Chosen Child Read Online Free PDF Page B

depression, the first since they’d met Soraya. The child was
six. Six years of life they knew little about – could they really hope to
balance out the effects of all those foster homes, not to mention whatever had
gone on in the first months of Soraya’s life? The prospect was suddenly
daunting. Soraya would always remember she’d had a life before meeting them.
But then, this very fact gave them the chance to talk to her about it in a way
she’d understand. Mummy and Daddy had so, so wanted a child, and then they’d
seen Soraya and paff ! – they’d known straightaway
that she was their little girl.
    Ella hesitated, staring at two blue butterflies flitting
around the flower border. It was all very well saying ‘they’ all the time, but
in actual fact she was the one who had fallen in love. If she hadn’t pushed,
Rick would never have considered Soraya. If she hadn’t pushed he might well
have been content to stay childless.
    Young voices floated into the garden from the street and
Ella saw a group of mums and kids, on their way to the beach, probably.
Anticipation flooded back. Of course she would cope with whatever Soraya might
fling at her – that was what parents did, wasn’t it? And Rick would cope too.
    Of course he would.

 
     
    Chapter Six
     
     
    Friday 16th May
     
    Amanda clapped her hand over James’ mouth and they both
froze. This was like a bad film, she thought wildly, this should not be happening. What the shit was Gareth doing home at
this time? Her heart was hammering in her chest and it had nothing to do with
James’ proximity.
    James slid out of bed and grabbed his jeans, stumbling in
his hurry to get into them.
    ‘Go downstairs!’ he hissed. ‘Keep him in the kitchen!’
    Amanda fumbled into her bathrobe. Gareth hadn’t called out
to her; he would know it was Jaden’s nap time. She could hear him in the living
room below; he was going through to the kitchen now and the coffee mugs and
plates were still on the table. The mugs would still be warm… And James’
Peugeot was in the driveway, blocking the entrance to the garage.
    Gareth was back in the hallway, no, no – what was she going
to say to him?
    She thrust bare feet into her slippers and ran from the
room. Gareth was standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up, and the
expression on his face... she had never seen it before.
    ‘What’s going on, Amanda?’
    His voice was quiet and Amanda clutched the bathrobe round
her neck. It must be perfectly obvious what was going on.
    ‘Julie was here for lunch, but I had a bit of a headache so
I went for a lie down when she left.’ It didn’t sound convincing even in her
own ears. She started down the stairs, holding on to the banister as if it
would protect her from whatever was going to happen. ‘I’m fine now. Let’s have
coffee – there’s still plenty of cake.’
    He didn’t budge from his position on the bottom stair. His
eyes met hers, staring coldly.
    ‘That isn’t Julie’s car outside.’
    There was a creak from the bedroom, and Amanda suppressed a
groan. James had stood on the loose board by the door. That was it then. Her
gut cramped; her knees were knocking together and her thighs hurt.
    ‘Is – is your leaving do over already?’ she said, her voice
feeble.
    Colour drained from Gareth’s cheeks and his chin began to
tremble. He lurched up two steps until he was towering over her, and Amanda
flinched. She could feel the warmth of his breath and the slight spit as he
hissed into her face.
    ‘You weren’t expecting that, were you? It was a brunch,
Amanda. Didn’t you know? And I’d like to know who’s
up there in my bedroom.’ He pushed past her and strode upstairs, his feet
thudding on each tread.
    Amanda released her grip on the banister and stumbled after
him. She had never seen him so angry; his lips were white round the edges and
his breath was coming in hoarse pants.
    Jaden’s voice cried out from his room. ‘Ma-mama!’
    ‘Gar, it’s not