Page 48 of Skipping Stones

“Who have you told?” she asked eventually, trying to get a handle on the situation.

“Nobody. Just Aiden. And now you.”

“Are you sleeping?” she asked gently, pushing a mug across the breakfast bar.

Derek shook his head. “How can I?” He looked anguished and Linney’s heart broke for him again. Derek’s world had been shattered.

“You need to.”

“Mama mama.” Linney could hear Leo calling for Olivia. Derek took a long sip of coffee and wordlessly went to get his son. He came back with two sleepy bundles and handed Ivy to Olivia. Leo buried his face in his father’s neck.

“Now, Leo, do you remember Auntie Linney? She’s Daddy’s friend. She brought you the fire truck.” Leo turned his eyes shyly toward her and then grinned.

“Fiah tuck.” He squirmed to be let down and ran off to get his toy, bringing it back to show her. Derek took advantage of the moment to prepare Ivy’s bottle. Robotically, he put Cheerios in a bowl for his son and poured some juice into a sippy cup.

Derek’s nanny appeared, somewhat taken aback by Linney’s arrival. She recovered quickly. “Nice to see you again. Miss Linney.”

“Nice to see you again too, Zuzanna. I’ll be here for a while, helping Mr. Blake.” It had always amused her that Olivia kept them on formal terms. Zuzanna nodded, and as she took Ivy from Linney’s arms, the women shared a meaningful look that Linney took to be a bit of relief that Derek had finally told someone who could help support him.

Derek had turned back to the window, staring blankly. Linney took things into her own hands. “Zuzanna, would you be able to take the children out for most of the day? To the Science Centre? Or a museum? Or—well wherever kids go.” Linney realized she had no idea. “I’d like some time with Derek.

“Of course, Miss Linney. I’ll pack their things. We will come back about two or three o’clock.”

It took Zuzanna twenty minutes to get the children dressed and a diaper bag ready. She packed extra clothes, diapers, toys, a couple of bottles and snacks. To Linney, it looked like they planned to be gone for a week.

And then suddenly it was just Derek and Linney. Linney held out her arms and Derek buried his face in her shoulder as he gave in to two weeks of hurt and confusion.

“You need to sleep,” she said and he shook his head. “Lie down here right here, on the couch. Let me carry the burden for a while.”

Derek was too exhausted to argue. He put his head on a pillow in Linney’s lap and her fingers carded his hair. “Thank you for coming,” he whispered, as his eyes slowly closed.

* * *

Linney slipped out from under Derek when he’d been asleep for an hour. She made soup and had biscuits in the oven when she heard movement from the living room. Derek stretched out his huge frame on the extra-long couch. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes, gritty with sleep and worry.

“Thank you for coming,” he said again, clearing his throat and joining her in the kitchen.

“Where else would I be at a time like this?”

“That smells good.” He tilted his head. “Like your grandmother’s.” Linney nodded. He’d noticed. “But I should go take a shower before the kids get home.”

“Go take your shower. Soup can wait.”

Linney puttered in the kitchen while she listened to the sounds of Derek in the bathroom. The pipes shuddered when he turned the water off, and a few minutes later, he returned in fresh clothes, clean-shaven and with damp curls.

They talked, and as Linney convinced Derek to tell his mother and their Silver Lake friends, she gave him a bowl of soup and a plate with biscuits and butter. Derek ate it all, and an apple.

“You know, it doesn’t matter if there were signs or not,” Linney interrupted when Derek berated himself for missing them. “What matters now is that we figure out how you go on from here.” They talked quietly and Linney squeezed his hand when he needed support.

“I’m just so glad you’re here,” he said to her, feeling clearer than he had in a long time.

By the time Zuzanna arrived back with the children, and he offered to put them down for their naps, Linney thought she saw the stirrings of life in his eyes again.

Zuzanna pulled her aside after she folded up the stroller. “Miss Linney, you can help Mr. Blake? He is so sad. And the children can tell.”

“I hope so, Zuzanna. Do you happen to have Aiden’s cell phone number?” Zuzanna nodded and Linney smiled.

The next day, as soon as Derek left for work Linney made use of the number.