Amazing Grace

Chapter 19

When Grace’s phone rang the day before dinner at Ruth’s, and Mark’s name appeared on her screen, her heart slumped. She didn’t know why after all this time she still had a very strange ‘oh no, what have I done now?’ feeling going on right in the pit of her stomach whenever she saw his name on her phone.

‘Grace! I need you to have Archie tomorrow night.’ No ‘please’, no asking, just a statement. Experience had taught her that it wasn’t worth getting into a prolonged argument about it, so she bit her tongue, saying sweetly, ‘OK Mark, what time do you want to drop him off?’

‘Oh!’ he said, clearly not expecting this response. ‘Are you sure that’s OK? It’s just that Archie mentioned you were going out. I was hoping around six.’

‘OK great, see you then. Must fly, I’m just going out. Byeee!’ She ended the call. Now all she had to do was tell Vinnie that she wouldn’t be able to go to Ruth’s for dinner. She called his number but his answerphone kicked in so she left a message explaining what had happened and how sorry she was that the plans for the following evening would have to change.

Five minutes later the phone rang and Grace was delighted when she recognised the voice on the other end.

‘Grace, darling, it’s Ruth. I’ve just had a text from Vincent, saying that your ex has changed your plans for tomorrow night. I’m so sorry my love but your plans most certainly have not been scuppered. Just bring Archie with you. My little guy and girls would love to have another playmate. They’ll make him feel at home. Bring some jim-jams with you and if he falls asleep you can stick him in one of the spare beds and then take him home when you’re ready. How does that sound?’

‘Oh, Ruth, you are a love, are you sure? I don’t want to put you out at all.’

‘Grace, another child when you already have three doesn’t make a blind bit of difference. I’d planned for the kids to have party food in their den while we eat in the dining room, so it’s no trouble at all. I insist!’

‘That would be lovely, I was really looking forward to coming so thank you for letting me bring Archie.’

‘I’m glad he’s coming, because it means that our children can meet each other and have some fun. Win-win all round. So we’ll see you at seven then? Must fly. I think one of my children is about to murder one of the others! They are lovely, really. Honest! Ta-ta for now!’

Nothing seemed to faze Ruth. She was completely awesome and like a breath of fresh air. Grace really liked her and hoped they would become good friends. She had lots of other friends in her life but had really felt the loss of a sister-character in her life, ever since Hannah had moved to Florida. She got the same warm feeling from Ruth that she did from her big sister. She beamed as her phone beeped to say she had a message.

Sorry I couldn’t respond, I’m in a meeting. I’ve texted Ruth to ask if it’s OK to bring Archie tomorrow night. I don’t know why I asked really as I knew the answer would be yes! She’s going to call you. I’ll call you when I’m out of my meeting. Hope you are having a lovely day. Can’t stop thinking about you.Vx

Grace’s heart did a little leap, reading the words on the screen. This man seemed too good to be true – she just hoped that he was all he appeared to be.

* * *

She didn’t know why, but the prospect of going to dinner at Ruth’s with Archie made her feel a little apprehensive. When Mark dropped off Archie, Grace stood at the door and didn’t invite him in, hoping that he would take the hint and leave.

‘Sorry if it’s spoilt your night.’ He smirked. ‘Archie had mentioned that you were going out.’

‘Not spoilt my night at all, Mark,’ she replied. ‘Just means that Archie can come with me, so it’s all worked out really well actually.’

Mark’s smirk disappeared. She realised that once again, this was just a little game of his and that he’d done it on purpose. She smiled sweetly and dismissed him quickly. ‘Come on, darling, say bye to Dad.’

As she shut the door, she exhaled a big sigh.

‘You OK, Mummy?’

‘OK, Arch? How can I not be OK when the most important person in my life is right here, right now?’

‘I love you, Mum.’

‘Love you more, sweetie! Now, go and see if there’s anything you want to take with you to Vinnie’s sister’s. We have about forty-five minutes before Vinnie arrives to pick us up. I’ve put some smart clothes out on your bed so if you can pop them on too, that would be great. I’m just going to put some make-up on and try and make myself look respectable.’

‘You don’t need make-up, Mum, you’re beautiful anyway!’

‘Thank you, but I’m a bit sweaty this evening. I’m really hot.’

‘Yes you are, Mum!’ He giggled.

‘You are such a smoothie, Archie.’ She smiled, secretly very proud of her beautiful boy who one day would make someone a most fabulous husband.

* * *

‘Mum, Vinnie’s here. Can I open the door?’ Archie had been waiting with his arm around Becks at the lounge window for the longest time, eager to see Vinnie again.

‘Yes, darling, you can. I’ll just be a minute.’

‘Hey dude! How you doing?’ Vinnie asked as he came in, high-fived Archie and patted Becks on the head.

‘To tell the truth, Vinnie, I think Mum is a bit nervous about tonight.’

‘Oh, is that right? There’s nothing for her to be nervous about, you know.’ Vinnie had a suspicion that Archie was using his mum as an excuse and that it was him who was the nervous one. ‘My sister and her family are some of my most favourite people in the world and now you and your mum are on that list too and I think you are all going to get along just brilliantly. The kids are going to love you, you are going to love them too and they are so looking forward to meeting you. They are really rather excited, so my sister tells me.’

‘Really? OK, cool,’ Archie replied. ‘I have to just go to the loo. Dad kept giving me Coke all afternoon and I can’t stop weeing. Sorry if that’s TMI by the way. Dad kept telling me not to be nervous but I think it’s made me worse.’

Vinnie smiled. So Mark had been trying to wind him up. Nice touch, Mark!

Grace bounded down the stairs. She’d worried about what to wear all day, but after hearing Monica’s voice in her head as she rummaged through her wardrobe, she’d finally settled on a purple-and-pink wrap dress and neutral-coloured wedges. She grabbed her black faux-fur jacket from the coat rack and popped it round her shoulders as she grabbed a warm coat and a Minions rucksack containing Archie’s pyjamas. ‘Let’s go! See you, Becks.’

They arrived at Ruth’s fifteen minutes later. Before they’d even had the chance to ring the front door bell, the door was flung open and Ruth appeared with a pinny on over the top of a lovely flowery vintage tea dress. Grace had only ever seen her in her coffee-shop uniform so it was lovely to see her look so feminine.

‘Uncle Vinnie!’ yelled three voices, and a hoard of children suddenly appeared at the door, fighting to see who could hug their uncle first.

‘Darlings, come out of the way and let these wonderful people through the door and meet Grace and Archie. You’ve probably already gathered that this is my brood,’ she said as she introduced her children one by one. You could tell by the look in her eye that they were her pride and joy.

Archie stood close to Grace, seemingly too shy to say anything, until Harry said, ‘Hey, Archie, would you like to come into the den and play FIFA with me? Uncle Vinnie says you are amazing at it and know lots of tricks and I wondered whether you’d teach me.’ Archie looked up at Grace for approval, and she bent down to his level, as she always tried to when speaking to him about something important.

‘Are you going to go and play, sweetie? I’ll be right here if you need me.’

‘OK, Mummy,’ he said as he turned and smiled at Harry, and before they’d reached the den, Grace could hear laughter.

‘Phew! That went well,’ said Ruth. ‘You look fabulous, darling! Those colours really suit you. Now, what can I get you? We have red, white or rosé wine, or do you fancy a GT or a Pimms?’

‘Oh, a GT would be perfect please, and I love your dress too,’ Grace replied as Ruth led the way to a large kitchen-diner where a very handsome, grey-haired, tall man was stirring something on the cooker.

‘Well, I’m in my uniform all day, and when I come home I normally change straight into my jim-jams. Mike told me I should dress up more often. Didn’t you, darling? You can stop stirring now, by the way.’ Ruth went over and put her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. Grace could see the deep love that these two people had for each other shining through. They looked adoringly at each other and she hoped that one day, she’d still feel like that about a special someone after they’d been together for years, and she hoped that special someone wasn’t too far away.

‘And this, Grace, is my gorgeous current husband, Mike.’

Grace went to shake his hand but instead he enveloped her in a bear hug.

‘Ha! My wife likes to keep me on my toes! Now, from everything that Ruth has been telling me about you, you are exactly how I imagined you. It’s so lovely to meet you, Grace. I’ve heard so much about you that I wasn’t sure if my wife had a girl crush. Oh, and by the way, I love the fact that we finally get Vinnie out of our hair now he’s met someone lovely to spend some time with. He’s here all the time and we just can’t get rid of him.’ He grinned.

‘Oi, I am here, you know,’ Vinnie said as he went forward and gave his brother-in-law a hearty hug.

‘You know you’re part of the fixtures and fittings here, mate! You’re always welcome in our house.’

Grace could instantly see the special bond the men had.

‘Right, let’s get the bar open! GTs all round?’

‘Not for me, mate, I’m in the driving seat tonight and I have two very important passengers that I’m taking care of.’

Grace smiled at him across the room as Ruth tucked her arm inside hers and led her through to a lounge which was large, beautifully decorated and impeccably tidy with candles glowing on the mantelpiece and fairy lights shimmering above a huge mirror.

‘Crikey, I wish my lounge was this stunning and tidy!’ Grace said, envying the gorgeous room.

‘I’d like to take the credit for that, but I can’t. The cleaner came in yesterday and I’ve not allowed anyone in this room since, apart from to light the fire and the candles.’ She laughed. ‘The poor children are banned from here as it’s the only grown-up room in the house and we like to keep it that way. I love my children, but I also love the fact that we have a huge family room that we spend most of our time in so that we can have somewhere that we can keep clean and tidy for visitors.’

‘Wow, you have a cleaner, how fabulous.’

‘We both work hard and the last thing I want us to do on our days off is to spend it cleaning. Life is for living and making memories with your family. It’s too short to spend doing dull things like cleaning, and worse than that, arguing about the cleaning and who’s going to do what. We made a decision a long time ago that this was our treat to our family and it is an important cog that helps the family to be in harmony. We don’t go out that much, don’t drink too much, and don’t smoke, so our cleaner is our little bit of luxury while we can afford it. You should do it, it’ll change your life.’

‘What a great idea,’ Grace said, silently adding finding a cleaner to her list of things to do in her head. She spent a lot of time at the weekends cleaning and Ruth was right, life was too short to spend doing such mundane boring stuff. And with a dog and a child to clean up after, she felt like she was on a constant treadmill vacuuming up dog hair and sweeping mud that came off Archie’s football boots.

They chatted comfortably, then Mike came through to the lounge after about ten minutes, announcing that he’d fed the kids and that the grown-ups’ dinner was ready and invited them through to the dining room. He placed an enormous plate on the table, which consisted of chicken and fish goujons, raw vegetables, hummus, and a selection of amazing breads and dips.

Grace was sat facing Vinnie, who grinned at her constantly. Ruth and Mike were at the opposite ends of the table.

‘So Grace, tell me about yourself,’ Mike joked, ‘and I’ll tell you if you’ve got the job.’

They all laughed and Grace started by saying that she was mum to Archie and Becks and she talked about her job, which she said she enjoyed. He asked about her family and Grace talked about losing her beautiful mother to cancer after a ten-year fight and how her father had gone rapidly downhill after losing his life partner, but that he’d found a new lease of life since he’d moved into the retirement village. She talked about her sister and how much she missed Hannah who was now happily creating a life in the US.

After she finished eating, she said, ‘That was divine.’

‘All home-made too, even the hummus. Isn’t he the best?’ Ruth explained how Mike was a closet chef and his hobby was cooking. ‘What a stroke of luck,’ said Grace, ‘as my hobby is eating!’

‘Give us a hand, mate.’ Mike asked Vinnie to help clear the table and she could hear their low voices in the kitchen while she and Ruth chatted amiably. She thought she heard Mike say, ‘Have you told her yet?’ and Vinnie say, ‘Just drop it mate, please.’

As they came back into the dining room, Mike was frowning but was soon smiling again. He came through holding a huge casserole dish full of the most gorgeously aromatic chicken she’d ever smelt. Vinnie followed, carrying a dish of garlic roast potatoes, and a huge bowl full of fresh vegetables, which Ruth explained had been picked from their allotment by Mike and the children that afternoon.

After that, Grace didn’t think she could possibly eat another thing, until Ruth brought out a deliciously light lemon mouse and a huge Eton Mess which she declared the easiest pudding to make, and insisted that Grace had a bit of each.

They were all fit to burst, Grace exclaiming, ‘Mike, you should apply for Masterchef!’ Mike cleared the table. As they moved into the lounge, Ruth asked Grace how she’d coped with not having her mum around. Grace mentioned that she’d been to see a medium a few months after her mum died and had been many times since and how much it had helped her.

Grace saw Ruth glance at both Mike and Vinnie and a very strange expression came across their faces. ‘Oh no, I’m so sorry. Have I said something to upset you all?’ she asked.

‘No, darling, it’s just that we have a standing argument in this family about going to see a medium. I would love to go but am petrified, Vinnie would love to go and hasn’t done anything about it because he’s a big wuss and Mike is totally against us going. I know that Vinnie has told you about our darling Meredith, but we’d love to see if she comes through to us. It’s a bit of a sticking point, to be honest. Would you mind telling us about your experiences and perhaps it’ll help us to decide whether we need to take it further?’

* * *

It was nearly the middle of December, the year they’d lost their darling mum, and the whole family were unsure how they were supposed to get through a Christmas without her. How would they sit around a Christmas dinner table without someone that had always been there, an empty chair where she should be sitting? Just thinking about it had made Grace want to cancel the whole day.

While out shopping one day for Archie’s presents, Grace had walked past a shop that she’d walked past many times, which was advertising a spiritual event in a church with a number of local mediums. The need to find out more completely overwhelmed her and she went into the shop and asked the lady behind the counter if she knew anything personally about the event.

It turned out that the lady who owned the shop was a medium and did private readings and Grace’s heart soared as she considered the possibility of an appointment, but it soon came crashing back down to earth when she was told that the woman was booked up for months ahead. Grace had said that she’d pop back in again after Christmas and turned to walk out of the shop. Unbeknown to the shop owner, tears started to fall from Grace’s eyes but quickly stopped when she was called back by the medium. Gently, the medium asked her to come back the following Tuesday night as she felt an overwhelming urge to help her. As Grace walked out of the shop, wondering what on earth she’d done, her mobile rang and it was Hannah.

‘Hey babes, just phoning to say hi. How are you doing today? I’m struggling a bit to be honest. Hope you don’t mind me calling. I just felt the need to pick up the phone to you. I didn’t want to talk to anyone else. Just my little sis.’

‘Of course not, love, in fact you’ll never guess what I’ve just done! I’ve only gone and booked a session with a medium. I was just going to message you to tell you.’

‘You haven’t! How could you do that without me? I want to come too.’ She laughed.

‘Shall I see if you can come with me? I can pop back in and ask.’

‘Oh, I don’t know now. I want to but I don’t want to. Oh, bugger it, yes please. Will you ask?’

Grace went in and asked if she could take someone along and the medium smiled and said of course. She dropped Hannah a text to tell her it was all sorted.

The following Tuesday, just before they went into the shop where they were due to see the medium, Grace felt the strangest sensation in her legs – it felt as if there was no circulation in them at all from the knees down. Hannah laughed at Grace as she rubbed her legs to warm them up, but Grace brushed it off, putting it down to the fact that it was a very cold December night.

The room smelled of incense and candles and was warm and cosy. ‘So, my name is Michelle, as you know. Please sit and try to relax. The way this works is that if any spirits come through to me, I will give you evidence so that you know who they are. Is that OK?’

Hannah and Grace nodded, nervous and full of anticipation, clutching at each other’s hands.

‘There is a lady here trying to make contact with you but she’s struggling because she’s so upset. She’s someone who has very recently passed to the spirit world after battling with cancer and is devastated to leave her family. Do you know who that could be?’

Michelle became very emotional at this point and said that she needed to hold her chakra stick to ground herself because the spirit’s sadness was flowing through her and was making her feel a little overwhelmed. Tears started to stream down both Hannah’s and Grace’s cheeks as they hoped and prayed that this was their mum trying to get through to them.

‘Your mum wants to thank you girls for all you did during her illness. She knows how you both sat for hours on end at her bedside and she wants you to know that even though she couldn’t communicate for the last few days, she could hear everything that was going on. She says that she is glad that you are wearing her rings, Grace, and that she loved the freesias that you put in her coffin.’

The next thing she said stunned them all as Michelle explained that their mum was new to the spirit world and had to find her own way of communicating with her girls. She would do this by letting them feel a cold sensation in parts of their bodies. Grace and Hannah were astounded and both smiled through their tears at the fact that their mum could make contact in this way.

‘Your mum says that she will always be around her girls and will never leave your side. Just as she tried to be the best mum she could be in life, she will continue to do this in death; the only real difference is that you can’t see her any more. She wants you to carry on talking to her; she hears everything you say and she wants you to try to see through your sadness by knowing that she’s really not far away and will still always be there to wipe away your tears.’

At the end of the reading, the sisters, who were still a bit dazed by the events of the evening, as well as extremely emotional, went back to Grace and Mark’s house. Seeing their distress, he asked them what had happened but then sneered when Hannah told him, saying that they were both ridiculous for believing in someone who was clearly a charlatan and taking advantage of two people who were going through immense grief.

Despite his attempts to belittle everything they felt, Grace and Hannah felt a huge sense of peace and calm, something they hadn’t felt since their mum had passed away.

* * *

After Grace relayed the story, she looked up to see tears streaming down Ruth’s cheeks. She went over to sit by her and put her arm around her. ‘Ruth, I’m so sorry for making you cry. I’ve spoilt your evening.’

‘But darling, you couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s beautiful, the fact that you connected to your mum that way. I’d love to have that experience with Meredith, wouldn’t you, Vinnie? Mike, darling, surely you would want that for me. I don’t know how else I can find peace since she was taken away.’

Grace turned to Vinnie and his cheeks were tear-stained too. Mike was still sceptical and asked, ‘But how do you know that the things she said weren’t just general and that you latched onto them because you were so deep in your grief? I’d hate to think that someone was capable of doing that to people who were so vulnerable.’

Grace explained further. ‘There were things she couldn’t possibly have known. Like the rings – how could she have known that I was the one wearing them and not Hannah? And she didn’t say thanks for the flowers, she said thanks for the freesias. Who would know that? I went back to see Michelle a few days later and took her some flowers, and she told me that she was thinking of giving up because she hated the fact that she had to take money from grieving people, but that she needed to earn a living. I was devastated because I felt like I’d found a way to communicate with mum and that she was taking it away again, but it also showed me that she wasn’t a charlatan out to exploit anyone. Michelle did explain that the bond between my mum and us was so strong that she didn’t feel like it mattered who made that connection; that my mum would always find a way to tell us that she was around.

‘She must have seen the sadness on my face though, so she offered to book a date in. The day before I went to see her again, I’d found out I was pregnant. When I walked through Michelle’s door at that appointment, she sat me down immediately and said, “Your mum has been bothering me all morning and couldn’t wait for you to arrive. She says that she wanted to give you something very special and decided that the best gift she could give you is the gift of a child. She wants to know whether you will keep her present.”’

Tears were once more streaming down Grace’s cheeks at this point and Vinnie got up and moved to sit next to Grace and held her hand, stroking it gently as she continued her story.

‘There was no way that I was doing anything but keeping this gift from my mum, and Michelle went on to give me all sorts of proof that these messages were from my mum. She told me Mum knew that Mark wasn’t happy about the pregnancy and that it didn’t matter and that she’d help me through it and that I’d never be alone. She told me that Mum was delighted that she could send me this very special present and would always be around me and my baby. That’s probably why I mollycoddle Archie so much, because I see him as a very special gift from heaven from my mum.

‘I’ve been back another seven times or so and was constantly told that Mum thought that Mark wasn’t right for me and that I needed to sort my life out. Michelle even gave me a crystal once, charged with Mum’s energy, and told me to wear it on a chain around my neck so that whenever I needed to feel close to her, I could just touch it. When I did, the crystal throbbed in my hand. It was bizarre! She even told me at one point that Mark was carrying on behind my back, but I chose to ignore that part – more fool me. The last time I saw her was just after Dad had moved to the retirement village; she told me that Mum was really happy that he had lifted himself up and was living his life again. And since Archie’s dad and I have split up, I don’t feel the constant need that I did before. It’s strange but I feel that I know everything I need to know and I feel her around me all the time.’

Ruth hugged Grace tightly. ‘I know I’m crying but what you’ve told me is just so beautiful and I would love to have that peace and calm when I think of Meredith. I worry about her all the time and wonder if there was something more that I could have done to save her or worry that I should have spent more time with her. If only I’d known that we only had a short time together. That’s why I’m so hell-bent on creating memories for my children. Life is a gift and can be snatched away at any time. Life is for living and enjoying.’

‘Do you know, Grace, I was really against this when Ruth mentioned it before,’ said Mike. ‘But now I hear your story and see how it’s helped you through the years without your mum. I’d love you to pass on this lady’s number if possible and I’ll arrange for Ruth to go. You too, Vinnie, if you fancy it.’

‘Not sure, mate, it’s a lot to take in. I’ll think about it,’ Vinnie replied. He seemed really quiet for the rest of the evening, but as usual was very attentive to Grace.

Archie came through from the den. Grace smiled at him and he beamed back at her. ‘Hello, gorgeous, how are you? I’d forgotten you were here.’

‘Hey, Mum, I’ve had the best time ever. But I’m getting a bit tired now.’ He climbed up on to her lap. It doesn’t matter how big he’s getting, he always nestles into me when he is tired and he still fits into my body perfectly, she thought as she snuggled him tight.

‘Shall we get you home soon, tiger?’ Vinnie asked.

‘Yes please.’ Archie yawned and his eyes looked heavy.

‘Fancy a piggy-back out to the car?’

Archie’s face lit up. ‘You bet I do!’

Ruth hugged Grace long and hard and thanked her for sharing her story. Grace conveyed what a fabulous evening she’d had and once again apologised for the emotional outpouring, but Ruth brushed it away, saying how much it had helped her to reach a decision. Mike dropped a kiss on his wife’s head as he stood with his arms around her shoulders at the door as they waved Vinnie, Grace and Archie off into the night, with promises of being in touch very soon.

Within seconds of being in the car, Archie was fast asleep.

‘You’re quiet, Vinnie, everything OK?’ she asked him.

‘Yep, fine, thanks. Just pondering on everything you said earlier. Do you really think that Michelle is the real deal? For the first time in a few years, I’ve seen Ruth really get excited about trying to make contact with Meredith. I couldn’t stand for her to build up her hopes and have them come crashing down around her and set her back again. I’m just worried, that’s all.’

‘I can only talk from my own experiences, Vinnie. And I know how I felt each time after going to see her. The last few times it felt like I was going to meet mum and have a coffee and a catch-up with her and I would give anything to be able to do that with her again.’

‘I’m sure you would, I just worry about Ruth, that’s all. I know she’s a big girl, but I only have one sister now and I want to make damn sure that she’s happy and content in her life. I can’t let her go through something that would devastate her all over again. I feel really confused.’

They pulled up outside her house and Vinnie dipped his head. Grace turned to him. ‘I’m sorry. Should I not have said anything, Vinnie?’ she asked.

‘No, you weren’t to know, babe. I’ve just never seen Ruth look so determined to do something. I just hope it gives her what she needs. Come on, let’s get this little fella indoors.’ He reached across and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

‘Do you know, Vinnie, it could be just what Ruth needs to help her move forward.’

‘You’re right, Grace, I know that, it just feels a bit strange. The thought that we might be able to make contact with Meredith is both exciting yet terrifying at the same time. It’ll sort itself out, I’m sure.’

As Vinnie lifted Archie out of the back of the car, the boy stirred and moaned a little but was in a deep sleep. Vinnie carried him straight upstairs and placed him gently on his bed. Grace took off his shoes and his jacket without waking him, kissed his forehead and whispered, ‘Good night, my little angel.’ Archie snuggled down under his duvet, rolled over and farted.

When they stopped giggling like a pair of teenagers, Grace put the kettle on and while they waited for it to boil, Vinnie put his arms around her and held her tight. She felt safe in his arms. Safe and loved. It was a feeling she hadn’t had for a long time. Half of her was filled with joy and the other half was petrified. Could she really pour her heart and soul into someone all over again, with the possibility that it could one day be taken away from her again? And now, there wasn’t just her to consider. She had Archie to worry about too. Could she let him get close to someone when there was a possibility it could all go wrong? She really felt like Vinnie was someone very special but there was just a nagging doubt in the back of her mind that he might just be too good to be true. Or was Mark right? Should she get her family back together so that her son could be with both parents? Her heart was saying one thing and her head was saying another. And she remembered that insecure feeling in the pit of her stomach when she’d seen that text message. Half of her wanted to ask Vinnie about it and the other half just wanted to ignore it and hope it went away.

Vinnie put his hands under her chin and tilted her head and looked her in the eye. ‘You know I’d never hurt you and Archie, don’t you, Grace?’ It was as if he was reading her mind. ‘I’m too old and sensible to play games. Watching you tonight with the people I love most made me realise how much I want that and how I’d love you to be a part of our family. Ruth adores you and I think I’m falling just a little bit in love with you. When I’m not with you I’m thinking about you. I can’t concentrate on my work. I want to talk to you all the time. I think I’ve got a huge crush!’

Grace felt her heart swell with joy.

‘I think I’d better go before I whisk you upstairs and ravish you,’ Vinnie said, grinning. While she wanted nothing more than for him to stay over, his words calmed Grace’s nerves. The thought of sleeping with somebody new after all those years still terrified her. She said that she’d speak to him tomorrow and waved him off at the doorstep. She went to bed thinking of what a fabulous evening she’d had and how much she’d felt like she fitted in with their wonderful family.

* * *

Oh darling, you have started something wonderful. Meredith has been desperate to get Ruth to see a medium and make contact with her. We’ve spent a while up here chatting and she knows that Ruth feels like she should have done more to help, or to spend more time with her. But none of it matters. Meredith just wants to show Ruth that she’s around her all the time and watching out for her and, more than that, she wants Ruth to stop worrying about her and move on. She wants that for Vinnie too. What better legacy to leave than to help your siblings live their lives to the full and enjoy every minute? That’s all I want for you too, darling. Don’t worry if this thing between you and Vinnie doesn’t work out. Sometimes you can ruin something by thinking the worst all the time and you’ll make it go wrong. You just have to let go and trust in something higher than you. Meredith and I are here and we’re always watching over you all. I’m your mum and I’ve never told you to do something that wouldn’t be right for you. Just open your heart and let love in! Trust me, darling. I love you, Mumxxx