A Second Chance

19

I grinned as I went to find Willow.

"Mummy?"

"Yes baby?"

"Where did Liz go?"

I looked down at my innocent daughter. Her large eyes looking back at me and I bent down and took her hands, holding them with mine.

"Liz is now in heaven." I told Willow sadly. The mortuary collected Liz two hours ago.

"Will I see her again?"

I swept back some loose hair and shook my head. "No baby, not for a very long time."

Willow sniffed and hugged me as I returned it, feeling her little sobs muffled out in my shirt.

"I'm going to miss her, mummy. She was like a grandma, not like nanny, nicer." I let out a small snort of a laugh.

"I know, baby." My mother wasn't grandmother material. Hell, she wasn't even mother material. "Lets get some dinner, okay? Maybe some food will make you feel better."

I took Willows hand and walked her down the hall, heading to the dining room. She sat next to me after Ryan had two spots next to him.

We all dished in, helping ourselves. The wine was opened, the scotch filling glasses, Willow had her soda. The mood was very sombre at first, but lightened up.

I heard a moan and looked at Ashlyn, seeing if she was alright.

Her eyes went straight to Ryan, like she was talking to him through eyesight. Ryan was staring right back as I watched the weird communication between the pair.

Ashlyn swallowed her mouthful and smiled widely. "Trent, darling, I'm sorry, but I'm divorcing you and going lesbian. This food is divine, Harper." Ashlyn teased, making me blush.

"I told you the food is delicious. Better than restaurant quality." Ryan bragged. I was still blushing hard core, sipping at the wine in front if me.

"Where did you learn to cook?" Trent asked me.

"I taught myself." Came my quiet answer.

"Are you chasing a career with food?" Was his next answer and I shook my head.

"Not really."

"For you to cook like this, you do it to impress. So if it wasn't to get a job, who was it for?" Ashlyn asked, sticking her nose in.

I pressed my lips together and kept my eyes down. I didn't want to say. Not to Ryan, nor them and not in front of Willow. But my silence told Ryan. I felt his hand on my thigh and squeezed gently.

I taught myself to keep Connor. There are many things about me that I changed, to keep Connor with me. Sex, cooking, my life in general.

"It doesn't matter." Ryan told them. "I think this is the best lasagne I've ever had. I've always loved it when Harper makes dinner, especially lasagne." Ryan's eyes bored in to Ashlyn, telling her to stop.

*

Ryan took me to the mechanics to get my car and I was eager to leave his house.
Trent and Ashlyn stayed in Ashlyn's old room since it had a double bed and I nestled Willow in to Ryan's childhood bedroom. I slept with Ryan, no surprise there but the next day, we both were getting asked many questions. So when Ryan offered to take me to the mechanics, I jumped at the chance, grabbed Willow and ran out of there.