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‘We could ask Danielle from school. If she can conduct a bunch of five-to-ten-year-olds through a musical version of the nativity, I’m pretty sure she could whip us lot into shape,’ Kate said.
‘That might work.’ Sophie bit her bottom lip as she ran through all the people she knew with any amount of musical ability and desperately tried to ignore the ache that Liam’s desertion had caused to settle in her heart.
‘You sounded great, at least,’ Kate said.
‘I couldn’t let Liam win. He was being a grump and making me do the solos without warning again was unreasonable. Besides, I wanted to give him something to think about.’
‘That’s so not like you,’ Kate said, sounding impressed. ‘I like this new version.’
Sophie smiled sadly. ‘I wish I didn’t have to be like this, though. I’d sooner have Liam conducting the concert and …’ She sighed. ‘Well, I guess all that’s over now.’
Liam dealt with some real-life pathetic fallacy on the walk home. The wind was getting stronger and large drops of rain blew into his face. He was seriously annoyed. Not with anybody else but himself, though. When he’d arrived at the hospital the previous day, he’d been so angry and he’d taken all of that anger out on Sophie. Only now did he realise that none of it was her fault. It was a difficult situation, sure, but he’d handled it with zero aplomb. In fact, he had been an outright idiot, and he knew it. Tonight should have been a chance to make amends, but he’d blown it. And now he’d stepped away from the concert – the one thing he could have done to make things OK again. He cursed his ego.
The mud and puddles were getting deeper as he walked down the lane towards the farm. He held his phone out as a torch and trudged through the sludge in a funk. Could he ever hope that Sophie would forgive him? He was only trying to protect Cassie – surely that was obvious. And his crappy mood this evening? He could only chalk that up to a bizarre self-preservation strategy. And look where it had got him. It had backfired so spectacularly. Sophie had reacted with such anger, and he couldn’t blame her.
By the time he reached the farmhouse, Liam was freezing and seething.
‘You don’t look so good, love,’ said his mother, as he pushed through the door with his stand and bag of sheet music. He dropped it to the floor and rubbed his shoulder where the bag had cut into his muscles.
‘It’s not been the best night, no,’ Liam said, trying and failing not to sound annoyed with Barbara too.
‘Well, maybe this will cheer you up,’ she said, handing him an envelope in exchange for the other music books he was about to drop. She stepped back and perched on the edge of the sofa.
‘What is it?’ Liam took off his coat and hung it behind the door.
‘Me and Cassie had a long talk this evening, and she decided there were some things she needed to say,’ Barbara said, wiping her hands on the apron she wore, before untying it and walking through to the kitchen to hang it up. ‘You should read that,’ she said, putting her coat on, ready to leave. ‘She’s going to be OK, you know.’
Barbara reached up and touched her son’s face before pulling him in for a cuddle and an air kiss. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, love,’ she said, leaving Liam in the kitchen, holding on to the envelope she’d given him.
His hands were cold. He could barely feel his fingers. So, he put the kettle on and poured himself a cup of tea. Opening the envelope, he sat at the kitchen table to read:
To Dad,
I’m really sorry that I’ve been grumpy these last few weeks. I didn’t like moving here at first. Sorry I got into a fight and stole Lily’s pencil case. I know it was wrong. I’ve been feeling a bit sad and I don’t know why. Please don’t be mad with Miss Lawson. She’s just doing her teacher job and I would like her to come over for tea again one day. It was nice because she made you smile. She’s one of the good things about being back here – as well as Nanny and Grandad.
Sorry, Dad.
Love from Cassie XXXXX
The page was decorated with smiley faces and Christmas pictures and she’d found glitter somewhere, which now dusted Liam’s knees. He smiled and felt the prick of tears at the corner of his eyes. Cassie’s advice was just the sort of thing Emily would have said to him.
Without a second thought, he made his way upstairs to where Cassie was sleeping and perched on the edge of her bed, brushing her hair back from her face. He kissed her head.
‘You still awake, sweetheart?’ Liam whispered.
Cassie made a noise that sort of sounded like she was.
‘I got your letter.’
That made her roll over and shuffle up her pillow so that she was a little more upright.
‘I’m sorry I’ve been angry with you these past few weeks,’ he said.
‘I’m sorry too.’
‘I’m just trying to do my best for you and I know you probably won’t understand that until you’re older but I just wanted you to know that.’
Cassie stretched and yawned. ‘I already know that, Dad. It’s hard without Mum, isn’t it?’
