Stand-in Wife by Karina Bliss

Author:Karina Bliss
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-07-20T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

STANDING IN THE DOORWAY, Viv stared bleary-eyed at the empty cell charger, then at Harry who was wandering around the living room, the dog at his heels and her phone pressed to his ear. His diaper hanging in a soggy lump between his skinny bow legs, he beamed at her. Delighted to see her, delighted with his new toy—all obviously right with his world.

It was the morning of the funeral and she’d overslept.

With a moan, she moved to rescue the cell and something crunched under her foot. She lifted it to see crushed cornflakes. Her eyes followed a splotchy trail of milk and cornflakes from the kitchen to the overflowing cereal bowl on the coffee table.

She’d cleaned the place spotless last night. Now the kitchen and living room looked as if there’d been a wild party. And the TV was blaring loud enough the wake the dead—sorry, Linda. And yet somehow, Viv had slept through it. Maybe the alarm had gone off, maybe it hadn’t. It was certainly switched off when she’d woken up and stared in disbelief at the time. 9:05.

“I got breakfast for me and Harry.” Tilly didn’t glance up from the TV where two cartoon Ninjas were balletically beating the crap out of each other. “I’m being helpful, like Uncle Ross said.” Eyes glued to the screen, she waved a dripping spoon in Harry’s general direction. “Here, Harry,” she cooed. Obediently the toddler trotted over, but Salsa and his little pink tongue got there first. Tilly laughed.

“Dog,” chortled Harry, and in his glee, threw the cell. It landed with a plop in the bowl.

With an exclamation, Viv fished it out and wiped it dry on Merry’s cotton pj’s. The battery light flickered and went out.

She tried to find a bright side. “Well, that’s all the crazy out of the way early.”

Tilly snuggled into the armchair with the remote. “I did good, didn’t I, Auntie Viv?”

“Call me Mum, Till, so you don’t forget when it’s important.”

“Mum,” said Tilly absently. She’d been captured by the Ninjas again.

Harry toddled over and wrapped his arms around Viv’s shins. “Iv,” he said.

In between getting everybody dressed, icing the cake in chocolate frosting, staging the house with flowers, and accepting a delivery from the caterers, Viv sang, “Mum-MumMum” to her nephew to reindoctrinate him.

She tried to prepare her niece for the funeral. “It’s okay,” Tilly reassured her. “I have buried a guinea pig.”

Five minutes before Ross arrived, Viv finally found a few minutes to phone Merry and tell her to reroute messages to Ross’s cell. “How are you feeling…any improvement?”

“Definitely on the mend.” Viv took her word for it, she didn’t have time to go on Skype. “I talked to Charlie last night,” her twin added.

“Really?” Please, Charlie, don’t have brought up our argument yesterday. “About anecdotes for the funeral…he was really offhand. I think he’s back with Susan.”

“I’m sorry, Mere.” God, I’m so sorry. But if the guy couldn’t stand hearing a few home truths then her sister was better off without him.

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