Just for Christmas - Emily Harvale Page 0,59
Vicky said, smiling brightly. ‘But I thought that you should hear this from me. Would you take a walk with us?’
‘Us?’ Molly’s eyes scanned the vicinity in the ridiculous hope that ‘us’ included Chance. But he was nowhere to be seen.
‘I meant me and the dogs,’ Vicky said, almost apologising for the fact her son wasn’t with her. She clearly knew the way Molly’s mind was working.
‘Oh. Yes of course. Just give me a minute to get my coat and boots. Hello you two.’
She petted both dogs for a second before hurrying inside and telling Sarah and Terry that she was going out with Vicky and would be back later.
She and Vicky walked in silence for a while.
‘How … How is he?’ Molly eventually asked.
Vicky sighed. ‘That’s what I’ve come to tell you. He’s gone to New York.’
Molly stopped in her tracks, her eyes as wide as Christmas baubles.
‘Gone! To New York? When?’
‘He left yesterday afternoon. He wouldn’t tell me why. All I know is that he was on the phone to Jolene for a long time the night before, and most of yesterday morning. I met a friend for coffee and when I got back, he was already packed and had booked a flight.’
‘Is he … is he coming back?’
Vicky shrugged. ‘Search me. He said he will be, but he didn’t say when. He told me not to worry and that he didn’t want to discuss it yet. He said he’d be in touch but to call if I needed anything. He also apologised for leaving me in the lurch with two dogs, but I told him that wasn’t a problem. Nevertheless, he informed me he’d already asked our neighbour’s son if he would help out walking the dogs. He even insisted on paying him to do it. He also made me call my friends so that he was sure I’d have company while he was away. And that was it. He made sure I had everything I needed, waited for one of my friends to arrive, then he called a cab, kissed the dogs and me goodbye, and was gone.’
‘I … I can’t believe he’s left you.’
‘To be honest, nor can I. I don’t mind, of course. I’m fine on my own and I have my friends, but it’s so unlike him. It’s as if he’s become a different person overnight. My son would never behave like that. I’m not sure what to think. Has something happened? Is Jolene having second thoughts? Is something wrong with the baby? Or with his own father? My ex-husband and I are on speaking terms now, but if something happened to him, Chance would never tell me until he absolutely had to. I don’t want to burden you with this, and I certainly don’t want you to worry, but I did want you to know he’d left. Just in case you heard about it from someone else. Or came round and found he wasn’t there. I was going to call and tell you, but I thought it would be better to break the news face-to-face.’
‘Thank you. I appreciate that. I will worry though. But I’m glad I know.’
They resumed their walk in silence, and Vicky linked her arm with Molly’s.
‘I don’t think Miracle swallowing the engagement ring helped.’
‘What!’
Molly stopped again and stared at Miracle who was busy smelling a patch of grass.
‘Oh. Didn’t I say? Sorry, sweetheart. My head is all over the place at the moment. It happened on Sunday morning. Jolene had called. Again. And afterwards, Chance was sitting on the sofa, staring at the ring as it sat in its velvet box. He took it out and twisted it around in his hands, almost as though he wasn’t sure what it was. It was all very strange. Although it was a beautiful ring. The next thing I know, he’s dropped it. It just seemed to slip through his fingers. Unfortunately, Miracle saw it too. Before Chance could get to it, Miracle had wolfed it down in one loud swallow and smacked his jaws together as if he’d just eaten a piece of prime steak and had really enjoyed it. I laughed of course. Well, in normal circumstances, it would have been funny. Awful too, obviously, but nevertheless quite amusing. Until Chance said the ring might cause an injury to Miracle.’
‘Oh my God! Is he okay?’
Molly bent down and took Miracle’s head in her hands, staring into his eyes as if hoping he would answer. He promptly licked her face