The Pact

by Brenna Darcy

  THEY WERE IN FOR A long and emotional night. There weren’t enough beds for them all to sleep. Even as exhausted as they were, no one intended to anyway. Except for Ty, because even though he was aware his mum was ill, Flic wasn’t convinced he understood what was happening.

  Dave hardly left Lacey’s side, sitting by the bed, holding her hand, and talking to her on the few occasions she opened her eyes. Flic and Mim talked quietly in the adjoining room, or entertained Ty when he wasn’t sitting on Dave’s lap beside his mother, or sleeping.

  Whilst Ty slept, Mim dozed in the chair beside him. Unable to settle, Flic made Dave a cup of tea. He’d been with Lacey for hours.

  Seeing her enter, carrying the steaming brew he stood and walked to her, taking the cup of tea before kissing her gently on the mouth. She noticed the confused look on the nurse’s face after the intimate exchange. Flic frowned, and Dave smirked. Flic guessed this nurse didn’t realise Lacey was Dave’s sister, and would probably have some unspeakable thoughts running through her head. Her lips were pursed. Her sympathetic manor went out the window.

  “She’s my sister,” Dave said.

  The nurse looked from him to Flic, who stood with one arm tucked around his waist, and raised her eyebrows.

  Dave continued to smirk, obviously amused by her judgement, and looked down at Flic. “Not her. Lacey’s my sister.”

  “Oh, um, my apologies.”

  “Not to worry, I would have thought the same—didn’t think to mention it.”

  “Your nephew looks like you.”

  “Yes, but he has his mother’s spirit.”

  “That’s not true,” Lacey croaked, her throat dry from lack of fluid. “He’s all you.”

  “Lacey. I’m Tamara, and I’ll be your nurse for tonight, can you tell me if you have any pain.” Tamara was leaning over her doing some routine observations.

  “No pain, but I want to talk to Flic for a minute.”

  “We’ll be in the next room if you need us.” Tamara motioned for Flic to come closer. Dave gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze and he too left the room.

  Flic moved forward, taking Lacey’s hand in hers, and brushed a few loose strands of hair away from her face with the other.

  “Do we still have a deal?” Her voice was little more than a whisper. “You’ll look out for Ty as I will Ellie?”

  “Always, until we can all be together again,” Flic whispered back.

  “Just make sure that’s not too soon.”

  “Okay, and you make sure you give my baby a hug and kiss for me, and tell her I love her.” Flic choked on her words, struggling to maintain composure.

  “Deal—and look after Dave too, he loves you, you know.” Lacey smiled, the gesture small, but Flic knew she was feeling it big.

  “I love him too.”

  “Good. Can I see Mim?”

  “I’ll get her for you.”

  “Thanks, I love you Flic.”

  “I love you too, Lacey.” Flic leaned over and kissed her gently on her forehead before leaving to get Mim.

  She managed to hold back the tears until Mim had gone into the room with Lacey. Dave was sitting in the chair beside Ty who was still sleeping peacefully in the bed, snuggled up to his pink bunny. Leaning against the wall Flic began to cry. Dave walked over and pulled her into his arms, holding her as the tears turn to sobs. Grateful for the support, she rest her head on his chest, certain if he let her go she’d fall in a heap on the floor.

  Returning to the room moments later, Mim closed the door that divided the two rooms. Burying her face in her hands Mim’s tears turned to sobs.

  “You go.” Flic pulled away from his embrace. “I’m okay.” Flic slumped on the end of the bed where Ty slept, oblivious to the trauma in the room around him. Dave walked over and took Mim into his arms, her body shook as grief ripped through her as the only daughter she’d ever known was being stolen from this life. Flic knew the feeling, and her heart went out to her.

  Taking a deep breath, burying the grief, Mim straightened. “Lacey wants to see you Dave, and then Ty.”

  “You go, I’ll bring Ty,” Flic suggested, wanting to give Ty a moment to wake up before seeing his mother. It was going to be hard enough for him to understand without the confusion of sleep clouding his little mind.

  Gently, Flic woke him, explaining that his mum was awake and wanted to see him.

  Getting up, still clinging to his bunny and blanket, Ty wrapped his arms tight around Flic’s neck.

  Flic and Mim talked to him until Dave opened the door for them. Putting one arm around Flic’s shoulders he drew her into the room also. Flic shook her head, it wasn’t right to impose on Lacey saying goodbye to her little boy.

  “Lacey wants you here Flic, you too Mim.”

  Mim followed Flic who took Ty up to sit on the bed where Tamara patted.

  “Remember when I told you how I’d have to go away soon?”

  “Yes,” Ty whispered.

  “And that the fairies would take me to a place where I would feel all better again?”

  Ty nodded and began to cry, silent tears that ran down his little cheeks.

  “Well they’re waiting for me to come with them now.” Lacey’s voice broke and a tear slipped out the corner of her eye.

  “But I don’t want you to go, I need you to stay here with me.”

  “I know, baby, but Uncle Dave and Flic and Mim, they will all be here with you.”

  “And you can be with Ellie because she’s lonely without her Mummy too.”

  “Yes, and I will look after Ellie like Flic will help Uncle Dave look after you.”

  He leaned down and kissed Lacey on the cheek. “I love you Mummy.”

  “I love you too, my little man, Mummy will always be with you even if you can’t see me.”

  “I know, and you will visit me in my dreams too.”

  “That’s right.”

  Ty held onto his mother for a long time before Dave took him into the other room.

  With the first glimpse of sunlight, as it peeped over the horizon, ready to shine on another day, Lacey drew her final breath, slipping away peacefully in her sleep.

  6 months later...

  LACEY’S PRIDE was ready to set sail for Ty’s fifth birthday the following week—the official launch day. The inside of the ship was decked out as a party room. The permanent décor a combination of fairies and pirates, and depending on the theme, balloons, plates and napkins would match. Ty was delighted with the finished product, and to be the first to have a party in it. The invites had already gone out, and Flic had been working overtime to make sure it all came together before the date. She’d even made pirate outfits for them to wear.

  She wanted the shop to remain a happy place, one Ty could visit and remember his mother at her best and most vibrant. How she wished Lacey could be there with them. Even though she liked to think she was, and at times, she could almost feel her presence in the shop, sitting in the tea corner when Flic was alone.

  Dave managed to finish his manuscript, his agent telling him it was worth the wait, and his best work yet. Flic couldn’t wait to read it. She was still writing, and although her novel wasn’t even close to being finished she had almost worked up the courage to share it with Dave.

  “Flic, are you and Uncle Dave going to have your wedding in the pirate ship?”

  Flic laughed. “It’s not really big enough for a wedding.”

  “Where will you get married?”

  “What makes you so sure we will get married?”

  “Because Mummy said you would and that you’d have a baby who’ll be my cousin and sort of like my brother or sister.”

  “Did she just.” Flic wasn’t sure how best to respond, not wanting to give him false hopes. She wasn’t sure how Dave would feel about his nephew’s expectations, but was curious.

  “Your mum was the smartest woman in town, Ty, and sometimes she knew things before other people even spoke about them.” Dave was standing, leaning aga
inst the doorframe, and watching them as he often did.

  Flic looked up, not sure what he was referring to and frowned.

  “Oh don’t give me that look, Flic.” He smiled then turned his attention to Ty. “I would say that when Flic and I get married, if it’s okay with her, I’d like it to be out under the tree near your cubby house so your mum can be there too, she’d like that. And this,” he held up the pregnancy kit box Flic had hidden at the back of the bathroom cupboard, “we’ll talk about later.”

  “You are getting married?” Ty beamed at his Uncle.

  “I don’t know. It’s up to Flic.” Dave looked at her and smiled.

  “Well that’s some proposal—how a girl could refuse something so romantic is beyond me.”

  “So is that a yes?”

  “Yes.” Flic grinned.

  “Then yeah mate looks like we’re getting married.”

  “Cool, can we go to Mim’s for dinner and tell her?”

  “Sure, how about you go and give her a call.”

  With Ty gone, Dave turned back to her and held up the pregnancy test box again. “Was my sister right about the rest?”

  Flic wasn’t sure how Dave felt about having a child of his own, she wasn’t sure she was ready, but sometimes you didn’t have a choice in life, and this was one of those moments. She’d always been so careful, taking her pill every day, but somehow it was happening anyway. Flic hesitated. Her eyes welled with tears, and she lowered her gaze to the floor. “Will you be angry?”

  “If she is, or isn’t? Please tell me, are you pregnant, Flic?”

  She nodded.

  Dave beamed. “Have you been to the doctors?”

  “First thing this morning, I wanted to be sure before I freaked you out completely.”

  “How far along?”

  “Two and a half months.”

  “And you only just suspected?”

  “I threw up at the smell of tea brewing yesterday and thought it strange.” Flic wasn’t sure if Dave’s response was good, or bad, he seemed in shock. “Are you angry?”

  “Why would I be angry? We’re having a baby.” Picking her up, he spun around. “We have some celebrating to do. Can we tell Ty yet?”

  Flic nodded, the doctor said the baby was healthy, as was she, already ten weeks and three days, definitely safe to talk about it with Ty.

  Ty walked in at the right time. “Tell me what.”

  Flic nodded again, wanting Dave to tell him. “Did you call Mim?”

  “Yeah, she said to come in at six.”

  “Excellent, did you tell her we’re getting married?”

  “Yeah, she screamed in my ear.” He rubbed at it, indicating how loud it was.

  Flic could tell by his expression he was less than impressed.

  “Well you wait till she hears we’re having a baby.”

  Ty’s face lit up. “So Mum was right? Can I hold it when it’s born?”

  “Of course, you can change its nappy too if you want.”

  Ty screwed up his face. “Eeww, that’s so gross, Uncle Dave. You can do that.”

  Dave laughed and picked him up and they shared a group hug.

  “Can I tell Mum when we get home?” Ty whispered.

  “Of course you can mate—of course you can.”

  She wished Lacey could be there to share the moment with them, and in a way Flic felt she was.

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  Did you love The Pact? Then you should read Rustic Charm by Brenna Darcy!

  Educated, beautiful and rich—what more did Charlie Cooper need?After the sudden death of her father, Charlie leaves the city behind to establish an art retreat for women in rural Western Australia.The last person Jake Taylor expected to betray him was his grandfather. The sale of the family farm saw his hopes for the future gone, and Tom isn't the only one to blame.Not prepared for small town gossip, or the hostility from sexy Jake Taylor, Charlie wonders if some dreams are better left alone.

  Read more at Brenna Darcy’s site.

  Also by Brenna Darcy

  Mystic Cove Series

  For Keeps

  Standalone

  Rustic Charm

  Fake It 'Til You Make It

  Highfliers

  The Pact (Coming Soon)

  Watch for more at Brenna Darcy’s site.

  About the Author

  Brenna Darcy is an author of contemporary and paranormal romance.

  When she’s not writing, Brenna can be found spending time with her real life hero and her four children, drinking hot chocolate in a cafe with her writing partner, or travelling the world in search of new and exciting stories to share.

  As a success coach, Brenna thrives on empowering women to live the life they love.

  Brenna also writes as Rori Rayne, author of young adult fiction.

  To learn more about Brenna, head over to her website, or join her on Facebook or Instagram.Read more at Brenna Darcy’s site.

  Read more at Brenna Darcy’s site.