Free A Family Forever by Helen Scott Taylor

the top of his head, willing her love and optimism into him. Until now he'd appeared so strong and capable. It shocked her to see him distressed. Not that she'd fare much better if Sophie ran away, but she hadn't expected a man like Adam to be so emotional.
    A bang sounded in the room above the kitchen. Adam tensed within Victoria's embrace. She lifted her head to listen, heart thumping. Could Harry be upstairs? Had he been in her cottage all along? Hope raced through her, tempered with apprehension at Adam's reaction.
    "What was that?" he said.
    "I don't know. Soph's room is above us."
    He glanced at her, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "I thought she was at school."
    "She is, but she was up before me. If Harry knocked on the door early, she might have let him in."
    "Lord, if he's been here all the time…" Adam shot out of his chair and dashed off. Victoria hurried after him as he took the stairs two at a time. "Watch your head," she shouted just in time for him to duck under the low beam halfway up.
    When he reached the top, he threw open the door to Sophie's bedroom. Victoria squeezed in beside him. Harry sat at Sophie's desk, a book and his camera in front of him. He turned wide deer-in-the-headlights eyes on them.
    For a few breaths Adam just stared at his son, then he was around the bed and dragging the boy up into a hug. "Thank God," he whispered. "I've been so worried about you."
    Victoria hung back, letting them have their moment.
    After a short while, Harry wriggled out of Adam’s grip and dropped back onto the desk chair.
    Adam kept his hand on Harry's shoulder as if he couldn't bear to let him go so soon. "What were you thinking, disappearing like that without a word? You took ten years off my life this morning."
    "I didn't do anything," Harry complained. "I just came to stay with Soph and Victoria while you're in Spain. I told you I didn't want to go."
    Adam sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his forehead. "Did you really think I'd wake up, find you gone, and think 'Harry's missing, but never mind, I'll go to Spain anyway'?"
    Harry looked confused. "Yes."
    "You expected me to leave not knowing where you were or if you were safe?"
    "I'm safe here," Harry said, as if his father was being stupid.
    "Yes, but I didn't know you were here, Harry, did I?"
    Harry stared blankly at his dad. "I thought you'd guess."
    "I did. This is the first place I looked. Victoria told me you weren't here because she didn't know."
    Harry glanced down and fiddled with his camera strap. "I asked Soph not to say anything to her mum in case you found me and made me go with you."
    Pain crumpled Adam's face and he struggled to hide it. A little piece of Victoria's heart broke at the sight. In less than a week, she'd come to care for this man so much. Seeing him hurt cut her to the core.
    It was a few moments before he spoke again and when he did his voice cracked. "Why don't you want to come with me, pal?"
    "I want to stay here. I'm fed up with travelling. I want to go to school like other kids and live in a home like this."
    "Isn't us being together what's most important? You know I love having you with me."
    Harry just stared sullenly at Adam and tears pricked Victoria's eyes. She understood how Harry felt but could see Adam's point of view as well.
    Adam sighed as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I've cancelled our trip to Spain. We won't go if you don't want to. Come back to the pub with me. We need to let Victoria get going."
    She wanted to say, "It's okay. Stay here as long as you like. Let me help." But she knew she mustn't interfere in Adam's relationship with his son.
    "Soph said I could stay here," Harry replied.
    Now Victoria did speak up. "She had no right to do that, Harry. She didn't ask me. If she had, you know I'd have told you to ask your dad for permission."
    Harry kicked the leg of the desk.
    Victoria expected Adam to demand Harry get up and leave, instead he turned to her. "Are you planning to go to