Our Broken Love (Angels of war series #4)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

I go to pay Maggie a visit and bring James with me. I figure if anyone can get her to come out of the house when I show up, it's him.

"I just don't get why she took them," he says, referring to the ultrasound pictures as he pulls onto her street. "It's crazy to me that she did. The way she's been acting is so out of character."

I keep quiet, not wanting to stir the pot even more. I could vent to Max, get things off my chest, but while lovely, James still feels a bit like a stranger.

"I'm hoping this is all just one big misunderstanding," he says, giving me a reassuring smile before his eyes trail back to the road.

I watch as he pulls into her drive, pulling next to her car. My silence is loud, but I fear I would end up offending him if I really say what I'm thinking.

That bitch stole what's mine. There's no misunderstanding, only calculated craziness.

James climbs out of the car, greeted instantly by Maggie who's opening the front door to ask what brings him here.

I see the panic on her face as soon as she spots me through the windscreen. It's pure terror before she turns around to rush back inside.

James shouts her name and she turns at the stern sound of him. "Did you take Penelope's ultrasound pictures?"

When she wobbles backwards, her hand reaches out to grab the doorframe. "Don't shout at me!"

"You took them?" He knows from one look, a deep disgust in his voice. "What the fuck? Why the hell would you do that, Maggie?" 

"Why should she be happy?" she says, pointing at me.  "I was pregnant when Derek died, but lost the baby too! Why can't anyone stay?!"

James gives me a helpless look before stepping her way, resting his hand on her shoulder where she folds into his embrace.

She lost a baby?

And after burying her husband?

The jagged puzzle pieces start sliding into place. That's a lot of grief. And however messed up, she latched onto Max to soothe that burn.

And in her eyes I'm taking him away?

"I'm sorry," I say, genuinely hurting for her as I climb all the way out the car. "That's terrible."

She frowns. "How can you be sorry? It's not like you know how it feels."

James pulls back, looking mad at her, but I hold my hand up to the way he's about to snap.

"I lost my mum when I was young. And my baby nephew only a few weeks ago," I say, blinking hard at the surprise of tears in my eyes.

Maggie rushes to wipe under her eyes. "I... I'll go get the pictures. I'm... I'm so sorry, Penelope."

James heads into the house with her while I wait here. She lets him inside and makes me stay outside which suits me fine. I look around her overgrown garden, thinking it represents a messy mind.

Not long after he disappeared is James coming back out. My ultrasound pictures in his hand, he lifts them to show me, smiling when I rush to take them off him.

I check them over, so grateful to have my precious baby back in my hands. We climb back in the car, James fixing the heaters as he straps himself into his seat.

"Ready to go see Max?" he asks, watching me with a gentle smile, turning to add the info into his sat nav when I nod. "This will be good."

"I'm not so sure about good, but it's needed."