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‘I’ve got that covered I brought enough to get through the first days’ She was beside hi up a sealed packet with a teddy bear with oats in its paw on the front ‘Just need a s to heat this up’

‘I’ll have to get her onto pasta quick-s Elene what she required, Mattia returned to concentrating on the pasta sauce Burning it in front of her was not an option Nor was letting the water boil over again

Silence fell between thes as she placed block on top of block, only to have them tuain, until Elene knelt down to straighten the stack after each placement Finally all the blocks were used up and Ai her hands wildly and knocking the stack over

Mattia watched theether Two very different heads bent over the blocks One with straight auburn hair, the other black and curly Chalk and cheese Elene and Aimee ‘Why did Danielle choose Aimee for a name?’

That auburn head flipped up, a challenge in her gaze ‘You don’t like her name?’

‘Did I say that? I ondering if there was a connection to someone Danielle had been close to, someone special’ He liked the name even if it wasn’t Italian

She nodded ‘Danielle was raised by her Grandma Aimee’

Mattia nodded ‘That’s nice Middle name?’

Defiance filled her eyes ‘Elene’

‘So she’s got an Italian name I like that Surname?’ Shut up Mattia snatched up the pot and drained the water from the pasta And waited for the explosion

Elene knew Mattia ht now she needed to take it easy They’d been together for only a couple of hours and there were ordinary things to do, like feeding Aiy wore off Deliberately or not, he’d lured her into a false sense of security Concentration was required so as not to

‘Don’t tell rowled impatiently

Her hackles rose in an instant ‘What would be wrong with that?’ Her father would’ve been proud for Aimee to have the family name

‘Nothing, I suppose’

‘You suppose? Oh, buster, you suppose nothing You haven’t got a clue what’s happened since you left Wellington What Danielle wanted for her daughter What she suffered, knowing she’d never see Airow up All you’re worried about is a name’ Where did those damned tears come fro her tight, only Mattia was there, holding out a paper towel for her to wipe her face before he picked up his daughter

‘Tell me more so I am clued up’

Reaching for her wine, Elene drew deep breaths She and Danielle had tried to prepare for thisher friend’s reasons for refusing to tell Mattia about his child, and her own fear that he’d want full custody of his daughter

‘Elene?’ He said her na her deter about her must be difficult’

She nodded ‘Did Danielle ever mention her childhood to you?’ She’d be surprised if she had

Topping up her glass, Mattia said, ‘Not a word’

‘Her ht her up Make that dragged her up There was little money, a continuous stream of women ere unkind to her, and she had few friends At fourteen she got pregnant and her father tried to force her to have an abortion Somehow, and I’m not sure of the details here, she avoided the tern the baby over for adoption’

Mattia swore ‘That’s cruel How did he get aith it? It shouldn’t have been his call to make’