Scarlett Crawford, a widowed mother with a young daughter depending on her, struggling to keep her life and emotions in check, but with the help of her best friend and her big brother she does what she can. But will a chance encounter with an attrac...
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Nikki
I'd settled in on the bench seat close to the playground with my well-worn copy of my favourite book, 'The Dressmaker', occasionally glancing up to see Dean chase after Quinn while she squealed with laughter and tried to outmaneuver him by running under the slide.
"Your husband and daughter are cute together." A familiar looking woman sat at the other end of the bench, I turned as she spoke and saw her indicate with her head in the direction of the playground.
"Oh, um, thanks, but he's not my husband." I don't know why I was telling this stranger the truth, like it mattered.
"Hey, you're Nikki Ellis, right? You went to high school in Warragul. You live with Scarlett now, yeah?" The woman was peppering me with questions, and I was a bit weirded out, until I looked over at her again it clicked.
"Dani? Hey! I'm so sorry, I didn't recognise you. That's Scarlett's brother, Dean, and her daughter Quinn, over there. I'm just along to look after the bags." Dani laughed lightly.
"It is too, I should have remembered her from day-care. But I'm not normally in her room. How have you been, I just went to Momo after I saw you're review in the paper. Loved it, you were so right." Dani smiled easily, glancing over at two small boys playing in the nearby sandpit.
"Cool. These your boys?" I asked, motioning to the sandpit.
"No, just babysitting. They go to the same day-care as Quinn actually." At the mention of her name Quinn came running over, breathing heavily, Dean not far behind.
"Aunty Nikki, can I have my drink bottle please. I'm so puffed." Her chubby little cheeks were rosy, and she'd taken her jumper off and left it somewhere in the playground, of course.
"Yeah, but you have to find your jumper first. You've got to look after your things, remember." I lightly scolded, while digging around her backpack for her water bottle.
"It's ok, she gave it me." Dean was very red in the face, standing with his hands on his knees, puffing, holding her jumper in his left hand, "She's so bloody quick. Sorry, hi. I'm Dean." He straightened and outstretched his right hand, introducing himself to Dani.
"Dani Tompkins, I actually went to high school with Nikki and your sister. And I work at Quinn's day-care, hi sweetie." she smiled and waved at Quinn, who'd plopped herself on the ground and was happily tracing lines into the dirt. "You guys are out on a little play date, that's cute."
Dean and I both spluttered out awkward "No, we're not together," and "We're just babysitting," excuses and Dani's eyes lit up.
"So, you guys aren't together then, shame." I didn't really know how to read that, other than perhaps she was interested in Dean for herself and with that thought, a wave of jealousy swept through me. I don't know why it would, I was seeing Ryan, tonight in fact. "Well I better get these boys moving. We should all catch up, you, Scarlett and me. I just got her number this week, actually. Drinks soon? Maybe you could come along and chaperone."
