Free A Family Forever by Helen Scott Taylor Page A

work now?"
    "No. It's too late."
    "Do you mind if we stay awhile? I need someone to talk to."
    "Of course. You're welcome." A warm sensation bubbled up inside. He needed her, even if just for a short while.
    With a wince, Adam rubbed his neck and returned his attention to his son. "Have you had anything to eat, pal?"
    Harry picked up a giant cookie wrapper. "Soph left me this."
    "I'll make sandwiches," Victoria said, eager to do something useful, rather than stand there feeling helpless. She headed downstairs and busied herself buttering bread and slicing cheese.
    Adam and Harry came into the kitchen and she pulled open the back door. "Might as well sit out in the sun while it's shining." Adam rested a hand on his son's shoulder and they went outside.
    Victoria set the sandwiches on a tray with some cans of soda and a fresh pot of tea and followed. Adam was sitting in a lawn chair staring at his son, who wandered around snapping pictures with his camera.
    "Back to normal, I see," she said, joining him.
    "No." He turned his bleak gaze on her. "I don't think I'll ever get back to normal again."
    ***
    As Harry wandered around the sunny garden, photographing spiders and insects, Adam could hardly take his eyes off him. He was so grateful to have his son back safely.
    But his relief was tempered with a sense of confusion. How could Harry believe he would leave for Spain without knowing he was safe? This made Adam question their whole relationship and how he'd raised him. Somewhere along the line, he must have screwed up badly.
    "You and Harry will sort this out," Victoria said softly, pressing her hand over his.
    Logically he knew she was right, but inside his world had tilted on its axis. How could he have been so wrong about what was best for Harry? "I've obviously messed up."
    "Being a parent is hard. We can't get everything right all the time. It seems to me like you've done a lot of things well. Harry's a great kid. He's bright and well balanced."
    "And so happy with me that he's just run away."
    Victoria ignored his comment, which was probably a good thing. He needed to pull himself together and work out what to do to make Harry happy, not wallow in self-pity.
    "What about Harry's mum, does he ever see her?"
    "Occasionally. We divorced when he was three. She's married to a Canadian guy now and lives in Vancouver with her two little girls." And Harry seeing more of his mother wasn't going to happen. Heather might have given birth to him but she'd left him behind when she walked out on Adam and moved across the Atlantic.
    Adam flipped his hand and gripped Victoria's slim fingers. His normally quick brain finally recovered from the numb shock and started to process.
    "Harry obviously thinks differently from me. For me, home is more about who you're with than where you are."
    "That's why you take Harry with you when you travel. I understand."
    But Adam could tell from her tone she didn't think he was right. "You disagree?"
    She chewed her lip thoughtfully. "Children need a nest like a hedgehog."
    Despite his melancholy mood, he couldn't help but laugh.
    She smiled. "I guess I'm obsessed with hedgehogs. But you know what I mean. Kids need stability and a safe place where they have their own things."
    "Harry's safe with me and he has plenty of gadgets he takes when we travel."
    "I'm sure he does. But he needs a comfortable home as well."
    "And to mix with other kids," Adam added. The fact Harry had no friends his own age and mainly socialized with adults had worried Adam for a while. He'd chosen to push it to the back of his mind rather than face the fact that Harry needed to go to school.
    "I think that's a given, isn't it?" Victoria said.
    Adam released her hand and massaged the tight, achy muscles in his neck. The worry of Harry disappearing on top of everything else had left him stressed out, and his painkillers were at the pub.
    Victoria rose to her feet and moved behind him "I'm not surprised you're wound up after this