Chapter 22 #2
Carrie laughed. “We’ll go out the back door so as not to spoil the effect of you doing the final close up of our summer.”
“I really hope Layla likes the card I made her,” said Poppy, carefully carrying Layla’s card and presents, as they went out of the shop’s rear entrance and into the garden.
“She will! It’s got all the cats on it!”
“I’m glad that Katniss is going to be staying with Michael and Layla and that Auntie Mary is going to have another one of the kittens. I hope the last kitten finds a good home.”
“Me too. I know Michael and Layla will make sure she goes to a lovely person.”
They went into Michael’s garden and were greeted by Monty.
“Be careful, Monty!” Poppy scolded as he jumped up at her. “You don’t want to squish Layla’s presents!”
Monty didn’t look the least bit sorry for his behaviour.
Layla came out to say hi.
“Happy early birthday, sweetheart,” said Carrie, giving her a hug.
“I can’t believe you won’t be coming to my party,” Layla said as she hugged her back.
“I know. I’m so sorry,” Carrie replied. “It sounds like it’s going to be so fun.”
Layla also gave Poppy a hug and accepted her cards and presents. “I love the card!” she said, immediately. “No way did you draw this all by yourself, Pops!”
“I did,” said Poppy proudly.
“Is it OK if I keep the presents to open until my actual birthday?” Layla asked.
“Of course,” said Carrie.
“I think you’re really going to like them,” whispered Poppy.
They went inside the house and Layla put her gifts and card on the kitchen table. Michael came into the kitchen and also made a fuss over Poppy’s card. Poppy went into the utility room with Carrie to check on Tabitha and the kittens.
“You guys are going to be so big when I see you next,” Poppy said to them. “I hope they remember me, Mummy.”
“Of course they will,” Carrie assured her.
It was painful watching Poppy saying goodbye to the kittens, but thankfully she was excited to be going to have dinner at Auntie Mary’s house and that seemed to distract her.
They got into Michael’s car and he drove them all to Auntie Mary’s house.
“It was so kind of your aunt to invite us as well,” said Michael as they went in.
“I have a feeling that Auntie Mary is rather fond of you and Layla,” Carrie responded.
“Well, that’s quite natural.” Michael shrugged, making Carrie smile.
They went inside to discover that Carrie’s mum had been cooking up a storm and there was a huge lasagne in the oven.
Seren and Lucy were also there, each with a glass of prosecco in hand. And Michael’s friend Dylan was chopping up vegetables for a salad.
“This is quite the party,” said Carrie. It was so sweet that everyone was taking time out of their day to come and have a farewell dinner with them.
“We couldn’t let you leave without a proper goodbye,” said Lucy.
Auntie Mary came over to hug Carrie and whispered, “I invited Dylan because he’s so handsome. He’s just nice to have around. Plus, it amuses me to watch him and Lucy pretend they don’t like each other.”
Carrie managed to stifle a giggle and accepted a drink from Dylan.
Michael and Dylan stuck to soft drinks as the designated drivers.
Everyone was shooed out into the garden where they sat and chatted while Carrie’s mum and aunt finished cooking and then it was a case of squishing around the kitchen table for a delicious, relaxed meal.
Carrie looked around at everyone and realised just how lucky she was. She’d had so much support these last few weeks, and she hoped the friendships she’d made would last even though they would no longer be seeing each other regularly.
“Seren?” Carrie heard Poppy say as her daughter tapped on Seren’s hand to get her attention.
“Yes, Poppy?” Seren said, turning to face the little girl.
“Would you like to have the last of Tabitha’s kittens?
Michael and Layla are going to keep Katniss and Auntie Mary is going to have one of the other kittens, but there’s one left.
I think you would be a very good kitten mummy because you’re quiet and kind.
And the kitten would be good company for you because you live alone. ”
“Um, Poppy,” said Carrie. “I think it’s up to Michael and Layla to decide who adopts their kittens, don’t you?”
“I think Poppy’s right,” said Michael. “I think Seren would make an excellent cat mum.”
“Me too,” said Layla.
“Um, that’s really lovely,” said Seren. “But can I think about it a little bit? I’ve never had a pet before.”
“Neither have I,” said Poppy, “but Michael says I’m a natural with animals. Monty and Tabitha and the kittens all love me.”
“That they do,” said Michael. “Of course, take some time and think about it, Seren. But the kitten is yours if you’d like it.”
They finished eating and the party divided. Auntie Mary, Ellen, Layla and Poppy went to play cards in the sitting room. Carrie went to start clearing up but was shooed away by Seren, Lucy and Dylan who were already taking care of it.
“Go and relax outside. It’s a lovely evening. Michael will keep you company,” Dylan said, with a wink which made Carrie blush and earned him a scowl and a flick from a tea-towel by Lucy.
“Very subtle, mate,” muttered Michael. “Well, if they’re determined to do all the work, who are we to stop them, eh?” he said, gesturing towards the back door.
They wandered out into the garden together and sat down on a couple of chairs.
“This evening was a very good idea of mine,” said Michael smugly.
“This is absolutely nothing like your original idea!” teased Carrie. “It’s not even the same venue, let alone the same guest list!”
“My idea was the basis for this excellent idea and this way, not only did I not have to cook, but I even got out of the cleaning up and got to sit out here with you.”
They heard a noise from behind them and turned to see Lucy and Dylan having a fight over who got the best view of them out of the kitchen window.
“They’re a nosy bunch, aren’t they?” Michael said. He looked embarrassed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Would you care to take a turn around the garden with me, Miss? Away from prying eyes?”
“I most certainly would, Sir. What a simply splendid idea.”
They stood up and Michael offered her his arm. Carrie gave a little curtsy and accepted it, turning to pull a face at their friends at the kitchen window before they walked off together out of view.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Michael said quietly.
“It was always going to happen.”
He nodded.
“You seem much happier than you were this afternoon,” Michael said eventually.
“I am,” said Carrie. “It’s been a lovely evening, so relaxed and fun. Earlier was . . . difficult. I really wanted to have a last day in the shop, making the most of being able to be there, but it all went a bit wrong over lunch with Auntie Mary.”
Carrie looked up at Michael to check he was happy for her to continue.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Auntie Mary told me that she’s wanting to step back from running the shop, a kind of half-retirement I suppose, with her focusing on the auctions and rare books side of things. She invited me to be the shop’s manager and offered Poppy and me the flat above the shop.”
“Oh my goodness, that’s fantastic!” said Michael. He seemed to light up as his face broke into a grin.
“I turned her down,” Carrie said. “I explained that while it was an incredible offer, I need to be in London.”
Michael stopped walking. “Because of Poppy’s father?”
“Mainly, yes.” She wasn’t about to admit that she was finding it harder and harder not being able to give in to her feelings for Michael and that the only sensible thing she could think of to do was to out a large amount of space between them.
“Auntie Mary doesn’t understand why I can’t stay here.
She can’t seem to see that Poppy needs her dad.
She said some things about Tony which made me lose my temper, which is why I stomped off and ended up soaking wet. ”
“What did she say?”
Carrie took a moment before replying. Even repeating what Aunt Mary said felt like she was being disloyal to Poppy’s dad and therefore Poppy somehow.
“She called him useless. But she doesn’t even know him. He’s not the most . . . engaged father in the world, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t be given the chance to do better and the opportunity to see his daughter whenever he wants . . .”
“But what do you want?” asked Michael, turning her to face him. His eyes bored into hers.
“You know it’s not as easy as that,” Carrie replied. “When you share a child with someone, you need to take them into account when you make big life decisions. You wouldn’t move to . . . Scotland and take Layla away from Georgia, would you?”
“No, of course not. But Georgia and I share custody of Layla. Except for during the problems at the beginning of the holidays, which, thanks to you are being resolved, Layla is back and forth between our houses. It doesn’t sound like that’s the case with you and Tony.”
“No, it’s not,” admitted Carrie. “At least at the moment. But not everyone’s a natural father. It takes some people time to adjust to being a parent.”
“It’s been seven years,” Michael pointed out. He took a deep breath and continued, “You cannot force Tony to be a good father to Poppy. He has to do it on his own.”
“I’m not forcing him!” said Carrie, crossly.
“Is it him pushing to see and spend time with Poppy? Because it doesn’t sound like it.”
“Actually, he did ask to see her, not that that’s any of your business!” Carrie snapped.
Carrie regretted saying it as soon as the words came out of her mouth. Michael’s face fell. Of course he cared about her and Poppy, he’d proved that time and time again. She’d shared and opened up about her life to him and he’d done the same for her. What she’d said had been grossly unfair.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that,” she said, quickly.