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Kristen got home after work that evening to find Haiden standing on the doorstep, a bunch of tulips in his hand.
“I’m really sorry about what happened this morning,” he said. “I don’t know why I acted like I did. Of course, if you say I was sleepwalking, then I must have been sleepwalking. And I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep, too. I’ll try not to let it happen again.”
She sagged with relief. After a tense day at work, having to drag herself through it due to lack of sleep, and making mistakes at every turn, the idea of being in a fraught atmosphere at home had stressed her out, too.
“That’s okay. It was a bit of a shock, perhaps?”
“I was embarrassed, too,” he admitted. “I didn’t like the idea of you catching me in only my underwear. I’d normally make a bit more of an effort the first time a woman sees me half naked.”
Her cheeks bloomed with warmth at the memory of his half-naked, tanned, muscular torso. There wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. “I didn’t look, I promise. I just got you straight back to bed, same as I’d have done with Ollie.”
She blushed again, not wanting him to think of her as his mother, either.
He pushed the flowers at her. “These are for you to say sorry.”
“You didn’t need to get me anything,” she said, accepting the flowers. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone had bought her flowers—probably one of the times when Stephen had been caught eyeing up another woman. What was it with men, and apologetic flowers, and more annoyingly, why did they work to smooth things over, as though she could be bought with some pretty blooms?
But this time it did work, and she was happy to accept them. Even more happy that it meant they weren’t going to be angry or awkward with each other anymore. She didn’t know Haiden well enough to be trying to exist in that kind of atmosphere.
“And please, tell me if I do it again,” he added. “I’ll see if there’s something I can do to help—hypnosis, maybe... I don’t know.” He shook his head and ran his hand through his blond hair. “But I promise not to act all crazy on you again if you tell me.”
She smiled. “Deal.”
“Anyway,” he shouldered his bag full of books, “I’d better go up to my room and get some work done. Seems they were taking it easy on us for the first few days.”
“Of course. I’ll call you when dinner is ready.”
Later, when the food was ready, they ate with an easy companionship, the tension from the previous night already blown over. Ollie seemed to enjoy Haiden’s company, too, and Haiden was happy to join in with the hundred and one questions Ollie asked.
“What’s been your favourite part of the day?” the boy asked both of the adults. Kristen smiled. This was a regular thing her son asked, and normally it was just the two of them. “Mine was scoring a goal against Sammy Benz at lunchtime.”
Kristen joined in. “Mine was picking you up and finding out about your amazing goal scoring at lunchtime.”
Ollie beamed back at her. “And what was yours?” he asked Haiden.
“Hmm.” Haiden rubbed his fingers against his lips. “I’d have to say right now, sitting here with you both and eating this delicious meal.”
Kristen flushed hot at the compliment, the warmth spreading inside her. It definitely was a good part of the day—perhaps even her favourite, though she wouldn’t tell Ollie that.
Once they’d finished eating, Haiden helped her clear away the dishes, and then told her he was going to go to his room to get some work done.
“Of course. I’ll make sure Ollie doesn’t disturb you.”
She had a ton of chores that needed finishing, anyway. The laundry pile was something that never came to an end, and right now it seemed larger than ever. She could handle the washing and the drying part, but for some reason, folding and putting it away drove her crazy.
With piles of folded laundry balanced in her arms, she carried the clothes upstairs to be put away.
She paused outside of Haiden’s room, sensing him in there.
A buzzing sound filtered through to her from behind the closed door. Buzz... pause... buzz.... Pause... She recognised the noise but was unable to place it for a moment. And then it came to her—of course, it was a phone ringing with the sound off.
She frowned. Who was calling him, and why didn’t he want to answer? She knew he was in there, so he must be right next to the phone. Perhaps it was just a sales call about something, and he was letting it ring out. Not that it was any of her business.
Going into Ollie’s room, she spotted the boy lying on his bed, running toy cars over the mound of his pillow and into a gully of his duvet, which he’d pushed together to create a makeshift racetrack.
“Hey, kiddo,” she said as she put his clothes away in his chest of drawers. “Time to get ready for bed. PJs on.”
“Ooh, Mum!” he whined, throwing himself dramatically onto his back. “It’s too early to go to bed yet!”
“No, it isn’t. It’s exactly your bedtime. Same as any other school night.”
“Fine,” he said, punching the pillow and then getting to his feet.
He pulled his t-shirt up over his head.
Kristen’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, my God, Ollie. How did you get that bruise?”
A massive blue and purple splodge covered his skinny little ribs. Ollie clamped his arms down to his sides and looked away. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do. There’s no way you could get that kind of bruise and not know where it came from.”
“I said I don’t know!” he yelled, and she started back. It wasn’t like Ollie to shout.
He pushed past her, trying to get out of the room, but she caught him by the arm.
“Let me go.” He wriggled in her grip.
“Not until you tell me where that bruise came from. I mean it, Ollie. It’s important you tell me what’s going on with you. Did someone do this to you?”
Felix Hurst. The name jumped into her head, but she managed to keep it from spilling from her mouth. She didn’t want to give Ollie ideas. He might have hurt himself on the play equipment at school, but then she didn’t know why he wouldn’t just tell her that.
The boy remained with his lips clamped shut.
“Ollie, baby. I’m not mad with you, okay?” she said, pulling the little boy onto her lap, so they were both sitting on the edge of his bed. “But if someone has been hurting you, then you need to tell me. This is not all right. No one is allowed to touch you, do you understand?”
His body had been stiff against hers, but now he relaxed a fraction.
“Did someone tell you that you weren’t allowed to say who hurt you?”
Ollie nodded against her shoulder, and anger speared through her.
“Did they tell you that you’d get in trouble if you told?”
Again, Ollie nodded.
Kristen stroked his hair and gritted her teeth. There was no doubt in her mind that Felix Hurst was responsible for hurting Ollie. That little shit must have punched or kicked her baby in the ribs, and then when he saw how much he’d hurt the other boy, he’d threatened Ollie not to say anything. This had to stop. If an adult had bruised another adult like this, and also put teeth marks into someone’s shoulder, they’d have had a pretty good case for actual bodily harm. Just because this was two children involved shouldn’t make it any less serious.
Despite knowing what she had to do, her stomach knotted at the thought of going into school the next day. It was difficult when her work situation was so closely blended with Ollie’s school life. And she knew the headteacher and Felix’s mother were friendly. She was sure she couldn’t have been the only parent to complain about Felix’s behaviour, however. Maybe she should ask around a bit first and see if she could find some other parents who would back her up. Although she was also aware that this might get her into trouble for starting rumours.
She let out a sigh and nuzzled her nose into her son’s soft, fine hair. This was definitely a tricky situation. But she needed to put Ollie first. No matter what the consequences.