Free Taking Chances by Susan Lewis Page B

suddenly threw him at Michael. Instinctively Michael caught him, clutching the sopping little body to his own and soaking himself.
    ‘Oh no, I don’t want you kissing me too,’ Robbie cried in disgust, and quick as a flash he wriggled out of Michael’s arms and escaped back to his friends.
    Michael looked at Ellen and they laughed. That Robbie had taken so well to life in LA was a constant source of surprise and relief to them both, though they were always on the lookout for any repercussions to the trauma he had suffered while in Brazil. He had been four years old when he was kidnapped, an ordeal that was sure to bear some kind of adverse consequences the psychologists had told them. But so far there had been none, and more than six months had passed since Michael and Tom Chambers had rescued him. It was also six months since his mother had relinquished custody and allowed him to come and live with his father , which, considering how well he was adapting, went to show how remarkably resilient children could sometimes be.
    Watching them together now, it was hard to credit that Michael’s first meeting with his son had taken place on that terrifying night of rescue, for their closeness seemed to derive from a relationship that had started with birth. But that hadn’t been the case, for when Michelle had ended her relationship with Michael and taken off for Sarajevo, she had taken their unborn child with her. And in an effort to punish her Michael had refused ever to have anything to do with the child. Of course, it hadn’t worked that way, for the only one who had really suffered as a result of his pride and stubbornness was Michael. Now he was making up for lost time, and Ellen had to hand it to Robbie’s mother, the woman was far braver and more generous than she could ever be, for handing her son to his father and a strange woman wasn’t something Ellen could ever imagine herself doing. In truth, Ellen knew it hadn’t been easy for Michelle, because she was often there when Michael spoke to her on the phone and tried to comfort and reassure her that Robbie was happy and settling in well at school and at home. Ellen wondered if it hurt Michelle to know that. It had to, even though she’d never want him to be lonely or miserable, she wouldn’t be human if she didn’t crave the comfort of knowing he missed her. Which of course he did, but he loved Michael so much and was so proud to be living with the daddy his mother had told him so much about, that like any other five year old he was often too busy to dwell long on anything, even missing his mother.
    Ellen smiled as she watched him and felt her heart fill with love and gratitude for the ease with which he had accepted her into his life. It could have been hell, but because he was such an exceptional little boy, so full of mischief and humour, as well as kindness and love, he had gone a long way towards making these past six months the most special she had ever known. In fact there were times when she fervently wished that his father was even half as easy to deal with.
    ‘I wish I knew why you were mad at me,’ Michael said softly as he slipped an arm around her.
    ‘Who said I was mad at you?’ she responded.
    ‘Well, the cold shoulder you keep treating me to lately’s a bit of a give-away,’ he said, his eyes twinkling with humour even though she knew he meant it.
    She looked off along one of the walkways to where a vast, lifesize model of King Kong loomed out over the teeming masses below.
    ‘I don’t get it,’ he told her. ‘You set a date for the wedding, then you can barely bring yourself to speak to me. So what did I do?’
    Lifting her eyes to his, she smiled and shook her head. ‘Now’s not the time,’ she said. ‘We’ve got Jurassic Park and Back to the Future to get through yet, never mind ET and the Hard Rock café.’
    ‘You really didn’t want to come, did you?’ he challenged quietly.
    ‘Sure I did. I’ve just got a lot on my