One Moment At Sunrise. Karen Aldous

her your number too, for emergencies.’

      Seb pushed his shoulders back, resting his hands on his hips. ‘No, not Cally. Why? She’s never helped before. She must be after something. Probably to pry.’

      ‘My mum isn’t too good and she’s worried.’

      ‘Oh so now they need your help. So what are you going to do, rush across the Atlantic with my child and help them? You committed to me and to bringing up… Charlotte. I don’t need the paps chasing you around airports trying to fill their dirty pages.’

      ‘Apart from my family Seb, nobody knows. They’re not going to say anything. Stop it. Stop getting paranoid.’

      ‘Why should I trust them? And I don’t want you going anywhere without asking me first. That was our deal, remember. Anyway, run along and make yourself pretty. I’ll get the presents out of the car.’ He strolled off shaking his head.

      Evie looked down at her shorts, wondering if she looked so bad. She sat Charlotte on the sofa and told her to sit still for her daddy’s surprise. Waiting with her until Seb had unloaded several packages, she then collected her bag from the hall.

      ‘Give her the small one, I’ll be back soon to watch her unwrap them.’

      She ran upstairs to her bedroom and pulled out her one decent dress. The only plus was, it probably fitted better now that she was fitter. Cycling along the canal certainly shifted the pounds. She turned on the shower and, stripping off her clothes, stepped in. It was a refreshing change not to rush or have Charlotte in the shower with her. She stood under the square shower-head, allowing the tepid water to rush through her hair and over her body. As she lathered, she couldn’t help wondering if Seb actually wanted to be here. Each time he came home he seemed increasingly detached. Distant. Or maybe it was her.

      It was possible he’d felt trapped and found it all too much of a bind. In fairness, he had never wanted it, even though he was half responsible. He had come round though, after his initial angry outburst, when she’d insisted she was going to keep the baby. He was never quite accepting her decision, but at least he became much more considerate – working out a plan for them both. He’d become somewhat caring and loving, even. For two months after Charlotte was born, he’d stayed. They’d been a proper little family for a while and Evie had really enjoyed their time together. He’d seemed to too. But their domesticity was short-lived. His career had to take precedence, he’d said. Of course, deep down, she knew that. She accepted he was a superstar, and his singing and song-writing was who he was. The problem now was that he treated her like one of his entourage. No, less than that, he squeezed her and Charlotte in when he had nothing better to do.

      Turning off the shower, Evie swiftly towelled off the water and wrapped the towel around her whilst she dried off her hair. She added a little make-up to her face, not that there was much left in her make-up bag. Then, slipping on her dress, and dabbing on a little perfume, she grabbed her bag, heading down the stairs. The scene she met was rather sweet. Seb was teasing the paper off for Charlotte to tug on but she could only pull it so far, and Seb was actually taking her hand and showing her. Evie sighed as she peered around, the larger of the boxes had been unwrapped… but the picture on the box caught her by surprise. It was a beautiful Edwardian dolls’ house, which was any little girl’s dream. Well, maybe not a two-year-old’s dream but, she considered, a wonderful gift. Although it quite clearly needed fixing together.

      ‘Oh, Charlotte, that’s a pretty house.’

      ‘House, Mummy,’ Charlotte pointed at the picture on the box.

      Becoming impatient, Seb pulled more paper off each smaller present, partially revealing dolls-house furniture and a family of small figures. Evie considered Charlotte a little young for such tiny accessories and would hide them away for another year.

      Evie squatted beside her daughter. ‘They are beautiful sweetheart. We’ll put them away and build it another time. Let me get you tidied up. We are going out today for dinner with Daddy for your birthday. We are going in the car.’

      Charlotte stood up, now distracted. ‘Pish, Mummy. Car, Daddy.’

      After a stroll around the town and the harbour, they ate in Chez Francois in Sete. Charlotte ate her monkfish, or lotte as she preferred to call it, like a hungry tiger. Seb and Evie shared a huge seafood platter accompanied by a cool Chablis. Evie began giggling with light-headedness. She hadn’t enjoyed a drink in ages. Seb was funny and teased both her and Charlotte; it was soothing when he began to act like his old self again. As soon as they reached home, she lay their sleeping daughter in her cot and changed her into pyjamas. Seb meanwhile went out to get more wine. He returned with a crate and many goodies which Evie imagined cost a few months’ worth of her allowance.

      ‘I’ll get my CD player and put on some music,’ she said as Seb poured her a glass of wine and opened himself a beer. ‘I’ve not added any new CD’s to my music collection, so I hope you don’t mind Adele, or Katy Perry. No, I’ll put Adele on.’

      ‘I’ll try to remember to bring you some next time.’ Seb sat on the sofa and tapped the seat beside him.

      Placing her wine on the coffee table, Evie smiled as she sat down beside him. This was more like life should be. Although, it would be nice to actually go out and choose my own CDs, she wanted to tell him. Hell, as soon as she was earning from Ben, she would treat herself. Just one.

      ‘I’m so out of touch with the music scene. Oh, do you think you could you bring a nursery-rhyme CD for Charlotte?’

      He raised his arm and pulled her close. ‘I’ll try to remember.’

      She snuggled into his chest so easily. It was certainly good to have him home and she still yearned to have the old Seb back. Today had been good; chilling out in Sete and seeing Seb joking and laughing. It was just the tonic she needed after the several disappointments she had been through these past few weeks with him cancelling his visits. He was quite different now when he came home, generally his mind was on other things. He was more’ relaxed, compared to when he’d arrived, as was she, which was no doubt more due to the wine. However, it was still so wonderful to listen to his chest pounding in her ear and to feel loved occasionally. She responded to his squeeze, lifting her hand and stroking his hair. Seb then lifted her chin, placing his lips over hers, his hands sliding hungrily up her thigh. Evie’s body reacted with feeling for once – she was still a woman, not just a mother. Both got to their knees and as they kissed, he slid her down and entered.

      As much as she tried, it was Ben Evie’s body yearned for. Seb lay back on the sofa panting, freeing her from his arms. She curled up her legs at the other end of the sofa, pulling down her dress, rearranging herself. Ben was finished for now. So, ok, it wasn’t as tender as it used to be, but if he was home more, she was sure it could get better and return to the passionate lusty days they used to share. He was like a drug she couldn’t wean herself from.

Chapter 6

      Seb picked up his beer then the TV remote, and switched it on. He turned to Evie and said, as if reading her thoughts, ‘I do miss you, you do know that, I just wish I could get back here more often.’

      ‘It would be nice.’ Evie pushed her hair back, wishing they could be like this on a regular basis too. Maybe once or twice a month. That wouldn’t be asking too much. ‘Such a shame you won’t be here for Charlotte’s birthday.’

      He pulled her towards him, leaning his arm on her shoulder. ‘If only I could. It’s getting busier with summer festivals and parties in the parks, that sort of thing. Charlotte has friends she can invite, presumably?’

      Evie’s neck lurched forward to face him. ‘She doesn’t start kindergarten until she’s three and we don’t know any other mums around here. And, you don’t like me mixing, remember? Anyway, they’re mainly older people. We see children at the park sometimes.’ Evie now found it difficult to talk to people, especially when they asked about her partner and his job. It did seem easier to keep herself to herself