Faye a chance to recover and relax, Poppy didn’t say anything.
It took less than a minute for the woman to sag and turn her head against Poppy’s arm.
“I’ve messed this up already.”
“Messed what up?” Poppy asked. “You can’t just take him back after he cheated on you.”
Faye’s head dropped back. “I’ve never had to do this alone.”
Despite the woman’s obvious pain, Poppy smiled. “You’re not alone, Faye.” Her head rose so they made eye contact. “Your family is incredible. Every single one of them will support you.”
“There’s never been a divorce,” Faye said. “No one’s ever…”
Because her father had died and her siblings weren’t married. “Do you think they’ll care about that? I’ve only known your family a few weeks, but I guarantee the divorce won’t even feature in the conversation. They want you to be happy. All of them.” She widened her smile. “And if anyone even thinks of passing judgement, they’ll have Turner to answer to.” Faye’s head tilted to the side. “Your brother won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“I’ve always stayed home with the kids. I was supposed to have an interview for a job this afternoon, but I can’t… Kev was going to sit with the kids.”
“He should, they’re as much his responsibility,” Poppy said, taking Faye’s hand.
“Yeah, but we can’t be in the same room without screaming at each other,” Faye said. “I have nothing to wear. I was going to go to the department store, but…” She sighed. “I’m kidding myself.”
“No, you’re not,” Poppy said. “I’d say you could raid my closet, but there isn’t much up there…” And Faye was taller than her. “We don’t know each other that well, but I can sit with the kids… if you want.”
“You were on your way out.”
“Not for anything important,” Poppy said. “This is important. You and the kids are more important.”
“Charley doesn’t usually make good choices when it comes to the people she has in her life.”
“I completely understand,” Poppy said, not offended that Faye didn’t trust her.
“No, I… I wasn’t saying no, I…” Faye bit her lip, hesitating before she continued. “Mom likes you… she’s usually wary of new people in our lives… She warms up to them… sometimes. But she liked you off the bat.”
Poppy shrugged, thinking she should’ve probed Turner further on what he’d said to Val. “I like your mom too. I like all of your family. You’re lucky to have them.”
“You don’t have family?”
Her mouth opened, but it took a second for her to come up with words. “We’re not… close like you guys… They’re just… there.”
Her grandmother was the exception. Poppy hadn’t spoken to Marigold for a few weeks. Although aware she should make the effort, she was also aware that her grandmother would sense her feelings for Turner the second his name came up. And it would. Omitting him from conversations about her life would be impossible.
“Turner trusts you,” Faye said, thinking out loud, Poppy guessed. “He wouldn’t let you live upstairs without a lease if he didn’t… I’d only need an hour to run out and grab something.”
“Take as much time as you need. I’m not in today or tomorrow.”
“Is there any point if I can’t go to the interview?”
Laying her hands on Faye’s shoulders, Poppy grinned. “You will go to the ball… We’ll figure it out. Right now you need something to wear. Get something you’ll feel confident in, come back, and then we can talk about the interview.
Faye hadn’t struck her as an immediately warm person, which was why Poppy was surprised to be pulled into a hug.
“You’re a lifesaver.”
Not something she’d ever been called before, though she couldn’t say she didn’t like being appreciated.
TWENTY-FIVE
“Noah, you’re not eating all your sandwich,” Emmie said. “Eat your sandwich or Poppy will tell Mommy.”
Sitting on the couch with Emmie standing behind her, Poppy was having her hair brushed by the eldest little one while she braided Ashlee’s hair. The youngest was standing in front of her playing with the hair clasps. Noah was in front of the TV watching Shrek. The girls had already eaten their lunch while Noah was taking his time.
He’d been grumpy, like his uncle, maybe because of his parents’ arguing or because he was tired. She swayed toward the second when he lay down on the floor on his side and slipped his thumb between his lips.
“You have very beautiful hair, Ashlee,” Poppy said, impressed by the length in the two-year-old’s locks. “Both of you do.”