Chapter 15 #2
A blanket covered my nakedness, and I rose, peering around. The scent of something delicious met my nose. “You cooked?”
“Aye. Here. Get dressed and come see.” He handed me his t-shirt—he already wore the new one I’d brought from the castle—then grabbed my underwear from the floor.
I pulled them on and took his hand. We padded into the bright kitchen, the wooden floorboards cold underfoot.
“I found the bags in the hall. Thank you for bringing food, but I already had this planned out.” He gestured to a little table made from a plank of wood and two stacks of bricks. Two cushions made seats on the clean floorboards, and a cool box sat alongside.
“There’s no power here yet, so I brought a camping stove. This morning, I made a Mexican stir-fry and kept it fresh in the cool box. All it needs is heating through. Grab the wraps from that packet there. We can make tortillas.”
My mouth watered, and my stomach rumbled. “God, Ally. I’ve been living off café food but I’ve craved home cooking. I didn’t even know you could cook, and Mexican is hands down my favourite.”
He shrugged, shaking the pan by its handle, swirling rice, black beans, and sweetcorn with tomatoes and a rich-smelling chilli sauce.
“Taylor wanted to learn, so I went with her to a few classes, when my brother couldnae. Once I’m living here, I’ll be making meals every day. Bairn-sized ones and grown-up ones.”
“Update me on the latest with the baby.” I sat cross-legged on one of the floor cushions and watched him.
Ally took a tub of grated cheese and a pot of sour cream from the cool box and put them on the makeshift table.
“After my accident, I didn’t see her for a while.
” He pointed at his face. “I was in pain and I didn’t want her to be scared of me.
I dinna ken if bairns are fearful of bandages, but there was a fair amount of self-pitying going on, too.
But this past week I’ve seen her every other day.
Wasp’s been taking me, so he’s met her.”
He took a deep breath. “I had a message from the social workers yesterday. They’ve had official notice from the court about my custody case. The first stage has been passed, so they’ve agreed to let her come here to visit. Next Saturday, she gets to meet the whole family.”
I gaped. “That’s incredible!”
Ally turned off the camping gas and eyed me. “I’d like you to be there.”
A frisson of unease passed through me. Why, I wasn’t sure. I liked babies and was eager to meet Mathilda’s newborn. “You want that?”
He continued watching me. “Aye, I do.”
Multiple questions arose. “What are we going to tell our families? About us, I mean.”
“Why do they need to know anything? Let them gossip.”
I chewed my lip. “If I can, I’ll be there.”
Ally nodded, seemingly satisfied, and collected two bowls from the cool box. Then he filled them with the meal, placing the pan aside. “Dig in.”
I found us two forks, and we got stuck in, making up wraps and sprinkling the cheese on the Mexican mix. All of a sudden, I was ravenous, and I couldn’t eat fast enough. Ally grinned at my enthusiasm, eating his just as rapidly.
“Have you decided on a name for the baby yet?” I asked between mouthfuls.
“That’s my task for the next couple of weeks. The social workers had to name her already, because it had to be done within so many weeks of her being born, but I can change it.”
“What did they choose?”
“Their default option: her ma’s name. She’s Kathleen Reid. It doesnae suit her.”
I choked on a grain of rice. Ally reached over to slap my back.
“I assumed you’d name her after her mother,” I said once I recovered. “Or a variation of Kathleen.”
His lip curled. “I thought about it, but every child should have their own identity, aye? And besides, I’m struggling with thinking well of Kaylee right now.
Sure, the pregnancy must’ve been a shock, but she had my child in secret.
If she’d have told me, I would’ve been there for her, and for registering the bairn.
None of this dealing with social workers or struggling with the courts would be happening.
It’s hard to forgive the betrayal. Then I feel like an arsehole for thinking it because she died. ”
His gaze dropped, and his shoulders bunched. I put down my bowl and sighed.
“Have you not been able to find out anything more about her?”
“No. Her great aunt—the woman Wasp saw in the street—willnae speak with me. She has refused every call, though she’s apparently visiting the bairn.”
“She is? Then she’ll have to talk to you when you get custody.”
“If,” Ally amended. “My solicitor thinks I have a strong case, but it hasn’t been tested yet. I’m single, bashed up, and still have no proven income. Those go against me. They could decide she’d be better off being adopted by someone else.”
I drew a shocked breath. “Surely not! You’re her dad! You’re the best option. You’re loving and kind and you’d do everything under the sun to make her happy! No one could ever think otherwise.” It was true; he was the best person I knew.
Ally’s smile returned, and he gestured to my bowl. “Thank ye for the vote of confidence.” Then he winked at me. “I’ll fight for what I want. Every step of the way.”
We finished our meal with strawberries and cream, then Ally took me to bed. We talked, for hours. We fucked more, too. And we slept in soft sheets, holding each other.
The next day, I drove us to the castle and left Ally to catch my flight.
Landing in London was like entering a different world, one made of noise and pollution. At my parents’ home, I couldn’t settle, my work feeling unimportant compared with Ally’s restructuring of his life.
I spent the week in London, the majority of my management shadowing now complete, and I wrote up my findings on the various businesses I’d visited.
Ally and I talked practically every day.
He’d ring me or I’d call him. In between, we had an almost constant stream of voice messages.
When I emerged from meetings, I’d check my phone at the first opportunity, excited to hear what he’d replied and overbrimming with things to share with him.