After a strenuous workout on the water-walker ride, Claire was about to pass on the bouncy castle, thinking she would let Sophie leap about like a loony with Ella instead. As Sophie scooped her up onto it, though, she thought better of it. Though she and Luke had wanted to protect their daughter when they’d first received her diagnosis, they’d soon realised that letting Ella find her own boundaries, within limits, was essential for building her self-confidence. She wasn’t sure yet that she could entirely trust Sophie, however, even though she’d told her about her condition. Risking her child’s safety with someone she didn’t really know would be nothing short of negligent. Quickly removing her shoes, she stepped up onto the castle, shouting, ‘Make room for me,’ and boinging across to join them as Ella and Sophie bounced into what appeared to be a leopard’s mouth.
‘Yay! Mummy’s coming, too,’ Ella whooped. She flopped down on her bottom and then sprang up again, righting herself remarkably quickly. Claire wished she had half her energy and agility.
‘Coming where?’ she called after her, as Ella bounded onwards to disappear into the leopard’s throat.
‘Down the slide.’ Sophie nodded across to the leopard’s rear end, from which protruded a long plastic chute.
Claire eyed it with trepidation. ‘Oh God, not another one. I think I must have turned into a lightweight. The helter skelter scared me to death.’
‘It was a bit hairy, wasn’t it?’ Sophie said, as the two of them bounced onwards to where Ella was now positioned at the top of the chute. ‘I could have sworn I’d ripped my knickers coming down it that last time. That would have stopped the guy who was moving in on you in his tracks.’
Claire laughed. She couldn’t help herself. ‘Moving in on you, you mean.’
‘Uh uh, it was definitely you he was after,’ Sophie assured her. ‘You’re much prettier than I am. Ella, wait for us!’ she called. ‘We’re coming down with you.’
Claire was surprised at the compliment, but also quietly flattered. Glancing at Sophie’s shapely rear end, shown off to maximum advantage in leggings, she felt fairly certain about the object of the man’s attention. Still, with Luke preferring the attractions of another woman, the comment about her looks had done her ego no harm – even if it wasn’t true. Sophie was very pretty, and this was without a scrap of make-up.
Reminded that she hadn’t yet rung Luke, Claire felt a touch guilty. She’d meant to, but she wasn’t sure she was in the right frame of mind to process what he might say. She couldn’t avoid speaking to him, as evidenced by the several times he’d already texted her this morning. He was Ella’s father. She would have to know all the unsavoury details at some point. This wasn’t the place to talk to him, though, with fairground music blaring in the background and Ella and Sophie in earshot. She would brace herself and call him later. Sophie had been so good with Ella, Claire was sure she wouldn’t mind keeping her occupied for a few minutes.
‘Mummy, I want to go down on my own,’ Ella insisted when she reached her, her eyes shiny with excitement.
Claire wasn’t so sure about that. Trying her best to stay upright, which Ella and Sophie seemed to achieve with ease, she eyed the slide in front of them doubtfully.
‘It’s only a little one, Mummy. Please…’ Ella cajoled, wearing her best beguiling eyes.
It was true that it wasn’t a long chute, but still the plastic looked a bit flimsy. Claire didn’t want Ella crash-landing at the bottom of it.
‘Mummy, there are other people coming,’ Ella pointed out urgently.
‘Go on then,’ Claire reluctantly relented. ‘But be careful.’
‘Yes!’ Ella whooped. ‘You and Auntie Sophie can hold hands.’
Claire definitely wasn’t sure about that, but she found her hand snatched before she could verbalise her objections. Tugged unceremoniously down onto her hindquarters, she had no choice but to start the downward journey, unfortunately rather faster than she’d expected.
‘Ouch!’ She winced, cracking heads with Sophie as they landed in a muddled heap at the foot of the chute.
‘God, sorry, Claire.’ Scrambling to her feet, Sophie reached to help her up. ‘That was a really stupid thing for me to do. Are you all right?’
Managing to find her balance, Claire rubbed her head and met Sophie’s gaze. Her huge brown eyes were so wide with shock and worry, she looked like a startled deer. ‘I’m fine,’ she assured her. ‘We were probably both being a bit overzeal—’
‘Whoops.’ Cutting her short, Sophie tore her gaze away and dived to hoist Ella out of harm’s way as another little body whooshed down the slide. Setting the little girl down, she took hold of her hand. ‘Disaster averted,’ she said, rolling her eyes with relief as she looked back at Claire.
Thank God. Imagining what might have happened, Claire sagged with relief.
‘Do you think we should make a discreet exit now that we’ve caused pandemonium?’ Sophie suggested, her gaze gliding towards the way out.
‘Good idea,’ said a man standing just beyond the exit. ‘Do you two idiots have eyes, or what?’ He indicated a sign behind him that stated: Strictly No Adults Allowed.
‘We do, actually.’ Sophie gave him a sweet smile. ‘It’s a pity you don’t have any manners, though.’ She led Ella through the exit, giving the man another bright smile and muttering ‘Moron’ under her breath as they passed him.
‘Sophie…’ Claire glanced back over her shoulder, hoping he hadn’t heard.
‘Well, he is,’ Sophie said. ‘A rude one into the bargain. Why would he want to spoil a child’s fun, especially when he hasn’t got a clue why we would be bouncing with her?’
She had a point, Claire supposed, surprised and touched that Sophie felt so protective of Ella.
‘Right, what do we fancy next then, girls? Mini golf or beach?’ Sophie asked.
‘Beach!’ Ella squealed. ‘Can we, Mummy. Can we?’ She turned to Claire, jiggling enthusiastically. ‘You promised we could.’
‘I don’t know.’ Despite her determination not to let Ella’s condition impact on her life, Claire was reticent. ‘It’s not that warm today, Ella.’
‘Please, Mummy, please,’ Ella begged. ‘I want to build a sandcastle.’
‘She does have her jelly sandals on,’ Sophie pointed out.
She was right, but still Claire couldn’t help feeling worried. The beach might be strewn with all sorts of litter.
‘Mummy?’ Ella looked up at her hopefully.
‘I suppose,’ Claire relented, since it seemed she was outvoted. ‘You have to be very careful though, Ella.’
‘Yay!’ Clearly delighted, Ella grabbed hold of Sophie’s hand and tugged her forward. Sophie smiled down at her indulgently and they set off, chatting excitedly.
Watching the two of them together, Claire wondered again whether she should trust Sophie. She was possibly being oversensitive, but should she be letting someone into their lives who she didn’t yet know very well; someone who already seemed to have a big influence over her daughter?