She shrugged and appeared to consider this, but then she turned to him and her face was as open as he remembered when they’d first met. ‘I panicked when no one would put me in touch with you—’ She was holding something behind her back. ‘I was worried about you, Raffa. I don’t think you or Tyr has the slightest idea how many people care about you, or how they worry when you go off radar. For God’s sake,’ she exclaimed, tears welling in her eyes, ‘I’ve already lost a brother. Do you seriously think I could bear to lose you?’
‘You haven’t lost Tyr, and you haven’t lost me, Leila. I could never reach you when I rang, and I tried I don’t know how many times.’
She thought about this for a moment. ‘Eva must have told Reception not to put you through. It’s the type of thing she does when she’s trying to protect me and doesn’t realise she’s only making things worse. But you’re right. I should have tried harder— I should have found some way to tell you—’
‘No. I’m just as much to blame,’ he agreed. ‘Now, show me what you’ve got behind your back.’
She handed him an envelope.
‘What’s this?’ His guts twisted as he remembered the last time he’d read a letter from Leila.
‘I started to write to you, then realised that was about as pointless as putting a letter up the chimney for Santa. And if I sent it to the office, I didn’t want it lying forgotten on your desk. It’s too important for that. Why don’t you open it, Raffa? Please...’
Opening the envelope, he pulled out a small black-and-white photograph. He stared at it in silence. It was an image from the latest scan. Twins. Two little people...one blowing bubbles, while the other sucked his or her thumb.
‘Our babies, Raffa,’ Leila said gently. ‘Your children...and mine.’
Wave after wave of emotion crashed over him. Feelings he’d bottled up for years ran riot inside him. Tears sprang to his eyes, and he had never cried. He could never have predicted that seeing his children would affect him like this.
‘Raffa...’
He couldn’t speak yet. He couldn’t think coherently. All he wanted to do was to stare at the image on the tiny piece of paper.
‘Please don’t disappear again, Raffa. I was so frightened for you.’
Still holding the scan, he turned slowly to look at Leila. He doubted he could ever bear to be parted from this small piece of evidence, let alone give it back to her.
‘Raffa?’ she said again.
Shaking himself round, he went to kneel at her feet, and, taking her hands in his, he held them tightly. ‘Leila... Look at me. I’m so sorry. I should never have left you. I should never have listened to you and your ridiculous notion that you needed space, or to my own stubborn belief that who I am is cast in stone. We’re both far too stubborn, you and I.’
A small smile crept onto her face. ‘How could I have contacted you if I needed you? Never do that to me again, Raffa. We’re not alone any more. We have these two to think about.’
As she spoke Leila stroked her hand over the curve of her belly, and as his grip tightened on the scan he knew his life had changed for ever. And for the better by far.
She laughed softly. ‘It would probably be more convenient for everyone if I were still Leila the peacemaker, the sister who goes along with what everyone else wants for the sake of a quiet life—’