‘A flurry or two. Nothing that stayed,’ she answered. ‘How’s life in England? Are you still coming for Lucia?’
One-handed, he got a bowl of frozen peas ready to put in the microwave. It was the only green vegetable Josie would eat without fuss, though she would happily have eaten iceberg lettuce with every meal, dipping it in gravy as readily as in mayonnaise. ‘Can’t wait to be home.’ They were used to him flitting in and out of Sweden without seeing his family. Stockholm was a four-hour drive from Älgäng.
They talked about work and then Carina said, with an edge to her voice, ‘I saw Emelie’s mother Ida in Nässjö, in Kvantum.’
Shit, thought Nico. Ida was married to his uncle on his father’s side, and they ended up in the same supermarket in Nässjö at the same time, even though one lived in Älgäng and the other in Eksjö. ‘Oh?’ he said. He propped his backside on a stool, suddenly fatigued. ‘I suppose she told you I’m giving a hand with Maria?’ He hadn’t bothered his parents with this news.
‘My son certainly hadn’t told me! I rang your father but he knew no more than I did.’
Nico’s brows shot up. Carina must have really wanted to know about the situation to seek information from the man she’d divorced twenty-two years ago.
‘She’s two and being neglected,’ he pointed out. ‘You wouldn’t have left her there either.’
Carina went quiet for several moments before, ‘But, Nico, can you afford to be so magnanimous? You’re already … busy.’
For ‘busy’ read ‘overwhelmed’, he thought as he answered calmly, ‘So far, so good.’
When the call was over it still wasn’t time to cook the peas so Nico hit Facebook, seeing a picture of his brother Mattias smooching with Felicia by the stream that splashed down the hillside outside Husqvarna Museum where Mattias worked. Looking good, Nico typed beneath.
Next on his newsfeed was a meme from Hannah. Dear Life, before you hurl more shit my way, please give me a chance to get behind the fan. People had posted laughing emojis or Aw, what’s up, Hannah? Hannah hadn’t enlightened them. With a dart of guilt he remembered Thursday evening and her getting a ‘call home’ text from her mum. Had it been something serious?
He stared at his phone meditatively. It provided several ways to get in touch with Hannah but that didn’t mean he should. He put it away. He’d made a decision. He’d drawn boundaries. He shouldn’t step over them.
It was ten that night when Nico flopped on his sofa and called Vivvi.
She didn’t apologise that she hadn’t rung as promised but answered with an enormous sigh. ‘I think I’m getting to the bottom of things. The doctor prescribed antidepressants but Loren decided she liked the feelings from depressants – barbiturates – better and got supplies via a Snapchat contact.’
‘Snapchat?’ Nico echoed incredulously.
‘A hotbed for illicit sales of prescription drugs, apparently,’ confirmed Vivvi. ‘She says she’ll talk to a counsellor but goodness knows if she will. Her head’s all over the place. Red’s feeling drained and depressed and doesn’t need this stress.’
Nico could empathise.
‘Anyway,’ Vivvi said with the air of one who knew it was her duty to tell the worst. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t cope with Maria.’
‘Oh.’ He digested that. ‘Not even with Loren there?’
‘Especially not with Loren here.’ She took a big breath. ‘We’re hoping you can keep her until the situation’s sorted out.’
Shock rippled through Nico, even though part of him had expected this. ‘Loren’s her mother, you and Redfern are her grandparents and you’re abdicating responsibility?’
Vivvi’s voice wobbled. ‘You have a nanny. Loren’s in tears if I suggest she should make more effort with Maria. Or, for that matter, Josie.’ Softly, she began to cry. ‘I’ve been searching my heart. If you say no, I’ll have to get her officially fostered. There are lovely families who look after children while their parents are ill.’
‘Tilly isn’t employed full-time.’ But he knew Vivvi wasn’t listening. He closed his eyes and let his head drop onto the back of the sofa, beaten up by problems.
‘The child support would be sent on to you,’ Vivvi added hopefully. ‘Red and I might be able to weigh in with some money too, if that makes a difference.’ He could almost hear the rustle of straws as she clutched at them.
Loren’s family being prepared to help with expenses emphasised how much they wanted him to agree. How cornered he was. ‘It’s not the money,’ he croaked, his throat