Chapter 23 #2
When he came in, he did at least have the grace to look sheepish.
The old Carrie wouldn’t have said anything, wouldn’t have wanted to rock the boat.
Old Carrie had been desperate for him to see her as easy-going and fun, someone he would want to spend time with and raise a child with.
But that Carrie appeared to be long gone.
“You’re late,” she said.
“Yeah, traffic,” Tony responded. “Sorry,” he added when she didn’t reply.
“If you could have Poppy back by one at the latest, please,” Carrie said. “I want to get going as soon as possible. It’s a long drive.”
“Do you have to go back today?” Tony asked. There was an unusual expression on his face which Carrie couldn’t place.
“We do. We’ve got a birthday party to go to this evening.”
Tony opened his mouth to respond but seemed to think better of it and just nodded his head.
“Aren’t you coming with us then?” said Tony.
“No, I’ve got stuff to be getting on with here. I’ve decided that Poppy and I will be moving to Castle Cove at least for the foreseeable future. Auntie Mary’s offered me a job. So I have packing to do.”
“You’re moving to Cornwall? For good?”
“For as long as we’re happy there. Of course I’ll bring Poppy to see you and you’ll be more than welcome to visit her. It’s very beautiful there.”
“Right,” Tony said, looking a little shell-shocked. Carrie realised she’d never actually stood up to him before and presumably he’d just assumed that she’d always be there, hoping he’d pay her and their daughter some attention.
“Anyway, I thought it would be nice for you and Poppy to spend some time just the two of you,” she said.
“I figured we’d go out all together,” Tony said. “Family time. Especially as it seems you’re moving away permanently,” he added, hitting Carrie right where it hurt. She saw him check her face for a reaction. She wasn’t going to give him one.
“It’s a bit late for you to be requesting family time, Tony. You know I agree it’s important to spend time with Poppy together, but I can’t today.”
“OK . . . only I didn’t bring the car.”
So that was it. He was hoping she’d drive them like usual, and presumably pay for him to treat Poppy, as per past experience.
“I guess walking or the bus it is then. Luckily, it’s a gorgeous day.” Carrie could feel her patience wearing thin. How had she never realised how ridiculous Tony was?
“Do you think I could borrow your car?” he asked.
“Are you insured to drive it?”
Tony looked a bit shifty. “I won’t be taking it far.”
“No, Tony you cannot borrow my car which you are not insured to drive,” Carrie said, struggling not to roll her eyes. Who was this woman she’d become? “Poppy!” she called. The little girl must be too busy playing to have heard the door.
Poppy came running down the stairs. “Mummy, can we take my Lego with us? I want to build a little bookshop with it. Oh, hi, Daddy!”
She gave her father a big hug. “Can I, Mummy?”
“Sure,” Carrie said.
“Daddy, did Mummy tell you about the kittens and how Michael took us climbing and listened to me read so much my reading has got loads better?”
“No, she didn’t,” Tony said, looking at Carrie. “Who’s Michael?”
“He’s Mummy’s friend. They like to go out together sometimes. And they talk lots.”
Carrie could feel her face going bright red. “Anyway,” she said before her daughter could say anything else incriminating. “You two have fun and I’ll see you later.”
* * *
Carrie couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous over the course of the next few hours.
She kept her phone with her the whole time, expecting to have to go and pick Tony and Poppy up from somewhere or that they wouldn’t be back by one and she’d end up having to call and listen to his excuses and then probably still have to go out in the car to get them.
But she wasn’t going to let herself be taken advantage of by Tony anymore.
If her aunt turning around her failing bookshop to make it renowned by romance readers worldwide had taught her anything, it was that you needed to stick up for yourself and change things when they weren’t working.
And things between her and Tony definitely weren’t working.
She went around her little flat, deciding what to take with them until she could work out the logistics of moving everything properly.
Scanning the large bookcase in the sitting room, she spotted her battered copy of Pride and Prejudice.
She took it down and opened it to reveal an inscription: With love on your sixteenth birthday from Aunt Mary and Uncle Tom.
She smiled and flicked through the pages.
Elizabeth and Darcy . . . who she’d always held up as the perfect couple.
Things hadn’t exactly gone smoothly for them, but they got over their issues, told Lady Catherine to leave them alone and ended up happily ever after.
Surely that could be done in real life. And, honestly, if she and Michael couldn’t work together, there was no hope for her with anyone.
She put the book in the box she was filling and decided: she wasn’t just going back to Castle Cove to accept her aunt’s offer of a job and home.
She was going back to do her very best to convince Michael that they needed to be together, because them not being together just made no sense when Carrie thought about how the world was meant to be.
* * *
Carrie got everything packed and in the car, including snacks which she popped out to the local shop for.
They’d need to take only really brief stops if they were going to make it in time for Layla’s party.
How could she have even considered missing it?
Layla meant so much to her now and had been so lovely to Poppy.
She was pleasantly surprised when her doorbell rang at quarter to one, heralding Tony and Poppy’s return.
The big grin on Poppy’s face made Carrie smile.
“You look like you’ve had fun!” said Carrie.
“We did!” said Poppy. “We went bowling and Daddy said I was really good.”
“That sounds very cool!”
“And I told Daddy about playing football on the beach so he bought me my own football!” Poppy pulled a blue football out from behind her back.
“Now that is awesome!”
“Thanks for bringing her,” Tony said. “I appreciate it.”
Carrie nodded, not quite trusting herself to respond more.
“Can I come in and talk to you for a minute?” he asked.
Carrie hesitated and then felt bad for doing so. It wasn’t Tony’s fault that she was in such a hurry to get back to Cornwall.
“OK,” she said and gestured to him to go through to the kitchen. “Pumpkin, why don’t you go and check your room to make sure you’ve got everything you want to take with you? Just bear in mind that it all needs to fit in the car!”
Tony sat at the kitchen table, while Carrie remained standing. “What did you want to talk about?”
“Are you not going to sit down? We could have a cuppa?” suggested Tony.
“Maybe another time. I’m sorry but I’ve got something I have to get back to Castle Cove for.”
“Is this party you’re in such a hurry to get to, something to do with this Michael that Poppy keeps talking about?”
Carrie hesitated before saying, “Yes, actually.”
“So you are seeing him?”
“That’s really none of your business.”
“I’m Poppy’s father. Who you spend time with spends time with her . . .”
Carrie glared at him and found herself snapping, “Then why don’t you redress the balance a little and see her more?”
Tony looked shocked and she couldn’t blame him. She’d never spoken to him like that before. She took a breath before repeating, “What did you want to talk about?”
“The job in Germany with the wrestlers went really well. So well, that I’ve been offered a two-year contract travelling around Europe with them.”
“And you’re going to accept it?” confirmed Carrie.
“Yes. The pay is good and it’s fun. Plus the travel . . . I’m back here now basically to sort out my stuff.”
“Have you told Poppy?”
“No. I’ll visit, obviously.”
“Right.” The Carrie of even just a month ago would have been devastated.
Would have desperately tried to convince Tony that he couldn’t do this.
That Poppy needed him. But she couldn’t force Tony to be the sort of father that Michael was.
If he didn’t want to step up, it was him who was missing out.
Poppy was a wonderful little girl and he was an idiot.
And the fact that he hadn’t mentioned this job earlier when she’d told him about her moving to Cornwall put the final nail in the coffin of their relationship.
“I appreciate it’s not ideal . . .” he said. He was clearly expecting more of a reaction from Carrie.
“Let me know whenever you’re back and want to see Poppy, and we’ll sort something out. Was that everything?” Carried asked.
“Um . . . yeah,” said Tony. He seemed to be debating whether her lack of emotion was a good thing or not.
“OK, I’ll give Poppy a call so she can say goodbye. Oh, and Tony? I’ll be speaking to a solicitor about you paying proper child support now that you’ll be earning a regular wage. Poppy’s strawberry and blueberry addiction isn’t cheap.”
Carrie looked away while Tony and Poppy said their goodbyes. Despite her resolve, her eyes felt hot. She’d spent more than seven years doing everything she could to prevent this exact situation.
“Bye then, Carrie,” said Tony, turning back to look at her as he walked through the front door.
“See you soon. Look after yourself,” said Carrie.
She closed the door and took a deep breath, forcing a smile on to her face. “OK, Pumpkin. Let’s get in the car. We have a party to get to!”