But, I couldn’t detain them at our house forever. Though I hated to see everyone go, people needed to get back to work and their lives. One batch headed back the day after Christmas, while some stayed on an extra night. By the twenty-eighth, it was just El-Mudad, Neil, Olivia, Valerie, Laurence and me. And it was time for all of us to head in our respective directions.
“I don’t want to bye-bye,” Olivia sniffled. “I want to come home.”
“Oh, my sweet girl.” Neil hugged her tight while the staff loaded the rest of the bags into the back of Valerie and Laurence’s chauffeured sedan. “Afi and Sophie aren’t going home without you.”
“No, Afi and Sophie are going on child-free trips. With their friend.” Laurence said, under his breath. But not under his breath enough for me.
Or Neil, who glanced sharply at him before turning his attention back to Olivia. “You have another Christmas to celebrate with Grandma Valerie’s family. You’ll be with Afi again London in just six sleeps. Then we’ll go home together.”
“But six is a lot many!” Olivia protested.
Valerie stepped in and put her hand on Olivia’s back. “Yes, my darling, but think of all the fun we’ll have together. We can go to the Ferris wheel again. You liked that.”
I knew exactly the Ferris wheel Valerie was talking about. “That sounds so fun, Olivia! You know you have to do that with Grandma Valerie because it’s so special and just between the two of you.”
It was just between the two of them because neither Neil nor I would get on the London Eye.
The promise of yet another ride placated Olivia a bit, and she somewhat loosened her grip on Neil’s shirt to lean back and look him in the face. “What about four sleeps?”
I chewed my lip. Despite our constant arguments about it, he had a bad habit of letting Olivia negotiate. That didn’t fly with the way I’d been raised. But I held my tongue; we could discuss it later.
Neil sighed. “Five sleeps. Final offer.”
Olivia’s eyes filled with tears.
“If Afi takes you home before then, you’ll miss the big fireworks in London,” I reminded her. There was no way in hell I was going to take Olivia into Manhattan on New Year’s Eve, but Valerie’s apartment had a great view of London’s celebration without having to leave home.
Olivia considered a moment, giving the prospect of fireworks all the gravity they required. Finally, she wriggled in Neil’s arms. “Put me down. I’ll go in the car now.”
I hugged her briefly; too briefly, for my tastes but if I delayed her she might change her mind.
“Be a good girl.” I straightened her coat. “I know you always are.”
“I’m a very good girl. All the time, I’m so good,” she confirmed. Then she took Valerie’s hand. “Come on, Grandma.”
As Valerie exited the foyer and helped Olivia up into the Range Rover’s tall seat, Neil said, “One moment, please,” to stop Laurence from following them. The two men met each other’s eyes with a coldness I’d never seen before. That was probably because Neil exuded deadly tension in the moment.
“I heard what you muttered just now,” he began, with the same voice he would use with an employee who’d seriously fucked up. I knew that tone; I’d been on the receiving end of it once. He went on, “But more importantly, Olivia could not have failed to have heard it. If I ever learn of you attempting to undermine our relationship with her, if I ever find you’ve planted a single seed of doubt in her head with regards to how much we care for her, you will rue that day. Do I make myself clear?”
Laurence smiled coolly, his eyes narrowing. “I know men like you, Neil. And I know you believe you own the world. But you can’t buy back Olivia’s childhood. And no amount of money will undo whatever damage your lifestyle will subject her to.”
Lifestyle. The word struck fear into me.
“I would like you to leave my house,” Neil ground out, and I held my breath. He wasn’t a violent man; in the entire time I’d known him, no matter how angry he’d been, no matter how emotional, he’d always only harmed himself.
And a wine bottle. And a glass. But those had been extreme moments.
Laurence said nothing, but gave me a quick, disapproving look.
Neil and I stood frozen, watching as the car pulled out from beneath the porte-cochere to head to the main driveway. I noticed my hands were cold only after Rob the butler asked, “Shall I close the door?”
“Oh, yes. Of course,” Neil said, an embarrassed flush creeping up his neck.
Rob had seen the whole damn confrontation. I still wasn’t used to having paid staff watch our every move. If I were them, I would be judging us so hard.