February, 2018

Guess who just called me!!! Rose wrote to Ingrid one London afternoon – late morning New York City.

Who did?

Ingrid had a feeling, but wanted to see what her friend had to say.

Michelle Evans!!! Shocked emojis. I couldn't quite believe it. Why would she be calling me, after everything, you know? Turns out she had a 'business proposition' for me.

Ingrid grinned.

Yeah, I know.

You do???

How??

Why?

Oh, let me guess... was this your doing??

Oh, you cunning little...

Yup! Ingrid laughed.

It was my idea

Wanted to see your show for myself. Wink.

Also I need to sell some booze & make some cash asap so win-win!

Rose sent a string of laughing emojis.

Fair enough!!

Liz's always wanted to try out America. So we were going to cross the pond at some point!

Wasn't expecting it to be so soon, though!!

Especially after all the wedding expenses...

You reached out just in time!

Thanks so much, Ingrid – we both love you tremendously for this!!!

My pleasure, ladies.

Hey, will you talk to the girls – see if they could make the trip?

I might be able to get Michelle to bring Sienna over but...

Oh, that's such a brilliant idea!!

But then again, you've always been full of those!

Sure, I'll ask and see! It'd be so lovely if we could organise a little reunion in NYC! How fabulous...

Rose attached a row of sparkling hearts to her messages and a plethora of kisses. They chatted for a little while longer, exchanging holiday anecdotes, until Ingrid had to focus back on work.

Being back at the office in the new year had been frightening, yet refreshing. The boxing had helped strengthen her spirit. Spending time with all three Brennans had brightened her mood. And now without Yvonne – who'd learned she was pregnant and elected to remain in London with her husband – sorting through their workload and all the administrative details had become somewhat more challenging.

Ingrid had thrown herself into it. The office and the townhouse turned into her safe havens and she had Murphy shuttling her back and forth between them. Then there was the self-defence training and her newfound interest in stick-fighting, ever since buying her badass skull-topped cane.

She had enough going on to keep her content, and safe, and with Michelle approving possibly her best project idea so far, Ingrid wondered if she'd ever been happier.

*

Cait, who'd moved into Yvonne's vacated bedroom, climbed down for a late dinner one evening, walking in on Ingrid and her dad cuddling and kissing on the extended living-room sofa. She backed away quickly, though, and they never noticed her. The girl giggled to herself.

Normally, they'd never be so careless, but now without Yvonne, and Priyanka spending most of her time at her boyfriend's, the secret lovebirds pretty much had the house to themselves. Murphy, who surely knew of the affair, mainly kept to his room, anyway. And Caitlin didn't mind. In fact, she liked seeing them together.

Clearing her throat, Cait mustered some composure and made her presence known as she sauntered into the room. Her dad sat up and smiled at her.

"Hey there, pumpkin." He held out an arm, which he put around her shoulders as she rounded the sofa and sat beside him.

Ingrid lay on her back, with her hands under her head, just a few inches away.

Caitlin hugged her father. "Hey, daddy. Sorry, was I interrupting?"

She feigned ignorance but Ingrid seemed to sniff it out.

"No, not at all," the older woman said, with a peculiar glint in her eye. "What's up, sunshine?"

Cait shrugged. "Got hungry. Came down to see if there was anything I could grab a bite of."

"Well, you're in luck," Edgar said, standing up and dragging his daughter along, "because Ingrid made spaghetti earlier and I swear, it's the best spaghetti you'll ever have."

The woman in question laughed. "You must have not eaten any good spaghetti ever, then!"

"Will you shut up and learn to take a compliment?"

Ingrid rolled her eyes at him. "Honey, I can take a fucking compliment when it ain't no blatant lie!"

Cait chuckled. "Let's try that spaghetti, then."

They all walked into the kitchen and Edgar heated up a serving of spaghetti for his daughter. Ingrid went straight for the wine in the fridge, emptying the bottle in two glasses for her and Cait.

"What about me?" Edgar pouted.

"You pop open another one, strongman," Ingrid told him.

Edgar struck a tensioned pose to get his muscles to stand out, making some animalistic grunting noises to go with it. His audience of two laughed out loud and he pulled Ingrid to him. She collided with his chest and her hands rested on his pectorals as he kissed her forehead.

Then the microwave began to beep and ruined their moment.

She detached herself from him to get the spaghetti plate to Cait, while he grabbed a new bottle of wine, popping it open. Cait took her dinner to the living room and Ingrid and Edgar trailed behind her with the wine.

They sat up chatting for hours, until at some point Ingrid went very quiet. Father and daughter glanced over to the curled-up figure. She'd fallen dead asleep. Edgar watched over her with a tender look plastered on his face.

Cait crawled over, clinging on to him. "Why aren't you getting a divorce?" she whispered.

He rubbed at her back, eyes still trained on Ingrid's body. "Oh, pumpkin. Would that it were so simple."

The girl grinned into his chest at the quoted line. "Do you think Ingrid has seen Hail, Caesar?"

"I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not."

"We should watch it together if she hasn't."

Edgar kissed his daughter's head. "Sure thing, pumpkin. Now I should probably get her to bed. God knows she needs a good night's rest."

He got up and endeavoured to scoop Ingrid up in his arms without waking her. Cait walked with him upstairs and held open the door to Ingrid's bedroom, pulling the blanket off the bed as Edgar lowered her onto the mattress. He tucked her in, then father and daughter stayed up a little while longer in his room.

"Is it because mum won't agree to it?" Cait asked, bringing the divorce up again.

Edgar sighed. "She could be made to agree. But it's much more complicated than that. And besides... it wouldn't change a thing between me and Ingrid. She's married her boss once before and... well, you know how that went."

"But you're not like that!" Cait argued. "You love her! And I know she loves you, even though she won't admit it. I know she does. It's just – living like this, it just seems so miserable."

"I can't say that it isn't. But... it's the best I can do. The best we can do. I've learned my lesson the hard way, there's no rushing or forcing Ingrid into anything. You either take what she offers or you leave her alone. Right now, I... I don't want to leave her alone. It's... fragile, but we're happy. For the first time in fucking forever..."

"I'm sorry," Cait muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"I'm sorry I got you stuck with mum," the girl said, tears resounding in her voice.

"Hey. Hey..." Edgar cupped her face. "Don't say that. Don't you ever say that. Hell, don't even think it. Caitlin – look at me."

She looked up in his eyes, twins of her own.

"You and your brother are the best things that have ever happened to me. Don't you ever forget that. I've always loved you and I always will. I've only got myself to blame for any misery I might be going through, but not you. Never you."

Cait began to sob outright and lost herself in her father's embrace.

"Oh, pumpkin. I'm so sorry..."

"I love you, daddy. I do. I just want you to be happy."

"I know. I know, sweetheart. Shh, there, there."

They stood hugging for a while, holding onto each other, transferring whatever feelings they could not express in words through their synchronised heartbeats, from body to body.

*

March, 2018

Agata and Freddie couldn't get out of work commitments, after all, but Sienna with her daughter Rosie, alongside Michelle Evans, joined Rose and Liz on the private jet their sponsor had chartered for the occasion.

Ingrid was waiting for them on the tarmac at the airport and as soon as her feet touched the ground, Rose dashed in her direction and hugged the living lights out of Ingrid. Liz caught up and joined in, while Sienna had her baby girl wave her little hand at her aunties.

"Goodness, she's grown so big!" Ingrid exclaimed, once she was released from the three-way embrace. "Hi, Rosie! Hey, sweetie..." Ingrid made faces at the child before she wrapped her arms around Sienna, who then passed the baby to her.

Ingrid heaved as she took Rosie in her arms, surprised by the extra weight. She'd been such a light little baby less than a year ago. Now she was a chubby child, with the biggest, roundest eyes and a perpetual toothless grin. Her tiny limbs waved around in excitement and her fingers nearly poked Ingrid's eyes out.

"Ooh, feisty!" Ingrid noted, grabbing the baby's wrists to keep her hands at a safe distance. "Hi, Michelle," Ingrid then greeted the woman who'd just approached, with the aircraft's crew in tow.

Sienna took her daughter back so Ingrid and Michelle could shake hands.

"Ingrid." The older woman mustered a crisp smile. "Ian?"

"Waiting for us at the house. The old geezer's throwing a birthday party."

Michelle laughed. "If he's an old geezer, what does that make me?"

"You? Why, you're a fabulous hag."

Devilish mischief sparked in Ingrid's eyes, mirrored flawlessly in Michelle's fiery gaze.

"Normally, that would have earned you a fabulous fist in the teeth."

"Bring it on," Ingrid grinned, backing away towards the pick-up car, with her arms spread open. "I've punched enough sandbags, 'bout time I tried out some human meat."

Michelle quirked an eyebrow as Ingrid pulled the backseat door open for her.

"You've been boxing?"

"Every now and again."

Ingrid helped Sienna get in with Rosie beside Michelle and she hopped into the passenger seat of the second car. Ingrid twisted around to beam at her talented artist friends.

"Ladies – welcome to the Big Apple!"

Rose and Liz cheered loudly.

"Can't fucking believe you pulled this shit off," Liz commented, looking as incredulous as she sounded.

"Oh, sister, you better believe it, 'cause you're about to have the time of your fucking lives!"

The three friends laughed and whistled. The car started up, following the one with Michelle and Sienna ahead of it. They took a detour downtown, so the gang could first check in at their hotel, then after strong coffees, showers and wardrobe changes, the warrior women headed for Ian's birthday dinner at the Brennan townhouse.

Ian welcomed them with open arms, kissed all the cheeks and shook all the hands, introduced his daughter and swooned over Sienna's. As if she remembered him, Rosie looked thrilled when Ian took her from her mother and held her gingerly to his chest.

"You're a big girl now, aren't you?" he cooed. "Yes, you are... Yeah, you are!"

Her little fingers wrapped around his thumb as she giggled. Ingrid watched him entertain the little girl, carrying her around the room and letting her pick out whatever objects caught her eye. A dull ache pulsed behind Ingrid's ribs at the sight.

The living room had been set up as a dining room for the night and after throwing princess Pri into the eclectic mix of ladies, she guided them to their seats at the table.

Sienna hesitated. Her eyes kept darting back and forth between her chair and Ian with her baby and she started when Ingrid showed up at her side.

"Relax," Ingrid said, squeezing her friend's shoulder. "He's not going to run away with her or something."

Sienna blushed. "No, that's not it, I... I really don't mean to impose..."

"Don't be ridiculous! He's loving it, can't you see?"

Sienna chanced a glance in Cait's direction. The redhead smiled. The young mother returned the gesture and finally sat down.

As if sensing the attention, Ian walked back to the table with the baby and left her with Sienna while he fetched the high chair he'd purchased specially for the occasion. The two of them strapped Rosie in, then he took his seat at the head of the table.

Michelle sat at the other end. Cait and Ingrid sat on either side of Ian, with Rose and Liz beside Caitlin, Sienna and Pri beside Ingrid.

"Have you ever been this outnumbered?" Michelle asked, narrowing her smoky-shadowed eyes at Ian.

"No," he answered, grinning as he looked around the table, "I don't think so but I love it."

"That's the right answer," Michelle said and laughter rippled round the table.

"A toast!" Ian proposed once the chuckles had died down. "To the fascinating women in our lives, without whom we wouldn't exist, or if we did – that'd be a dreadfully bland existence. To you."

He tilted his glass, gazing briefly at each of the women.

"To us," Michelle replied, "because you're damn right you wouldn't exist otherwise."

*

Murphy drove the women back to the hotel after dinner and Cait retreated to her room soon after. That gave Ingrid and Edgar ample opportunity to cuddle naked in her bed under the duvet.

"Tonight was so much fun," he murmured over her lips, cradling her waist against his body. "Thanks for making it possible."

He kissed her and she breathed him in, moulding herself to his shape.

"Happy birthday, you old geezer."

He chuckled into her mouth. "Not half-bad for my age, huh?"

"Not at all," she agreed, letting her hands trail down his pectorals.

He thrust his hips into her palm, on a drawn-out, satisfied exhale.

"I've got something for you," Ingrid whispered.

Edgar grunted. "You mean... something other than this?"

Ingrid gave him a lightweight stroke before she turned away to retrieve something from the nightstand drawer. A colourful metal box, from which Edgar produced an engraved wristwatch. It had a simple, elegant design, with a burnished brown leather strap and a white clock face with Roman numerals.

The engraving on the back read: well aged whiskey.

Edgar laughed. "Really?"

Ingrid shrugged. "Felt appropriate."

"It is." He examined his present closely. "I love it. Thank you, Ingrid. Now I'll always have something to remember you by – not that I needed it, because you're not someone I'd be able to easily forget. But it'll be nice to have this memento."

"You're welcome. Glad you like it."

He replaced the watch in the box and the box on his nightstand. They made love and went to sleep spooning, Ingrid's back pressed into Edgar's chest.

Vivid nightmares plagued her slumber, visions of death, blood and gore like splinters of hellfire, screams bubbling out from a torture-filled cauldron. She jolted awake, her heart running a marathon in her ribcage.

She reached behind her, found Edgar, felt him hold her tighter against him and she relaxed in his embrace guarding her. She heard him groan – must have woken him up – but he only nuzzled her hair and moved his legs to tangle them with hers. His hand pushed softly into her stomach as he arched to meet her every curve.

Ingrid leaned into him and closed her eyes, smiling.

*

song of the chapter: who run the world by beyonce (i had to lol)

https://youtu.be/VBmMU_iwe6U