Chapter 6

Simon took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment to try and steady his pounding heart. This wasn’t a meeting he was looking forward to; on the contrary, he would have preferred never to see this place, or its people, ever again. But he needed them. He had no choice.

Madeline slung Billy’s baby bag over her shoulder and clutched Simon’s hand as they walked off the transport together. It didn’t take long for Simon to hear the voice that would forever be engrained in his mind.

“Simon!” Regan Tam hurried toward her son, arms outstretched.

“Mother,” Simon allowed her to pull him into a tight embrace, careful to remain just stiff enough, just distant enough, that she didn’t crush Billy in the process. But as she held him, a completely unwelcome realization startled him. It felt good to lean on someone else for a change instead of having to be the one everyone else depended on. The feeling didn’t last long – he remembered what this woman had done to her children – or rather, had not done for them.

“Oh, it’s so good to have you back.” There were tears in Regan’s eyes. Simon couldn’t ever remember seeing tears there before. “Your father will meet us at home. He had a board meeting he simply couldn’t miss.” She directed him off the platform.

“Of course.” Simon carefully kept his disappointment hidden. Some things never changed. His children were never important enough for Gabriel Tam to leave work early.

Regan smiled down at Madeline and extended her hand. “Hello dear.”

Simon held his breath, hoping, praying, that the ruse would hold long enough for him to execute his plans.

Madeline glanced hesitantly up at Simon before un-enthusiastically reaching up to shake Regan’s hand. “Hello.”

Simon rested a comforting and calming hand on her back, giving her support when he knew Madeline just wanted to run and hide. The little girl didn’t like women at all.

“Oh, there’s no need to be shy, Madeline.”

Simon inwardly cringed at the saccharine sweet sound of his mother’s