“No!”
I patted her head and lay down next to her, careful not to upset Roxy, who was lying on top of a fluffy blanket on the bed.
“So, when we got the kittens, weren’t you happy then?”
“Ye-e-e-e-e-es.”
“And what about when we go to the park on Saturdays and get ice cream. Are you happy then?”
“Ye-e-e-e-e-es.”
“And when Nikki puts on your socks and tickles your toes, pretending to be a fish nibbling your feet, are you happy then?”
She refused to answer me, just stared at me angrily.
“You are happy, sweetheart, and you are incredibly lucky to have so many people love you. You just don’t know it yet.” I got up and walked to the door. “Jade may be your biological mother, but she does not know what it means to be a real mother. If she were to move in tomorrow, she wouldn’t make you French toast and she wouldn’t fetch you from school each day and take you on playdates with your friends.”
“Why not?” Zoë asked suspiciously.
Because she’s crazy, I wanted to say. Because she is a lying, manipulative, scheming, little bitch who will say anything to get her way, using whoever she wants to, even if that person happens to be her daughter.
But some truths should not be spoken, certainly not out loud.
“Nikki makes me happy, Zoë and if you are honest, you will admit that she makes you happy too and that doesn’t mean you can’t love Jade. Your heart is big enough for many people.”
Zoë turned around and lay with her back to me.
I found Nikki in the kitchen, making omelets.
“You realize I will be her stepmother,” Nikki said, searching my face.
“How do you feel about that?” I asked.
“The question is more, how does Zoë feel about it?” she said. “We used to get on so well but lately, she has been so mad at me.”
I put my arms around her. “The new babysitter is starting tomorrow and if you want, you can take a step back. You only start at the inn on Monday.”
“I know,” she leaned back to kiss me.
“I wish I knew how to fix things with her, but I think you are right, time is what we need.”
The doorbell buzzed.
It was Simone, carrying a bottle of bubbly to toast our engagement.
Later, as they stood in the kitchen, slightly tipsy, filling up their glasses, I heard as Nikki talked to Simone. I pretended to be paying attention elsewhere, but I was straining to hear their conversation.
“Are you okay about me and Will now?”
“Of course! My best friend and my favorite brother!”
“But you didn’t always feel that way.”
She gave an exaggerated shrug. “I am older, wiser now.”
“I’m talking about a few months ago!”
She laughed. “The restaurant business ages you, seriously. I feel like I am five years older than in the beginning of the year. Or maybe ten. I have grey hair already, look!” She pointed to her hair.