wrapped her legs around his waist. “What are you doing here?”
Marley sighed, shaking with the force of her panted breaths. “We thought…we’d missed you…Laker!” She pulled back, sparkling blue-green eyes filling Laker with such an intense sense of joy that he almost burst into tears. “We came…to find you…but you weren’t here!”
“We?”
“Hey, Laker.”
Laker’s wet gaze flew up, finding Indie standing a few feet away. She had Bodhi tucked against her hip, a pull-along bag at her side, and a bashful, nervous half-smile on her pretty face. “You…how?”
Indie frowned as she sighed and moved slightly closer. “Archie came over just after you left. He and Kristen…well, she’s gone away, and left the boys with him…” she trailed off—it took a second or two for Laker to catch onto what she was saying. His brows furrowed with sympathy for his friend.
“Anyway, he pointed out that it was dumb of me to think we could just…let you go.”
Marley tapped Laker’s cheeks, apparently having caught her breath. She beamed, flashing two rows of pearly white baby teeth. “We’re comin’ to see Nonno with you!”
“Oh…” Laker breathed, taken aback and more than a little overwhelmed.
He was sad for his friend, who’d put so much effort into his relationship even when Kristen made it difficult. And he was sad for Carl-Roman and Chase, who loved their mother despite her faults. But he was also relieved for them, because with time they’d be able to move on and be happy without Kristen’s absence weighing them down or holding them back. Hopefully they could build a healthy relationship with her and organise a proper visitation schedule. There was no doubt the boys would be staying with Archie.
And as for Indie, Marley, and Bodhi going to Italy with him—well, the wide, crooked grin spreading across his face was telling.
“You are?”
Marley nodded hard. “Uh-huh. Mamma says I gotta give Nonno and Nonna lotsa ‘mooches and hugs.’”
Turning his gaze back to Indie, Laker found her nervous eyes. “You’re coming? All of you?”
“If that’s okay? I mean, we don’t want to intrude—”
“Thank you.”
Indie frowned. “Um, what?”
“For coming.” He stood and covered the remaining distance between him and Indie in two long strides, carrying Marley with him. He crushed her and Bodhi between their bodies, a shuddering exhale making the little boy giggle as it tickled him.
“Eh-eh-eh!” he cried, reaching for Laker when he stepped back. He took the baby willingly, leaning in to gently bump his forehead against Bodhi’s. Indie’s eyes filled with tears as she watched the tender moment between man and baby. They were miles apart in appearance, with Laker’s dark, chestnut brown hair beside Bodhi’s almost white-blond curls, but in that moment, they could’ve been father and son.
She watched a tear tumble over Laker’s cheek as Bodhi reached up to squish his face between chubby, baby hands. As he pulled away, Laker gave the baby an Eskimo kiss and sniffled.
“This is the boarding call for flight 54A to Rome. We would now like to invite passengers to begin boarding. Please ensure you have your boarding pass and identification ready. Thank you!”
“Uh, that’s us.”
Indie nodded, her lips curling upwards in a slight smile.
“We should go...”
“Mmhmm.”
Laker couldn’t bring himself to move. He couldn’t bring himself to pull his gaze from Indie and Marley, in case they disappeared. It was a legitimate worry. Indie was trembling slightly, her eyes assessing the growing crowd as people headed for their boarding gate. To a stranger, she’d just look impatient—but he knew her better. He knew she was struggling. He instinctively squeezed Bodhi closer, delighting in the giggle it drew from him. He was a warm, heavy reminder that they weren’t a figment of his imagination—he wasn’t dreaming.
“I can’t believe you came for me.”
“To be honest, it wasn’t just for you,” Indie admitted. “I couldn’t…we couldn’t just be at home knowing what was going on. Nonno and Nonna…we all love them.” Flicking her eyes around, she wryly added, “However, it was only needing to find you that got me through all the people. I can’t stand crowds.”
Laker exhaled hard as he searched her expression, finding nothing but honest vulnerability. His heart raced as he thought he might see a spot of something else, a
tiny thread of an emotion he’d only dreamed of seeing in her eyes.
“Eh-eh!” Bodhi dragged Laker’s attention away from Indie as she ducked her face away from his prying eyes, flashing his two teeth in a broad smile as he tugged on Laker’s nose.
“All right, Tesoro. Let’s get going, shall we?”
Forcing himself not to dwell on what he might or might not have seen in Indie’s eyes, Laker adjusted Bodhi and scooped his rucksack from the floor, heading toward the kiosks to get to the boarding gate, Indie and Marley a few steps behind.
~ oOo ~
It wasn’t until they were sitting together on the plane during their ascent into the sky, Bodhi on Laker’s lap, Marley to their left in the window seat, and Indie to Laker’s right, that he had a sudden realisation.
“Uh, Pie?”
“Yeah?” She peered up at him, guileless azure eyes enchanting him for a moment.
“Um, well I just wondered…how did you get these seats?”
Indie rolled her eyes and rested her head back against the seat. “Riley. Dad called him after we left home, and he sent me this text when we were almost at the airport.” She pulled her phone from her pocket, opening up the conversation named ‘Riley.’
R – Seats 13B and 13C. Enjoy.
I – What have you done, Riley? Xx
R – Stop being nosy. Say ‘hi’ to your man for me.
Laker’s lips tipped up in a wide, crooked, double-dimpled grin. Your man.
“We were going to just buy the cheapest tickets available and get on with it, but when we got here there was a man with my name on a big piece of cardboard by the arrivals sign. He handed me the tickets and said to enjoy our trip; that was it.”
With a chuckle, Laker reached up and adjusted his backwards cap. “So I have Riley to thank?”
“Yeah, pretty much. He’s too much sometimes.”
“Ooh, Laker, look! Look at the pretty clouds!”