“Mum?” Charlie called out blearily from the bottom of the stairs. It was the following morning and Annie was sitting at the breakfast bar in her pajamas. “You’re not dressed.”

She looked up and smiled. “I’m not going into work today, love. I’m staying home with you instead.”

The look on her son’s face said it all. A bright smile lit up his features, causing Annie to smile, too.

“Really? You’re not going into the salon?”

“Nope.”

The salon was the last place she wanted to be today. Saturday was their busiest day, of course, but there was no point in her sitting in the office, stressing over things she couldn’t control. She’d done enough of that.

Besides, there was something else she needed to take care of.

“But you never take a day off,” Charlie continued, shocked.

“What? Should I change my mind and go to work instead?” she teased.

“No!” he shouted as he ran and threw his arms around her with a laugh. “No way!”

Again, Annie felt guilty because of all the long hours at the salon that had taken her away from Charlie, but there had been no other option.

She was the only one who was going to provide for him. In recent years she’d managed to carve out more time, but it would never quell the regret she felt for having been so absent in his life as a toddler while she tried to make a go of #GlamSquad.

He was the reason she’d worked so hard in the first place, and why she’d been so absolutely determined to see her (and Felicity’s) original plan through, despite her unexpected pregnancy.

“How about a nice walk after breakfast?” she suggested, kissing him on the cheek. “And then maybe a movie later?”

“In the day?” he questioned, wide-eyed. “But you never let me watch TV in the daytime.”

“Well, today is a new day,” Annie declared, as her phone dinged.

Her breath caught in her throat as she glanced at the screen alert to find a reply to the email she’d sent the day before had finally arrived.

Free to talk now if you like. What’s this about?

Followed by a number for her to call.

Annie’s heart thumped with both fear and shame as she realized she was really going to do this. She had to.

“Love, tell you what—I’ve just got to make a quick phone call. How about you chill out for a bit, maybe do some coloring, and then we’ll head out for our walk, OK?”

“Maybe some cartoons instead?” He grinned, ever the negotiator, and she distractedly smiled back, her emotions all over the place.

“Just for a little while. But then we go for a walk, OK? It’s a beautiful day out.”

He scurried off into the living room, pleased at the unexpected opportunity to watch TV.