added, “By the way, you coming into my house is a bit creepy.”
Markus. Leaning her head against the cold tiled wall, tears trickled down her cheeks. She missed him so much, her whole body ached. What she’d give for him to say, Hey, I know you were lying when you said ‘no regrets.’ Or tell her off for saying it. Even if he didn’t, anything as long as he’d come and be with her.
Her phone buzzed a few times with a few messages coming through. Her mother wanting an update. Her boss agreeing to a day off. And Oliver asking for an update as well?
Sarah switched off the phone, quickly splashed a few handfuls of cold water into her face, and went to the nurses’ station. Half an hour later, she was in her car with her sister driving home.
Chapter Five
Markus laughed when he heard Miles trying his hardest to get the seats for the children into his car.
“Whose idea was it to use your car?”
Shaking his head, Markus replied, “Your wife’s.”
“Why doesn’t she—”
“ She is taking the kids off your hands for a week so you can study for your exam,” Annie said.
Miles stood up and gave Annie a kiss. “And I really appreciate it.”
A few minutes later, they were on the road.
It didn’t take long before his niece and nephew were asleep, and Annie turned to him and said, “Have you heard from Sarah?”
“I got a message yesterday. Apparently something’s come up.”
“What?”
He shrugged. “How the hell am I supposed to know? Timmy’s dick?”
Slapping him his arm, she said through gritted teeth, “Language, Marco.”
Checking the rearview mirror, he replied, “They’re asleep.”
They drove in silence through the next town. Markus was glad he hadn’t mentioned that he saw a travel bag in Sarah’s guest room. Annie would’ve probably given him hell if she’d known that he’d snuck into Sarah’s house without her knowing it. Most likely she would’ve ignored the argument that he’d done it many times. And he would’ve had to agree with her. Somehow it had been different. The status quo between them was derailed and nothing seemed the same.
Annie hauled him back from his thoughts. “So you haven’t really talked to her?”
“Nope.”
“No dinner for you tonight until you do.”
He cocked a brow at her. “Seriously?”
She shrugged. “Yes.” Turning down the music, she said, “Tell me about Oliver’s new girl.”
It was going to be a long drive to the beach house.
They arrived a few hours, and a couple of toilet breaks, later at the beach house. He loved the drive along the Great Ocean Road. Always had. The scenery was spectacular, the towns attractive and interesting, not to mention the sights like the Twelve Apostles or the Shipwreck coast. Usually the drive relaxed him, yet today with Ellie and Henry in the back, Markus was exhausted when they got there.
He helped Annie with the unpacking and then went straight to his room. It was an old house, definitely in need of some repair, but it was a place Markus and his sisters loved. His parents had bought it when Markus was in his teens. He had many wonderful memories in the house. Their parents had dropped them off with their grandmother during holidays or long weekends, and Markus had to step into the role of looking after his sisters and grandma. It was a small house with only three bedrooms and a decent sized bathroom in the back. He remembered that he’d shared a room with his sisters well and truly into his teenage years. He’d copped a lot of laughter for that. The kitchen and living area were at the front of the house, in need of some updating as well. He cringed at the orange bench top every time he stayed at the place.
Throwing his bag into the corner of the room in the far back, he stepped over to the bed and sat down as he grabbed his phone. The confusion in his head irritated him. He’d always liked plans and clear decisions, but at the moment he wasn’t