The Last Waltz

Chapter 29

Poppy left the hospital on Monday in time to pick the children up for school. They were pleased to see her, and she had to bear their painful hugs of greeting, but she didn't let on that they hurt. They filled her in on everything that had happened at school on their trip home, and by the time they arrived, she had a massive headache and was exhausted.

Boyd handed Poppy her prescriptions and sent her to her room to rest, promising to wake her up in time for dinner.

When Poppy arrived in the kitchen with Mary, who had been sent to get her, Siobhan was arguing with Boyd that they should eat in the dining room, not the kitchen.

"The kitchen is warm. The dining room is not," Poppy said firmly.

"Then the fire should have been lit earlier!" Siobhan turned on Poppy, her eyes full of frustration as she looked at her pale face and bruised temple.

"Then why didn't you light it?" Poppy asked, sitting down gingerly in a chair at the table. "What are we having, Boyd?" Poppy ran her hand through her hair, adjusting it to hide the bruise better. She didn't want the kids to see it.

"Shepards Pie," he said as he laid the steam casserole dish before them.

"Yum!" Peter called. It was one of his favorites, and Poppy agreed and echoed his sentiments.

"Smells divine, Boyd." Poppy leaned in and sniffed appreciatively, wincing as she did. She never would have guessed that a few broken ribs could have hurt so badly.

Dinner was going well. Siobhan pouted and played with her food as she kept shooting covert glances at Poppy. Peter and Mary were on a roll, discussing their classmates and plans for the next Halloween party.

"I think I have your uncle talked into a New Year's Eve Party. Won't that be fun?" Poppy asked as she looked at Boyd and her plate, asking if he would dish her up in seconds because leaning over the table hurt too much.

"At least your appetite is good," Boyd teased over Mary's squealing.

"It's your Shepards Pie." Poppy smiled at him, flinching at Mary's squeal and wishing her headache would ease. The doctors told her she would have headaches for a few weeks at least.

They were talking excitedly about it when the back door opened, and Isaac entered, looking rumpled and tired.

"Dad!" Mary and Peter called as they jumped up and charged him. He wrapped his big arms around them and pulled them closed as he looked at everyone sitting around the table. Pausing a moment longer on Poppy, his look inscrutable.

"You're just in time for dinner," Boyd said as he clapped him on the shoulder and grabbed another plate, putting it down next to Siobhan.

He sat and ate what Boyd had served him while Peter and Mary told him about everything he had missed in the previous week.

"I thought you were staying longer?" Siobhan asked as she shot a side glance at Poppy. "You didn't tell me you were coming home earlier when we talked yesterday."

"Plans changed. I didn't like the idea of the children being alone," he said with a look at Poppy that was full of coldness.

Poppy frowned. He seemed all right with leaving the children in her and Boyd's care when he left.

"Tell us about your trip," Siobhan asked, placing her hand on his arm as she changed the subject.

"You make it sound like he was on holiday," Boyd said.

There was an awkward silence while they ate since Isaac ignored her question, and the good mood of the table was ruined.

When the last plate was cleared of food, Poppy stood and started to collect them to wash.