Conflicted Innocence by Netta Newbound Page B

his eyes. “You have no idea, mate. My life is such a fucking mess.”
    “It may seem that way right now, but this time next week things will have settled down again. I promise.”
    “She can’t even set foot in her own house, Jimmy. What am I going to do?”
    “Like you said the other night, if she can’t face it, she’ll have to stay at the cottage.”
    “NO!” he snapped, throwing the cigarette butt at his feet and grinding it into the pavement.
    “Alright, keep your hair on.”
    “Sorry, mate. I’m just—”
    “Listen, why don’t you both stay here tonight? Lydia might feel different after a good night’s sleep.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Positive. Come on. Your coffee’s getting cold.”
    Lee stashed the pouch back in the glove box and slammed the door.
    “Hang on,” Jimmy said, bending to pick something up off the floor. He held out his hand showing Susie’s lighter. “What does the ‘ S’ stand for?”
    Lee snatched the lighter from his hand and shoved it in his pocket. “Nothing. I mean, I found it.” He nudged past Jimmy and headed back to the house.

Chapter 14
    Lee told us that Lydia refused to go in their house, and I can’t say I blamed her. So when James invited them in for coffee, I panicked, wishing I’d left Grace to sleep for another half hour.
    Not that I was bothered about Lydia hurting my daughter. I was more bothered about the effect the sight of my baby would have on Lydia. But I needn’t have bothered.
    Grace and Lydia hit it off as soon as they set eyes on each other. I even struggled to keep Grace from leaping out of my arms and onto Lydia’s lap, the second snub I’d had from my delicious daughter recently.
    Lee clearly couldn’t cope with seeing his wife playing with a baby and almost ran from the room. But I wasn’t about to hide Grace away in our own home. I probably would have kept a low profile for a few days if they hadn’t bowled in here right away asking for our help.
    But Grace seemed to breathe life into the shell of a woman who had just walked in, and within minutes Lydia was singing songs and bouncing Grace on her knee as though they’d known each other forever. Grace chuckled hilariously.
    After a short while, Lydia placed Grace back on the rug with her toys and turned to me.
    “Thanks,” she said.
    I shook my head, confused.
    “For being normal. With me. For being normal with me.”
    I smiled. “I was a bit worried about meeting you, to be honest, because I thought Grace might bring back memories for you. But it’s over with now, and I hope we can be friends.”
    “I’d like that. I don’t think I have many of them anymore. My mum died last year, but I hadn’t heard from her for a couple of years before that. My own mum.” She sighed.
    “That’s tough. Do you have any other family?”
    “My mum’s brother, his wife, and my sister, but they haven’t been in touch either.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    She smiled. “It’s not your fault. Sorry to go all maudlin on you.”
    “Well, it seems we’re in the same boat. My mum died last year too. I only moved here last week and don’t know a soul, so maybe we can be family to each other.”
    “I’d like that.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Look at me.” She laughed, poking at her eyes.
    When the boys came back in, we were chatting like old friends, and James winked and nodded at me, clearly pleased.
    “I just suggested to Lee that you should both stay here tonight,” James said. “We could grab a takeaway and watch a movie or something.”
    “That’s a great idea,” I said.
    The worried expression returned to Lydia’s face. “But we wouldn’t want to put you out, would we, Lee?”
    Lee shook his head.
    “Nonsense. We have a spare room, and it’s been made up already,” James said. “Go and get your stuff. I insist.”
    Lydia glanced at me for confirmation and I nodded.

Chapter 15
    Lee glanced at his watch as he crept from the bedroom. It took Lydia hours to fall asleep, and now