28. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty-eight

Silas

I can hear Fenella next door.

She has Taylor Swift turned up loud enough for me to hear it faintly, as well as the odd snippet of Fenella occasionally singing. There's some thumping, one crash that almost had me running over to check on her.

I really doubt she's ever cleaned anything in her life.

The temptation of going in to see how it's going is strong, but I resist until lunchtime. And then I tell Leodie I have an errand and run out to the bakery to get two sandwiches.

Even though I live next door, I always bring my lunch, because it's never a quick trip if I run next door. I'll finish the dishes, throw on a load of laundry, or check something on my PC.

Today I don't feel like the leftover stew I brought from home.

I knock on the door, bakery bag in my hand, and then ease it open. "Feel like taking a break?" I call .

Fenella backs out of one of the bathrooms, rubber gloves up to her elbows and a facemask over her mouth and nose. "Hi," she says, voice muffled. "A break sounds good."

She peels off the gloves and leaves them on the floor along with the mask. She's braided her dark hair into two plaits and then tied them in little buns at the back of her head, which makes her look much younger. I pull the table out from the kitchen, wincing at the uneven legs. "I feel horrible that this is such a mess and you have to clean it up," I burst out.

"Don't be." She follows me with two chairs. "It's fun."

"Really?"

"Well, maybe not cleaning the bathrooms. I don't know if you believe this, but I've never cleaned anything in my life."

"I believe it." I hand her a turkey on rye, with avocado and spinach. I guessed what she'd like.

Fenella looks around with consternation. "It doesn't look bad, does it?"

"It looks great," I assure her. "Almost like a new place. I just thought that with your lifestyle, housekeeping wouldn't be something you usually do."

"Ah. No." She shakes her head. "First time cleaning a toilet."

"You'll remember it forever," I tease. "We could go upstairs to my place," I add. "If this isn't…"

"This is fine. Thank you for bringing me lunch. It was really sweet of you. "

"I didn't think you'd stop," I admit, handing her a bottle of water. "I've heard you banging all morning. It sounds like you haven't taken a break."

"I've done a lot." There's pride in her tone as she looks around, taking in the ceiling corners without the cobwebs, the piles of dust and dirt and leaves swept up and inside a black garbage bag. "I'm going to wash everything once I finish the bathroom."

"For someone's first time, you're pretty speedy." I take a bite of my roast beef sandwich.

"You'd be surprised what a YouTube video can teach you."

I laugh, and Fenella grins at my reaction. "It was nice to see Wyatt there today."

"He's there most weekends. It gives him some spending money, plus I think it's good for kids to have a job. I mean," I stammer, forgetting that before I hired her, Fenella had never had a regular job.

"I agree. My first "job"—" she uses her fingers as quotation marks— "—was for the family company. When I was ten, my father let Ashton and me pick the colours for the new toy cars. He left us with Evan—"

"Who's Evan?" I ask, hungrier to know more about Fenella than I am for lunch.

Fenella looks surprised. "My older brother."

"You have another brother?"

"Unfortunately." She laughs. "He's ten years older than us and I've never been his favourite sister."

"But you're his only sister?"

"Exactly. Evan tolerates Ashton because the racing brings in money for the company, and Evan is nothing if not a company man. He'll run the whole place when Dad retires. Which I hope isn't too soon, or I'll never keep a job there."

"Keep? Does that mean—"

Fenella's face falls. "My father wants to talk to me about a job," she says in a low voice.

Her words clutch at my heart. "I'm happy for you."

"Are you?"

"Of course I am. If this is what you want."

She looks around as she chews her sandwich with a thoughtful expression on her face. "Why don't you want Wyatt to go to school in Montreal?" she asks instead.

"Who says I don't?" I shoot out.

"I saw your face," she says, very matter-of-factly.

Now it's my turn to look around and decide what to say. I notice a stray cobweb by the window. "It's far."

"Montreal is far from here," Fenella agrees.

"And the world isn't always kind to those who are different." It's the first time I've ever admitted my fear out loud. That Wyatt might face disrespect and prejudice because of his lifestyle. I know he's safe here in Battle Harbour. He's accepted. If he leaves…

"If you mean different like amazing , you don't have anything to worry about. Leodie has told me about him, and that kid is impressive. I think he'll be fine wherever he ends up. You shouldn't worry so much."

"Easier said than done," I grumble.

"You're not his father." I look up, but Fenella isn't accusing me. "You're not his father but you've raised him like you were."

"I felt I had to."

"You didn't," she says. "He was your sister's responsibility."

"But she left."

"That's not your fault. It has nothing to do with you. In fact, I think it's best for Wyatt that she did. He might not have turned out as well as he did if he didn't have you and your parents raising him. They clearly did a great job with you."

"I couldn't let them do it alone."

"A lot would have. You gave up your life for him."

"That's what you do for family."

"Not everyone agrees. No one in my family would give up their dream for me."

"That's—"

"Sad? I never really thought of it until I saw your sacrifice. But this isn't a pity party. This is me, in a strange, roundabout way, telling you that Wyatt is very lucky to have you in his life. But you can't keep him here, safe and protected and under your watch. He needs to go and be himself, and you need to be you."

I finish my sandwich, carefully folding up the wax paper. "You're pretty smart for an influencer," I tell her, not knowing how touched I am that she could go right to the heart of things. I have given up my life to stay here with Wyatt. I gave up my dream of going to the stars. I gave up Mia.

What I take from Fenella is that I don't have to do that again.

A heavy weight lifts off my shoulders.