The family ties of Lily Juniper Abernathy (book 3)

Chapter 13

We came to the doors of the hospital. As they opened the icy air hit me I could certainty tell it was winter now.

"Charlie, put your coat on?"

He shrugged into it and fumbled with the zip until Finn did it for him. He clutched at my sleeve and mumbled "Are we going home mommy?"

I nodded "Yeah, well, you're going to nursery: why?"

He shrugged "I was wondering."

"Okay."

We walked down the hill into town and he clung harder to me as we walked towards the hob.

"Mommy,"

"Yeah?"

"Do I have to go nursery today? Can I not stay with you?"

"What will me and mommy have to say to get you to go to nursery?" Finn muttered as we walked into the hob itself and up the couple of steps along the nursery veranda.

"Ummm....Is grandma Annie working at nursery today?"

Finn nodded and Charlie grinned and scrambled up to the door whacking the doorbell with his palm.

"Hello beautiful!" Annie sang scooping him up and kissing his cheek. I watched him squeal and wipe his cheek with his sleeve.

"I saw that you little monkey!" She mumbled ruffling his hair.

He giggled and then said "Do you know last night Grandma?"

"You mean Thursday? Yeah I do?"

"I was at hospital."

"I know, but you must be okay now because you're here?"

He nodded "I was okay at the hospital but I had to sleep overnight in case I had....Com....cushion?"

"Oh right...Anyway, you can tell me all about it inside."

He nodded as she put him on the ground.

"We'll see you both at five yeah?" She asked

Finn nodded "Yup."

"Alright, see you later?" She said as she smiled

"Bye!" Charlie said brightly

I was relieved that yesterday hadn't bothered him that much.

"See you later?"

Annie frowned and shut the door.

Finnick

The door shut and she flinched as I took her hand.

"Why did your mom frown like that?"

I rolled my eyes and smiled "Come on."

She nodded "You gotta go open up shop?"

I shook my head "I'm staying with you today."

"What?"

"I'm staying with you. We need to get Christmas presents for Charlie....And, I think I want a day off."

She shrugged "OK, if you're sure?"

"I'm sure, that is if you're up to walking?"

She nodded "I should be okay for a bit I think, I just need to nip home and get my stick...Just in case."

"Okay."

She held my hand tighter as we came outside into the cold. I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb but as we walked through she still seemed really unsure. She exhaled a sigh of calm as we came to the start of the lane up to the house. As we started to trudge up she laid her head on my shoulder and I kissed the side of her head. We both straightened up and were stopped in our tracks when we saw the houses. The marble was in huge cracked slabs all over the ground surround by wood beams and colossal mixes of glass and rubble. One house was splintered across the top: the whole second floor was missing. That was...Greasy Sae's house- she wasn't at the Hob this morning and now I knew why.