“Would you like her to come?”
Flora held her breath, knowing this could go either way. But Molly nodded.
“Yes. She can tell us about the paintings.”
Jack winked at her. “It’s not that we like you or anything. Just that we need a tour guide.”
Flora was laughing, but Molly frowned.
“We do like her. You’re silly, Daddy.”
“I am. I’m very silly.” He seemed lighter, younger, when he was with Molly. It made Flora feel lighter, too. Hopeful.
Warmth spread through her as she acknowledged that Molly seemed to be accepting her, at least on some level.
“Why are you all smiling?” Izzy appeared in front of them like a dark cloud on a sunny day.
Molly thrust her picture out. “My drawing is like Monet, and we’re all going to Paris. Flora is coming, too.”
Izzy’s expression froze. “When? We agreed to stay with Aunt Clare this summer.”
Molly’s jaw jutted out. “I want to go to Paris.”
“We’re going to spend summer at Lake Lodge, like we always do.”
“Can Flora come with us there?”
“No!” Izzy spoke quickly. “Flora has a job. And this is a family holiday. Flora isn’t family. It would be awful for her to be with a bunch of people who have known each other forever.”
And just like that the door slammed shut on the family group with Flora on the wrong side.
It hurt more than she would have expected it to, given that being on the outside was something she was used to.
All the lightness and laughter had been sucked from the air. The warm, hopeful feeling vanished.
“We still haven’t decided what we’re doing this summer.” Jack stood up. “Time to go back to the house.”
Flora and Molly packed up their drawings, and Jack walked ahead with Izzy. His arm was looped round her shoulder and they appeared to be deep in conversation.
Molly slipped her hand into Flora’s. “You look sad. Don’t worry, your apartment will dry out soon. When I spill my drink, it dries quickly.”
Flora tightened her grip on Molly and then felt guilty for using a small child as an emotional comfort blanket. “I hope you’re right.”
It was later, much later, when she and Jack were finally alone in the kitchen.
Flora took the wine Jack handed her. “Thank you. Is Molly asleep?”
“Yes. Crashed out after the third chapter. All the excitement of having a new houseguest, I think. I can’t thank you enough.”
“For what?”
“For persuading her to draw. I know she colored in your fox the other night, but this was on a whole different level. She was like the old Molly.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“No, you were cleverer than that. You made sure she was so intrigued by what you were doing that she wanted to do it herself. It’s the first time she’s drawn anything since Becca died. I haven’t seen her this chatty in a while and she smiled more today than she has in a long time. That’s down to you.” He opened the door to the garden and they both stepped onto the terrace. “Watching her with you this evening was the first time I’ve thought she might actually be okay.”
“I love her. She’s smart and thoughtful and she makes me laugh.”