Though that hasn’t stopped the guys. Between their new jobs working for my dad and shopping for me and the baby, the once empty and impersonal hut is now filled with our things. Everything from the deep blue bed sheets on the large bed to the white rug on the floor. The chest of drawers has a row of shells on top from Silver, and Mason’s guitar he sometimes plays rests on the wall. I smile to myself as my baby kicks a few times.
“Mum’s here!” Phoebe shouts to me, and I pull on my favourite black cardigan and Skechers shoes before heading out into the living room. Phoebe is sliding on her thin coat with mum’s help as she spots me and smiles widely. Dressed in purple, her favourite colour, she briefly reminds me of Bethany and Courtney and the whole world of the houses we left behind when we escaped. I wonder, not for the first time, what Bethany is up to, why she is so silent.
“You are glowing. How are you today?” she asks me as I head over to her. Every Friday is family time with our parents. Sometimes it is one of them, other times both, but I am growing to know them more. Kinda. It’s hard to get past the feeling that they might just disappear once again.
Either way, I love Fridays because it means the weekend is nearly here, and I get to spend Saturday and Sunday with my guys alone. Skye and Phoebe stay at my parents’ on the weekend, and Dorothy goes to spend time with Estelle in her new city apartment to give us space.
“A little tired if I’m being honest. The baby loves to kick my bladder at least five times a night,” I say with a light chuckle, making them both laugh.
“Well, it’s such a lovely day, how about a picnic on the beach?” she suggests with an open smile. It’s so easy to love her, as if no time has passed and they never left at all. Phoebe seems to feel the same way, and I know it’s only a matter of time before she will want to live with them. I know it’s not me holding her back, it’s Skye, who she feels is like a sister to her.
“I love that idea. I can pack some food and drinks for us. Do you two want to go ahead?” I suggest. Phoebe grins and takes mum’s hand, dragging her out the door. I shake my head and go to the kitchen. I start by making some sandwiches and snacks, then adding some drinks to the bag I have before leaving the hut. I search the beach for them and find them both sitting not too far away, and they aren’t alone. Raine and Estelle are with them, and the twins are crawling across the sand. My heart warms as I look at them all, but soon I realise I wish Bethany was here to complete this story.
The Bethany before she destroyed so much of us.
Thankfully, she seems to have gone quiet, no doubt making her plans or searching for us. I don’t think she could find us, but there is always a chance. I just hope she doesn’t. I hope I never have to face her as I have in my many dreams. Taking a deep breath, I tuck my hair behind my ears and walk down the deck to the beach. I slip my shoes off, sinking my feet into the sand, and walk to my family.
“I can’t wait to go. What usually happens?” Raine asks my mum, who is watching me come over. I place the bag down in front of her and have a seat. “Hey, bestie. Looking radiant today.”
“Do I really look different than usual today?” I question.
“Not really. You are always beautiful,” mum says, making me blush. “But I was just talking to Raine and Estelle about the beach party tonight. It’s a yearly tradition to celebrate the birthday of the familiar race. Are you coming?”
“And more importantly, what are you wearing?” Raine asks with overexcited eyes. “Oh, and Estelle here has a date!”
“A date?” I ask Estelle with wide eyes. She blushes the same colour as her light pink dress. I haven’t seen too much of Estelle in the last few months, but I especially haven’t seen too much of her since she joined the doctors at the hospital here. I fully intend to train as a nurse with her after I have the baby. I could still be everything I want to be with a baby, and Estelle reminds me of that. “Who is it?”
“A man of course.” She rolls her eyes, and I laugh. “But I don’t know, I haven’t decided if we are going. He is a doctor, like me, and might not be okay with taking the time off.”
I have a funny feeling he might do. Estelle is a wonderful woman.
“Oh, you have to!” Raine protests. Right then, a bird calls out above, and I look up to see Raine’s familiar, a phoenix, fly over us.
“It would be lovely to have you there for your first celebration. I know Skye and Phoebe are so excited,” mum says, blinking her big puppy dog eyes at me.
“Fine, fine,” I mumble. “Liam and Mason have asked to go, and Alex just said there was homemade cider there, so he wants to go. I just don’t have anything to wear.”
“Not a problem,” Raine grins, standing up. “Estelle, can you take the twins back to the cabin for their naps? Their dads will be home in an hour.”
“It will be my pleasure,” Estelle replies with a big grin.
“And I will help,” mum suggests. Raine hooks her arm in mine, dragging me off the beach and into her car.
I sigh. “I’m not going to be able to escape until we find an
