Her Last Chance

by Alison Ragsdale

Genres: Coming of Age; Family Life; Literary Fiction; Small Town & Rural; Women's Fiction

Synopsis

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘The saddest book I have read this year… Even through all the tears that flowed down my face I kept on reading. I did have to take a break a few times so I could see the words… So honestly heartbreaking… 5 stars and a million more.’ Linda’s Book Reviews My darling girl, I watch you playing outside in the grass. Your long blonde hair sweeps back and your blue eyes are bright with joy. You are utterly perfect, I never imagined something could be so wrong and I’d be powerless to protect you… Ava ’s daughter Carly is everything a ten-year-old should be: energetic, creative and the light of her parents’ lives. But when she starts stumbling down stairs and walking into doors, Ava wants to rush to the doctor. Her husband Rick is sure she’s fretting over nothing – kids can be a little clumsy sometimes. But Ava’s instinct is telling her something is seriously wrong. Against Rick’s advice, Ava takes Carly to see a specialist and is given a devastating diagnosis : a rare genetic condition that will change her future forever. When Rick realises the truth, he is determined to do all he can to help Carly enjoy what light she has left. The close-knit family take it one day at a time, walking to the beach and watching the sunrise. Just as Ava begins to imagine a new future for them all, a tragic accident throws their lives into chaos once more. To give her daughter a chance at a full life, Ava faces a devastating choice. How can she possibly choose between the two people she loves most? An emotional, heartbreaking page-turner about a mother’s love and an utterly devastating decision. Readers of Kate Hewitt, My Sister’s Keeper and Diane Chamberlain will keep this story in their hearts forever. Readers are loving Her Last Chance! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ Wow. Just wow… I smiled, I laughed, I cried and then I smiled some more. My eyes are puffy, my nose is running, which to me shows just how amazing this book really is! ’ Chloe’s Reading Room ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ I cried, many times… So many times I gasped out loud, and I seriously could not put this book down!… This amazing book will feature in my top five books for the year. I just can’t stop thinking about it.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘I’m about ready to run my tear ducts dry!… I was doing the ugly cry… I was drawn into their story from page one and had a hard time putting it down to go to bed. My dreams were filled with this story… Worth taking a day off work! ’ PJP Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ WOW! This story was an emotional, heart-wrenching rollercoaster of a ride. Make sure you have tissues close by. I cried and smiled as I read. This was a book that I did not want to put down.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Let me start by saying: you will need a box of tissues as you turn these beautiful pages!… Will have you crying, laughing at times and being thankful for all you have in these times of turmoil for us all! You need to read this! I loved it! ’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ Grab your tissues! This book was an emotional rollercoaster the whole way through and I couldn’t put it down until I was finished… Heartbreaking story but oh so good. I will recommend this one to everybody.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘The most truly heartbreaking, but inspiring story I’ve read in a long time. I cried bucket loads… Absolutely loved it.’ NetGalley reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘ Wow. Just wow. I love this book… Really touching story and never has a book made me cry. This was first book to make me cry.’ Goodreads reviewer ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘A heart-wrenching story… Gosh, I cried and cried more. I felt this book deeply. Opened Books

Release date: April 13, 2021

Publisher: Bookouture

Print pages: 350

Sample

Ava Guthrie drew the car to a halt at the end of the long gravel driveway. It had been an easy drive from Aberdeen, despite the brutal rain that had followed them for much of the journey. Then, just north of Inverness, the clouds had melted away and a watery sun had emerged. It had felt like a timely welcome as they approached the outskirts of Dornoch, in the scenic eastern Highlands of Scotland.

On the final stretch of the trip, the jigsaw puzzle of fields they’d passed, separated by miles of drystone walls, and the stretches of trees edging the silvery water of the Cromarty Firth, all provided a trail of fond memories that Ava had followed as they drew closer to their destination.

Weary from three hours behind the wheel, Ava gathered her long strawberry-blonde hair into a twist and looked out of the window at the familiar place they would now call home. The March light was gently gilding the low, whitewashed croft house, somehow romanticising its sagging pitch roof and the row of poky windows flanking the peeling paint of the front door.

The fence at the perimeter of the front garden remained only in portions, and the cobbled path was moss-covered, with several stones missing. The sign that had stood proudly at the end of the drive, bearing the name Loch na brae, that Ava’s father had told her meant Inland Water, was now propped up against the side of the house, the lettering faded and the post rotten, and frayed at the end.

All these timeworn elements, rather than sadden Ava, made up a picture of such beauty that she couldn’t help but smile. As she took it all in, a slew of memories of childhood summers spent here visiting her grandmother, Flora, flooded back, drawing Ava’s throat tight. So much love and laughter had pumped through the veins of this little home, it was hard to believe it had stood empty for almost a year now, since her beloved gran had passed away.

Bound by their shocking, mutual loss of Ava’s parents eighteen years earlier, when she had just turned twenty-four, and right before her wedding, Ava and Flora’s bond had gone deeper than a typical grandmother and granddaughter.

The freak boating accident had happened in the Greek islands, the first time Ava’s delicate, and often fearful, mother had thrown caution to the wind and let her boat-loving husband persuade her to join him on a sailing trip. Her parents’ holiday of a lifetime had ultimately ended their lives and the irony of that would never leave Ava, but losing Flora had been just as devastating a blow.

Letting the rush of memories, and an accompanying prickle of pain, settle for a few moments, Ava shook her hair loose. Her husband Rick was fast asleep next to her, a gentle snore escaping with each exhale, and, in the back seat, her ten-year-old daughter Carly was hunched over her iPad, the hood of her rainbow-patterned sweatshirt pulled low over her forehead.

‘We’re here.’ Ava unclasped her seat belt. ‘Hey.’ She nudged Rick, whose chin was on his chest. ‘Wake up, MacSnorey.’ She laughed softly as he lifted his head and yawned.

‘Sorry, love. Couldn’t stay awake for that last half-hour or so.’ He stretched and rubbed a palm over his dark, close-cropped head, his hazel eyes glinting in the afternoon light.

‘Apparently.’ Ava prodded his thigh.

‘We made it, then.’ He dipped his chin and peered out of the window. ‘The old place doesn’t look that bad.’ He smiled at her. ‘Home sweet home, eh?’

Ava nodded, then turned to look at her daughter. Carly’s face was only inches from the iPad, its dark edges almost obscuring her cornflower-blue eyes, duplicates of Ava’s own. Under her hood, her long hair fell over one cheek, like a golden curtain, while on the other side, it was tucked neatly behind her ear.

‘Carly, can you please hold that thing further away from your face? You’ll damage those beautiful peepers,’ Ava huffed. ‘And you don’t need your hood up in the car.’ She shook her head.

Carly set the iPad on her lap and pulled a face as she shoved her hood back. ‘But I can’t see it properly, otherwise.’

‘Well, if you really can’t see it without almost licking it, I think you need to have your eyes tested.’ Ava frowned.

Carly glowered. ‘I don’t need glasses, Mum. I’m just tired.’

‘Well, we’ll see.’ Ava tipped her head to the side. ‘Come on. Put it away and let’s go inside.’ She gestured towards the house. ‘You can get settled in your new room.’

Rick unfolded his long frame out of the car, and stretched his back, like a languorous cat. ‘First thing on the agenda is a decent cup of tea, then we’ll get cracking on the unpacking.’ He winked at Carly, who had emerged from the back seat and stood in the driveway, her backpack slung over her shoulder. ‘Last one inside is a nutcase.’ He laughed, as Carly, seeing his face, dashed for the front door.

Ava climbed out of the car, the familiar smell of wet pasture mixed with the heady brine of the nearby Dornoch Firth, a force that made her close her eyes for a second. The land sloped gently away from the garden in front of the croft, providing an undisturbed view of Dornoch Beach below. The pristine sand formed a honey-coloured strip along the edge of the dark water of the firth, as it leaked inland from the North Sea. The moody estuary stretched between the Highland districts of Easter Ross and Sutherland, its evocative image awash with memories of summers spent walking on the sand with her gran. This whole place was alive with images of Ava’s childhood, tumbling in on each other as she breathed the dewy air.

As she soaked in the scene, suddenly she was Carly’s age again, picking wild strawberries with Flora until her fingertips were scarlet, then watching her gran stir the vats of jam she produced every year. The memory of the sweetness of the strawberries made Ava’s mouth water.

Licking her lips, she slid the strap of her handbag across her body and watched her husband and daughter, wrestling to get nearest to the door. ‘You’re both nutcases.’ She laughed, dangling the big brass key from her forefinger. ‘No one gets in, without me.’ She slipped in front of them and put the key into the lock.

The heavy door swung open and both Rick and Carly shoved past her, jostling each other as they burst into the beamed living area. The noise of their laughter warmed Ava as she hesitated on the stone step. ‘Rick, I’m going to walk up to the barn, I’ll be in in a minute,’ she called after them.

‘Righto,’ he called back as she turned and made her way around behind the house, her feet crunching on the gravel path that linked the main dwelling with the outbuildings, such as they were.

Two small stone structures crouched low, near the side fence, one with a shabby thatched roof and the other gaping, open to the sky. Flora had used the thatched building to house her loom, and Ava had loved to sit on a rickety stool, with her back against the cold stone wall, and watch her gran deftly moving the shuttle back and forth. Flora would guide the myriad threads to her own patterns, clicking her teeth as she wove naturally dyed wools into pretty blankets and shawls that she sold to the Highland Clothing shop in town.

Reaching the old barn, Ava turned to take in the view of the distant water and slice of golden beach that she’d appreciated so many times over the years. As a pair of seagulls banked and cawed overhead, and the crisp breeze plucked at her hair, Ava let her surroundings soak in, her sense of being exactly where she was meant to be seeping into her bones.

Inheriting Loch na brae had not come as a surprise, as Flora had always said it would be hers one day. But when they’d come up to check on the property four months ago, she’d been shocked by Rick’s suggestion that they uproot and move here, from Aberdeen.

‘Think about it, Ava. We could renovate the barn. Turn it into a great self-catering cottage. There’s room for at least three bedrooms on the upper level.’ He’d held his architect’s hands up, framing the forlorn building between his thumbs. ‘Can you picture it?’ He’d grinned at her, the puppy-like way that stopped her heart, even after fourteen years of marriage.

‘Oddly, no I can’t.’ She’d suppressed a smile. ‘And even if I could, it’d cost a fortune, and then how would we earn enough money to keep it all going, if we’re here permanently?’

Rick had laughed. ‘Look, the place has got such good bones.’ He’d smiled at her. ‘Just like you and me.’ His way of describing their relationship had tugged at her heart, and she’d taken his hand and pulled him closer. ‘I could take some time off from the practice, and we’ll spend a few months renovating – turning this into a moneymaking enterprise, for a good part of the year at least. We’d make a killing during all the golf tournaments at Royal Dornoch, too.’ He’d raised his eyebrows. ‘Then, I’ll set up an office here and work remotely for most of the week.’ He’d eyed her. ‘It’s only three hours from Aberdeen, and I’m sure I can rejig my schedule to make it work.’

Ava had not realised how serious he was until he’d spoken about taking time away from his architectural firm. Aside from herself and Carly, his company was the love of his life, and the idea that he’d put that on hold, if only for a few weeks, was startling.

After several conversations, a few bottles of wine and some panicked phone calls to her best friend, Jenna, Ava had finally begun to come around. ‘So, if we consider this, Rick, how will Carly cope? It’ll be a huge upheaval. A new school, no friends to begin with, and a lot less for her to do than here.’ She’d quizzed him in the kitchen of their home, in Aberdeen’s West End.

‘She’ll adjust. And think how great it’d be to bring her up at the croft. Surrounded by all that nature, actual fresh air, and the beauty of the place her mum’s people hail from.’ Rick had pressed her, ‘Ava, come on. You do most of your graphic design work from home anyway, and I’ll do whatever I have to, to make it work.’ He’d wound his fingers through hers. ‘What do you say?’

She’d taken a few days to consider the idea, and each morning, as she went on her run around the streets of the city, she’d begun to look at the grey granite buildings and the murky pre-dawn light a little differently.

One particularly drizzly morning, she’d been jogging past William Wallace’s statue, blowing on her frigid fingers as she dodged two passing cars. As she’d headed for the Art gallery on Schoolhill, where, until recently, one of Carly’s miniature cityscapes had hung as part of the Young Artists of the North exhibition, Ava had had a revelation. The painting had shown the centre of the city, in a muted pallet of greys and browns. Even the sky had been a shade of blue that had seemed weighted with the threat of rain. Ava had suddenly longed for the unique and magical light of Dornoch, and the way it played on the peaks of the dark water of the firth, knowing that light would provide Carly with so much beauty to capture in her painting.

While Ava had been happy in Aberdeen, the knowledge that her beloved Loch na brae stood empty now, the weather eating at it, with no one to protect and love it as it deserved, weighed on her heart. As she’d pictured the little croft house and the ramshackle barn on the hillside overlooking the beach, she’d craved the salty breeze, the feel of dewy grass under her bare feet, the musty smell of leaf mulch and the fragrant lavender that Flora had always planted either side of the front door. As Ava had wiped the mist from her face and turned at the gallery, headed for home, she’d made her decision.

Having told Rick that she was on board, and him delightedly sweeping her off her feet in a rib-crushing hug, they’d sat Carly down and asked her how she’d feel about leaving Aberdeen.

‘What about school, and Mandy, my painting, and horse riding?’ She’d slumped back on the sofa and pouted, her chin beginning to wobble. ‘My art teacher will have a fit if I leave. She says I need to think about going to serious art school,’ she’d whined.

Ava had been about to console her when Rick had jumped in. ‘Look, we’ll find you a great school up there, and a new riding stable. We could maybe even get you some private art lessons. And there’s so much beautiful scenery for you to paint.’ He’d stuck his bottom lip out comically, mimicking Carly’s expression. ‘Mandy can come and visit all the time. She’ll love the beach.’ After a few moments, seeing that he hadn’t won her over, he’d pulled the ace out of the pack. ‘With all that space, and a proper garden, we could even talk about getting a dog.’

Ava’s mouth had dropped open as she’d tried to catch his eye, dragging her hand across her throat in a cutting action. He’d gone too far offering a dog, but now, seeing Carly’s newly rapt expression, Ava knew she’d been beaten before she could even object.

The following week, they’d put their house on the market and begun making plans.

Now, as Ava leaned her head back, letting the damp of the approaching mist coat her face, she heard Carly’s voice.

‘Mum. Where are you?’

Ava pulled the zip of her jacket up under her chin and started walking down the path towards the house. Just as she rounded the corner of the building, she saw Carly stumble over a large stone that sat at the edge of the path, lose her balance and topple onto her side in the damp grass, her scarlet tights garish against the grey-green of the lawn.

‘Jeepers.’ Carly, using Rick’s favourite expression, looked momentarily shocked, then, to Ava’s relief, began to laugh. ‘Who left that there?’ She pulled her legs under her and brushed some mud from her tights. ‘Didn’t see it.’ She looked up at Ava and shrugged.

As Ava rushed over, helped Carly up and assessed her for damage, a tiny mite of worry started burrowing into Ava’s middle. ‘Good grief, sweetheart. You need to be more careful.’ She brushed some grass from Carly’s coat and then cupped her daughter’s narrow chin in her palm. As she looked deep into Carly’s eyes, she noticed the shadows under them, then the left eye twitched. It was only for a split second, but Ava caught it, the odd movement alarming. ‘Are you OK, love?’ She frowned and held Carly’s chin until the child pulled away.

‘I’m fine.’ Carly gave a half-smile. ‘Dad says to come in. He’s made tea.’

Unconvinced, Ava hesitated, then putting what she’d seen down to fatigue, she smiled. ‘All right. Come on then, Flopsy. Let’s get inside before the rain really comes on.’ She looked up at the ominous sky.

Carly took her hand. ‘I hope Dad’s found something to eat. I’m starving.’

Ava laughed. ‘For a change.’ She let Carly lead her inside and then closed the door on the approaching clouds.

The airy kitchen had a warm glow, the old kettle steaming on the Aga, and Flora’s willow-pattern tea service laid out on the scrubbed wooden table. Next to the teapot lay a packet of chocolate biscuits that Rick had thrown into the car that morning as they were leaving, and he sat at the head of the table, smiling at her.

‘Please sit, m’ladies. Tea is served.’ He swept a hand above the offering on the table.

Carly tugged a heavy chair out and sat down. ‘Pass the milk, Dad.’ She flicked her hair over her shoulder as Rick’s eyebrows jumped.

‘It’s right in front of you, kiddo.’ He pointed at the little jug sitting in front of Carly’s cup. ‘Right there.’

Carly lowered her chin and, as Ava watched, seemed to rotate her head slightly, as if trying to find a point of focus. ‘Oh, right.’ She giggled and drew the jug towards her.

A chill crept through Ava as she pictured Carly, lying on the grass, just moments ago, and she tried to catch Rick’s eye. When he finally looked up at her, the smile slipped from his face and his eyes were questioning. She shook her head, almost imperceptibly, but he seemed to get the hint, so sipped some tea, then pushed his cup away.

‘Right, you enjoy your tea while Mum and I get the bags in from the car before the heavens open.’ He pushed his chair away from the table and locked eyes with Ava.

Grateful, Ava turned her collar up. ‘Back in a jiff.’ She smiled at Carly, who had pulled her iPad out of her backpack, seemingly oblivious to the fact that they were leaving the room.

Out in the driveway, Rick opened the boot and began pulling their suitcases out. ‘So, what’s wrong?’ He frowned. ‘I know that face.’

Ava forced a swallow, trying to push down the inner voice that was whispering, warning her that something heavy and ominous was coming, something that matched the bank of black clouds that were now gathering on the horizon, over the firth. ‘I don’t know, Rick. It’s just a feeling…’ Her voice trailed. ‘I think there might be something wrong with Carly.’ A deep sense of foreboding sucked at Ava’s middle as he stopped what he was doing and turned to face her.

‘Wrong? What do you mean?’ He squinted at her.

‘I’m not sure.’ Ava shook her head. ‘But I think there’s something going on.’

‘Ava, you know how you get about this stuff.’ He frowned. ‘You’re probably just overreacting.’

‘Don’t patronise me, Rick. I know what I saw,’ she snapped, as her heart began to tick under her breastbone. Whenever he dismissed her concerns this way, it brought back sad memories for Ava that she had no space for right now. She needed to focus on her daughter.

Two days later, the moving van had just left, and Rick and Ava were knee-deep in boxes. The larger pieces of furniture they’d brought were vaguely in the right spots, including Carly’s brand-new double bed. The leather sofa now separated the long living room into two sections, their dining table and chairs sitting behind it, near the opening to the kitchen, and two soft armchairs flanking the stone fireplace at the far end, above which they would install the TV. Ava’s old fisherman’s trunk would serve as a coffee table, and three of Flora’s antique floor lamps cast light into the darker corners of the room.

Ava had suggested Carly take the smaller of the two rooms to the right of the kitchen, as it had the largest window, overlooking the side garden. She’d told Carly that it had always been her favourite room as a child, and that if she opened the window and looked to the right, she could see a strip of the beach. Carly had gladly accepted, excited to be on a different floor to her parents for the first time and to be the closest to the main bathroom.

Rick had designed and built an ingenious corner desk that sat under the window, with plenty of storage for Carly’s numerous art supplies, and a special platform for her easel so she could make the most of the light as she painted.

Ava and Rick’s room was the only living space on the upper level. Three years earlier, with some planning help from Rick, Flora had updated the kitchen and central heating system, installed a narrow staircase, and had the roof opened up at the back of the house. By adding two dormer windows, they’d created a spacious master bedroom, with a characterful pitched ceiling and an en-suite shower room, in what had been the attic space. Ava had questioned the wisdom of such a significant investment for her gran, undertaking a dramatic renovation at that stage of her life, but even as she’d tried to talk Flora out of it, deep inside, Ava had known that her gran was preparing Loch na brae for Ava and her family.

Now, as she walked across the wide-planked floor of their new bedroom, Ava caught the citrus scent of the cedar chest that sat in the corner, housing various woven blankets and throws that Flora had made for her over the years. As she opened the lid to add a moss-green shawl that she loved, Ava’s conscience prickled. Flora had never procrastinated when it came to matters of health, perhaps as a result of having a daughter with serious issues, but in the two days since they’d been here, with all the activity around settling in, and getting some painting done before their belongings arrived, Ava hadn’t registered with a doctor yet. As she’d hovered around Carly, watching her move easily around the house and garden, Ava’s fears had begun to subside, until this morning.

Carly had been in her room, hanging up the last of her clothes in the narrow pine wardrobe that stood against the wall. Checking on her progress, Ava had tapped on the door. ‘Can I come in, love?’ She’d hovered in the doorway, admiring the freshly painted, sunny room, as the morning light filtered in the window and cast a chequered pattern on the wooden floor.

‘Yep.’ Three hangers with long, brightly patterned shirts on them were hooked over Carly’s index finger. ‘I’m nearly done.’ She’d smiled at her mother. ‘Just got to hang these up.’ She’d moved towards the wardrobe and, before Ava could yelp a warning, Carly walked straight into the edge of the open door.

‘Oh, love.’ Ava had rushed over, taken the hangers from Carly’s hand and eased her onto the edge of the bed. ‘Let me see.’ She’d dropped the shirts, brushed the hair from Carly’s face and looked at the pink line already forming across the narrow, freckled forehead. ‘What’s going on, Carly?’ Her throat had knotted, as tears had begun to well in her daughter’s eyes. ‘Come on, sweetheart. You can tell me.’ She’d sat next to Carly, pulling her thin frame in to her side.

Carly had blinked several times, then tucked her hair behind her ears. ‘I don’t know Mum.’ She’d taken a shaky breath. ‘I can see spots. Like these weird black spots when I look at something.’ She’d pointed ahead of her and drawn a circle in the air.

Ava had felt as if the walls had shifted in closer to them as she’d taken a steadying breath. ‘Are the spots there all the time, or just sometimes?’ She’d edged away from Carly and turned to face her.

‘It was usually just in the morning, when I woke up. I thought I had sleep in my eyes, or maybe dust or something.’ Carly had sniffed. ‘But now it’s all the time.’ She’d looked up at her mother, and the fear Ava had seen in her sweet daughter’s face had threatened to choke her.

Nodding, to give herself a second to compose herself, she’d slid off the bed and knelt in front of Carly. ‘Let me see if I can see anything.’

She’d gently tilted Carly’s chin towards the window. As the light filled her eyes, Carly had flinched slightly, but the sky-blue irises had looked clear. Aside from the film of tears, there had been nothing unusual to see. Then, it had happened again. The left eyeball had twitched, a tiny but unmistakable movement.

Her insides flip-flopping, Ava had stood up and raked the hair away from her face. ‘I can’t see anything, love, but I think we should get you tested. Just in case.’ She’d found a smile. ‘You know, Daddy had to wear glasses for a couple of years, at your age, so if you need them too, for a while, it’s not the end of the world, right?’

Carly had shrugged. ‘I suppose not. But if I do, maybe I can get contacts?’ She’d sounded hopeful, the innocence of her statement tugging at Ava’s aching heart.

‘Sure, sweetheart. We’ll ask the optician.’ She’d beckoned to Carly. ‘Come and have some lunch. We can finish this later.’

As Carly had followed her into the kitchen, she’d tugged Ava to a stop. ‘Can we change the bulb in that bedside lamp in my room, Mum? It’s so bright, it hurts to look at.’

Ava had nodded, deliberately keeping her voice level. ‘Of course, love. We’ll find you something else.’

Now, Ava folded the shawl and slipped it into the chest. She’d managed to get an appointment for Carly with an optometrist, in nearby Tain, for the following morning. All she had to do now was focus on staying calm, try not to alarm her daughter, and manage the creep of anxiety that was filling her chest like hardening cement.

Startling her, Rick came up behind her, his arms circling her waist. ‘Are you OK?’ His coffee-scented breath brushed her cheek.

‘Yeah.’ She leaned back against his broad chest. ‘Just trying to stay busy.’

He turned her gently to face him, his eyes warm as he pulled her into a hug. ‘It’s probably nothing. Try not to worry.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘We’ll take her in tomorrow and I’m sure it’ll be the same thing as me. Glasses for a couple of years to sort out whatever is going on, then she’ll be right as rain.’

His words, rather than calming, left her feeling empty. Once again frustrated at his tendency to dismiss her concerns where Carly’s health was concerned, Ava gently eased out of his arms. ‘I’m not so sure.’ She ducked past him and lifted a pile of shirts from the bed. ‘I’m trying not to freak out, but if you’d seen the way her eye moved, Rick. It was bizarre.’ She avoided his gaze and stuffed the shirts into a deep chest of drawers, sitting under the window.

Rick walked over and took her hands in his. ‘Look, I’m not trying to make light of this.’ A slight frown creased his brow. ‘But you know how you are when it come. . .