Locked Ward by Anne Buist

Author:Anne Buist [Anne Buist]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Text Publishing Company
Published: 2022-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

It was Sienna’s birthday weekend and Damian was meant to have her on Saturday, but he rang me Friday night with a curt cancellation. ‘Something’s come up. My mother can look after her if it’s a problem.’

I figured work, but I wasn’t sure there wasn’t something else behind his sharpness. Guilt. Which meant maybe he had a date. Josie? I wasn’t sure I wanted her as a stepmother for Sienna, but if it made Damian happy it wasn’t such a bad thing. It might mean he wouldn’t be so fussed about less time with Sienna. I wanted her to know him, but once a month—even every few months if Liam and I ended up in Sydney—would make my life a lot easier. At least until she was older.

Liam was in Sydney without me this weekend. He had felt so bad about it, he had stocked the fridge and left a chocolate heart on my pillow and tickets to the next motorcycle Grand Prix. He hated motor racing so it was a big statement.

Sienna and I spent the day at the zoo eating ice-cream and chips, accompanied by her Italian family and listening to a crappy jazz band. Vince, her great uncle, adored Sienna. Now it was official that Vince’s brother Nick was my dad, they all kept inviting me to things I couldn’t go to. I said yes to this one. There is something appealing about Italian extended family even beyond the fabulous food; a warmth and a passion, a love of life.

Nick turned up, which didn’t surprise me, but it would have been better without him. I couldn’t quite seem to forgive him for giving in to my mother’s demands that he stay out of my life. And for trying to kill himself when I was a kid. It wasn’t fair; I knew from first-hand experience what it was like to feel complete despair. Which was why I was taking my pills; Nick hadn’t. He was short like Vince, but rounder and a little scruffy, voice a little too loud, smile a bit forced.

‘This is for the kid.’ He handed me a parcel in pink wrapping paper with a bow, and laughed at my expression. ‘Yeah, that’s what Vince said you’d look like, but don’t judge a parcel by its cover, OK? Pretty sure you liked pink at her age.’

‘Like one-year-olds know anything beyond what they’re exposed to?’ I shrugged. ‘Sienna, Pops has a present for you.’

Sienna looked at Nick warily. Good judgment. She looked at the present, but didn’t quite have the idea yet. I helped her open it. A soft toy didn’t hold her attention long and it was back to food and her trying to get her cousins to play with her.

I looked at the teddy bear. Flicked back the tears angrily. ‘Thanks.’

‘It’s the same—’

‘Yeah, I know.’ I had dreamt for months through my pregnancy about a teddy bear just like this one that he had given me thirty-three or so years ago. Sienna’s teddy was dressed as a bikie.

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