Chosen Child Read Online Free Page A

move to speak. She turned back to Soraya. ‘That’s
a great idea and if it’s possible, we will. I’ll find out and let you know next
time, okay?’
    Mel called them down for coffee, and Ella watched as Soraya
interacted with her foster family. Mel was pleasant to the child but very firm,
and Soraya sat nicely at the table, eating her piece of lemon drizzle cake with
no sign of the buzz of chatter from upstairs.
    ‘Are you enjoying your visit, Soraya?’ said Mel, when the
little girl passed her glass for more juice. Soraya nodded, and Mel patted her
shoulder. ‘Good girl.’
    The words were friendly, the gesture was motherly, but the
smile didn’t quite reach Mel’s eyes. Appalled, Ella realised that the other
woman was looking after Soraya kindly and efficiently, but without loving her.
And Soraya knew it.
    It was hard saying goodbye. All Ella wanted to do was fold
the child into her arms and hold her tight, and that was precisely what she
wasn’t supposed to do yet.
    ‘I hope we’ll be able to visit you again very soon,’ she
said at last, holding Soraya’s gaze. The girl stood for a moment without
speaking, then turned and ran upstairs.
    Ella was silent as they started back to St Ives. After a
while she pulled out her mobile. ‘I said I’d phone Liz. What do you think?’
     Rick’s voice was void of expression. ‘If you want Soraya,
go for it. It’s your decision, after all, I - ’
    He broke off, and Ella stared at him, her thumb hovering
over Liz’s number.
    ‘You what?’
    He rubbed his face. ‘I – I’d be at work all day, so you’d be
more hands-on than me.’
    His expression was guarded. Ella hesitated, then pressed
connect. The sooner they got this process started, the better.

 
     
    Chapter Four
     
     
    Thursday 15th – Friday 16th May
     
     
    Amanda still hadn’t had a satisfactory talk with James about
the baby; she had no idea what he was thinking and it wasn’t a good feeling.
She’d even started biting her nails again, something she’d stopped when she was
fifteen. Part of the problem was they hadn’t managed to meet since she’d told
him, as Gareth was at home with a virus at the beginning of the week. It was
horrible, not knowing which direction her life would take. Would her future be
with James and excitement, or Gareth and safety and family? Sometimes all she
wanted was to turn the clock back to the days when she and Gareth were happy
together, and hold on to that happiness as hard as ever she could. But that was
impossible. James was part of her life now, and his reaction would shape what she
told Gareth, which in turn would shape what became of her life – and Jaden’s
too. Amanda blinked back tears. She might have destroyed her child’s happy
little family life.
    However you looked at it, her marriage was in trouble.
Gareth was so fanatical about his work, and that would only get worse when he
started the new job next month. Tears of self-pity welled up in Amanda’s eyes.
Her husband would barely notice if she and Jaden packed their things and left
today.
    On the other hand, if James ran a mile without saying
goodbye, it might be best to say nothing about the affair to Gareth. The two
men were alike enough that she didn’t have to worry about the baby taking after
its father. Both were tall and dark, although Gareth had unusual grey eyes that
he’d passed on to Jaden, and James’ were brown like hers.
    Amanda bit her lip. It sounded easy when you thought about
it in black and white like this, but James’ reaction would probably be
somewhere in the middle of the two extremes, which would make everything
complicated and messy. The mess was of her own making, she was under no
illusions about that, and it didn’t make her feel proud. Starting an affair
hadn’t been her best move as a mother.
    Jaden snored gently on the sofa, and Amanda spread her
sweatshirt over him and boxed him in with cushions. She usually put him in his
cot for his nap, but today he’d