by Carrie Elks
‘Hey, there’s no need to punish the kid,’ Mr Sutherland said. He really did have a sugar-coated voice. ‘She said sorry, right? Can’t we just leave it there?’ He flashed a dimpled smile at the principal.
‘No, I’m afraid we can’t just leave it there.’ Principal Davies shook her head, turning to Juliet. ‘We have a zero tolerance policy for violence here at Surrey Academy. I’ll have to ask you to take Poppy home with you today, and to keep her off school for the rest of the week.’
‘You’re excluding her?’ Juliet asked, alarmed. How the hell was she going to explain this to Thomas?
‘Hey, come on,’ Mr Sutherland said. ‘Charlie’s fine, Poppy’s sorry. No need to make a big deal out of this. Everybody makes mistakes, right?’
‘I don’t know … ’ Principal Davies looked first at him, then at Juliet. ‘Poppy’s always been a lively girl, I don’t want her to think we condone this kind of violence.’
Juliet licked her dry lips. ‘She won’t do it again, I can promise you that.’
Principal Davies formed her fingers into a steeple, resting her chin on the intertwined tips. She turned her eyes to Poppy, who was still sitting silently. ‘Poppy, do you understand what you did was wrong?’
Poppy nodded fervently.
‘And are you very sorry for what you’ve done?’
Another barrage of nods.
‘Hmm,’ Principal Davies said. ‘All right then, I won’t exclude you this time. But if you ever hurt another child again, I’ll be down on you like a ton of bricks. Do you understand?’
This time, Poppy’s voice sounded as small as she was. ‘Yes, Principal Davies.’
‘Very well then, go back to class.’
If Poppy was half as frightened as Juliet was, then she understood all right. But Juliet’s anxiety was tempered by the relief of not having to tell Thomas what had happened.
It was a small consolation, but she’d take it.
‘Can we stop at the ice cream parlour on our way home?’ Poppy asked, swinging her legs so her tiny feet hit her car seat.
Juliet glanced in the rear-view mirror, noticing the car behind her – a huge battered truck. ‘Not after you hit that poor boy. You’ll be going straight to your room when we get home.’
‘That’s no fair.’ Poppy grimaced. ‘We always go to get ice cream after the first day. It’s a trad … trad … a thingy. You promised.’
‘It’s not a tradition, because we’ve only done it once before.’ Juliet was trying to keep her patience.
‘But you promised.’ Poppy’s voice took on a tremble. Her bottom lip was wobbling.
‘That was before you hit Charlie,’ Juliet pointed out. She had to bite down on her own lip to try to stem the emotions. If there was one thing she hated, it was seeing Poppy cry, and the poor kid had cried enough for them both over the past six months.
‘I said I was sorry. I played with him in recess this afternoon. I even gave him the green train as well as the blue one. He said we’re friends.’
‘I’m glad you made it up with him. That’s good.’
‘So can we get ice cream?’ Poppy leaned forward until the seat belt stopped her. ‘Please Mommy?’
There was a line of cars ahead, all waiting at the four-way-stop. Juliet put her foot on the brake, slowly coasting to a standstill. Staring out of the window at the cars ahead, she wondered how things had gotten this hard. Parenting was tricky enough when there were two of you, though at least then you had somebody to shoot ideas off and to commiserate with.
When there was just one of you it seemed almost impossible. It was one of the few times she missed Thomas.
‘Please Mommy?’ Poppy said again. The cars in front began to move slowly, and Juliet glanced in the mirror. The black truck was right behind her now, and when her eyes flicked up, she could make out the driver behind her, sitting beside his son with a mop of blond hair.
One look was enough to send her pulse soaring. Why the hell did that man have such an effect on her?
It had to be another stage of separation. Maybe even a sign she was getting over Thomas. It could have been anybody, Mr Sutherland just happened to be there at the right – or wrong – time. Blame it on the hormones. She’d barely looked at a man since she’d split from Thomas six months earlier, and they’d not been intimate for a good few months before that. It was her body’s reaction to enforced celibacy, nothing more, nothing less.
Damn it, maybe something cold would do them both good.
‘Okay, we’ll go for ice cream,’ Juliet conceded. ‘But if you hit anybody again, you’ll be banned from that place for a year.’
Poppy nodded, a serious expression on her face. ‘And so will you, Mommy, if you hit anybody again.’
Touché. Juliet tried – and failed – to bite down her smile.
2
Two households, both alike in dignity
– Romeo and Juliet
‘Hey bud, d’you want an ice cream?’ Ryan eased the truck forward, crossing the four-way intersection. ‘There’s a really cool place over there, we used to go there when I was a kid.’
Charlie looked suddenly interested, the way he always did whenever Ryan mentioned his childhood. ‘What was your favourite ice cream?’ he asked.
‘Pecan and maple syrup,’ Ryan said smiling. ‘It was sickly as hell but tasted so good. I wonder if they still serve it?’
‘That’s what I want to order.’ Charlie looked resolute. ‘I love pecans.’
The fact was, Charlie loved nearly every food he tried. He’d grown up learning about different tastes and cuisines, joining Ryan regularly on his travels from the time he was a baby.
‘Pecan and maple it is, then.’
Ryan still couldn’t get over how strange it was to be back in Shaw Haven after all these years. There were a few changes – a micro brewery on main street, a new art gallery on the waterfront – but at its heart it remained a sleepy harbour town. Full of painted houses and salty air, Shaw Haven had been here for centuries, ever since the first Shaw had stepped off his boat and laid claim to this land on the edge of Chesapeake Bay.
Being here felt like stepping back in time.
Ryan pulled the truck into the parking lot beside the parlour. There were only a couple of spaces left. Everybody must have had the same idea.
When they were inside, Ryan looked around at the plastic checked tablecloths and the mismatched chairs. They looked old, familiar. He was shocked by the way it made him feel like a kid again. It was almost fourteen years since he’d last set foot in Shaw Haven – and he thought he’d left the town and the way he’d felt about it behind for good.
And he had. At least until now.
‘Can I help you?’
Ryan blinked, focusing on the woman in front of him. She was smiling broadly at him, holding an ice cream scoop in her hand.
‘Do you have pecan and maple syrup?’ he asked.
‘Sure, you want a cone or a bowl?’
He turned to Charlie, who was staring at the huge glass freezer full of plastic tubs, the colourful ice cream flavours looking enticing. ‘What do you say, bud?’
‘Can I have a bowl?’ Charlie asked quietly. He’d never been a brash kid, in spite of his father’s outgoing nature. His face usually held a serious expression, as if his brain was full of thoughts he couldn’t quite work out how to express. Before he’d started at Surrey Academy they’d insisted on testing him – and it hadn’t come as a huge surprise that he was already scoring well into third grade school levels, even though he’d never been in formal education before.
‘Make that three scoops,’ Ryan said, giving the woman an easy smile. ‘And two spoons, the kid might need a little bit of help.’
The woman laughed as if Ryan had told her the funniest joke ever, fluttering her eyelashes rapidly at him. His cheeks flushed.
The after-school rush meant the only free seats were in the far corner, and they headed over there, Charlie gripping tightly to the round colourful tub
of ice cream, while Ryan carried their spoons. They’d almost made it to the empty table when a woman and her child got there first, pulling two of the four chairs out.
He recognised her right away. Only had to glance at the cloud of red hair to know it was Poppy Marshall’s mom.
Ryan looked around, hoping to spot somebody who’d almost finished, planning on hovering until the table was vacated. But everybody seemed to have arrived at the same time – it was natural really, since they’d all come from school – but unless they sat down soon Charlie’s ice cream was going to melt.
Ah, what the hell.
‘Can we sit with you?’ he asked, looking at the two empty chairs next to Poppy and her mom.
She turned around to look at him. Christ, she was pretty. Not that he was surprised, Thomas Marshall always did like the best in life. Why would his wife be any different?
‘Um, yeah, sure, please sit down.’ She gestured at the two seats. Charlie immediately chose the one next to Poppy, leaving Ryan to sit next to her mom.
‘Thanks. I’m Ryan, by the way. Ryan Sutherland. I don’t think we were properly introduced.’
Like the Marshalls, the Sutherlands were well known in Shaw Haven. Where one family owned half the land, the other owned the rest. When he was a kid he’d spent a lot of time with the Marshalls and their mutual friends. By the time he and Thomas were in high school, there was no love lost between them. Even in his teens, Thomas had reminded Ryan of his father. He’d had the kind of careless confidence that left people drowning in his wake.
He blinked that thought away. He really didn’t want to think of Marshall – or his own father – right now.
‘I’m Juliet.’ She offered him her hand, giving him a surprisingly strong handshake. Her fingers were long and elegant, but no sign of a manicure. In fact her nails were cut short. They looked like working hands, not the kind you’d see on a trophy wife.
‘It’s a pleasure to meet you, Juliet.’ He glanced over at Poppy and Charlie who were digging into their ice creams. ‘Those two seem to have made up.’
‘Yeah, kids have short memories,’ she agreed, looking more at ease. ‘But I’m so sorry she hurt him, and on his first day at school, too. I hope he isn’t too upset.’
Her embarrassment made him want to smile. ‘He’s fine. Apparently they’re practically best friends now. And he’s used to meeting new people. I’m a photographer, we’ve travelled a lot.’
‘Please make sure you apologise to your wife for me, too.’
He frowned. ‘I’m not married.’
‘Oh, sorry. Your girlfriend then?’ Juliet glanced down at his left hand. Of course that made him immediately glance at hers. No wedding ring either – just an almost imperceptible indentation where one must have been. With his photographer’s eye, Ryan often noticed details that others didn’t.
Ryan shook his head. ‘Sheridan – Charlie’s mom – and I are just friends. Charlie was a happy surprise for both of us.’ He ate a spoonful of Charlie’s ice cream, his eyes not leaving hers. ‘She catches up with us when she can, but I have primary custody of him.’
‘You do?’ She looked at him with interest. ‘Is she okay with that?’
He shrugged. He wasn’t embarrassed about explaining his situation, he was used to it by now. ‘It’s what we both wanted. She loves him, but her job isn’t exactly compatible with bringing up a child. When she’s not touring she spends as much time as she can with Charlie. She wants the best for him. We both do.’
‘I’m sorry, I’m being rude. I shouldn’t ask all these questions.’
He couldn’t help but grin at her. ‘You’re English, right? You’re doing that whole Brit thing.’
‘What Brit thing?’
‘The one where you make small talk then get all worked up over it.’
‘Do we all do that?’
He couldn’t help but laugh at her perplexed expression. ‘I guess I’ve met a lot of Brits on my travels, and yeah, a lot of them did that. Like you really want to know something but don’t like to ask.’ He tipped his head to the side, enjoying the way she was frowning at him. ‘Where in England are you from anyway?’
‘I grew up in London,’ she told him. ‘But I’ve lived here for almost seven years.’
‘With the Marshalls?’ He glanced at her empty ring finger again.
‘Yes.’ She looked down at the table. ‘Well no, not now. It’s complicated, if you know what I mean.’
He knew exactly what she meant. ‘You want me to talk about something else?’
For the first time, she smiled. It was tentative, but it lit up her whole face. ‘That would be lovely,’ she said, tipping her head to the side. ‘Maybe you can tell me about you. When did you guys get into town?’
Unlike Juliet, Ryan didn’t mind talking about himself at all. Not in a brash, ‘look at me’ kind of way, but he was comfortable enough in his skin to be open and honest. ‘We moved in at the weekend. We were meant to be here last week, but I got delayed on an assignment, so everything was a bit hurried. The removal trucks only got here this morning, it’s gonna be a mess. A good reason to stay here and eat ice cream, I guess.’
‘Removal trucks?’ she asked.
‘Yeah, we haven’t got that much stuff, but I’ve had to buy a lot of furniture. It’s our first permanent home.’ He shrugged. ‘Well, semi-permanent anyway.’
‘Semi-permanent?’ she echoed.
‘We’re here until next June. Then we’re moving to New York. We’re just here for Kindergarten year while Charlie gets used to going to school.’
‘Did he not go to pre-K or preschool?’ Juliet asked. Her brows were pulled down, as though she was trying to understand.
‘No. We used to travel a lot for my work. Now he’s getting older we’re gonna put down some roots. I’ve been offered some work in New York starting next June. So we’ll be moving up there after the end of the school year.’
‘What made you choose Surrey Academy?’
It was a good question. ‘I went there as a kid so there was kind of a connection already. It’s all new to me, this school stuff. I thought I’d start us off gently, with somewhere I know. I’ll worry about the New York education system once he’s settled in.’
‘Dad, can Poppy come over to play today?’ Charlie interrupted their conversation.
‘I don’t know … ’ Ryan glanced at Juliet. Her face was impassive. He wanted Charlie to make friends, to fit in, but her kid had just hit him. Plus the house was full of boxes waiting to be unpacked.
‘Not today, I’m afraid,’ Juliet said. ‘I have to go back to the shop for a couple of hours, and Poppy’s coming with me.’
‘I’d rather go play with Charlie. Please Mommy?’
‘Not today.’ Juliet shook her head.
‘What about tonight? Can we play then?’
She gave a half-laugh. ‘You’ll be in bed tonight.’
‘After tea?’
‘No honey, you can play in the garden after tea, but then you’ll need your bath and go to bed. It’s been a long day.’ She met Ryan’s eyes, shrugging her shoulders.
‘Let’s meet in the garden, then,’ Poppy said, turning to Charlie. ‘I’ve got a cool rope swing.’
‘Poppy, Charlie can’t just come around after tea.’ She looked at Ryan. ‘I’m so sorry, one minute she’s hitting him, the next minute she’s practically inviting him to live with us.’
‘Well he does almost live with us,’ Poppy protested. ‘Or next door, anyway.’
‘What?’ Juliet glanced at Poppy and Charlie before turning to look at Ryan. He didn’t bother to bite down his own smile. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve just moved into the Langdon house. On Letterman Circle?’ She gave a half-smile. ‘I should have known when you said about the removal trucks.’
Now he was grinning. ‘Yeah, that’s the one.’
‘I didn’t know it was you. I was planning to pop over this evening with a plant or something to say welcome. I’m so sorry.’
Ryan had no idea whatsoever why Juliet was apologising to him, though he’d noticed before that English people had a habit of doing that. She was still blushing like crazy.
‘You’re at number forty-eight?’ he asked.
She shook her head. ‘No, forty-four.’
‘The bungalow?’
‘Yeah, that’s the one. We only moved in a few months ago.’
‘In that case, it’s a pleasure to meet you, neighbour.’ He offered her his hand again. When she took it, he curled his fingers around hers, feeling her soft smooth flesh.
There was something about Juliet Marshall that intrigued him. Made him want to know more. She was soft, yet brittle, an intriguing combination.
It was also a dangerous combination, he reminded himself. And he was only here for a while. He needed complications like Juliet Marshall like he needed a hole in the head.
They were neighbours. That’s all they were, and as far as Ryan was concerned he should be perfectly happy to keep things like that. Friendly, neighbourly, but definitely minding his own business.
Even if part of him wanted to get all up in hers.
It was just after eight that evening when Ryan heard a rap on the front door. Charlie was sitting on the floor, playing with LEGO, while Ryan was drinking from his half-empty bottle of beer. He felt more American than he had in a long time, his stomach full of food he’d cooked on the grill. Tuna steaks rather than meat ones, and a local brew clutched in his hand. Strange how fast he was becoming reacclimatised.
Charlie looked up from his half-built fort. ‘Who’s that?’
‘I don’t know, kiddo. Forgot to put my x-ray specs on this morning.’ He shot him a grin. ‘I guess I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way and actually answer the door.’
‘Maybe it’s Poppy,’ Charlie said hopefully. ‘Can I go out and play?’
‘I’m pretty sure Poppy’s getting ready for bed by now.’ He’d heard Juliet calling her from across the yard earlier. Ryan was more relaxed about bedtimes – as long as Charlie got enough sleep, everything was good.