14. Marie
CHAPTER 14
MARIE
I was there the next morning as soon as my solicitor rang to say the funds for the house had been received and we needed to hand the keys over at the house at eleven.
It was a bittersweetly bright and sunny day, London at its finest when dressed in the soft yellow glow. Even the Thames looked appealing, the clipper breezing up and down the water with its commuters and tourists, old buildings from centuries ago gleaming in the sun alongside the modern skyscrapers and mirrored buildings.
We’d planned to go to Greenwich this afternoon, to take the cable car over the river and back, maybe visit the museum there which we hadn’t done since Ava was little and Seph had been in a non-fiction phase where he wanted to visit everywhere, but it was looking like a picnic in the park with my latest book, mainly because I was struggling to put it down. It had nothing to do with the whodunit and everything to do with the will-they-won’t-they storyline that’d been running through the last ten books.
My home for the last few decades stood proudly, as if she knew that in a few hours or less, she’d be housing another family, doing her job of keeping them safe and warm and dry, outlasting all of us.
I was standing near the gate to the pathway, keys in hand. Grant had stayed at home as we had an electrician coming round to fit some lights, which was definitely beyond Grant’s capabilities, and I’d wanted this final moment to be by myself. I’d close the door on this chapter of our lives, it felt right for me to be the one to do that and I was also nosy.
I wanted to find out who’d be living in my house.
A car pulled up noiselessly outside, electric and elegant. A man got out of the driver’s side, automatically nodding at me with a brief smile.
From the passenger side, a boy emerged, one about fourteen or fifteen. He didn’t seem grumpy or irritated to be away from his games consoles, and was instead interested in the house, looking up at the storeys and eyeing up the door.
“Mr. Collins?” I offered him my hand.
He took it, nodding. “Mrs Callaghan? Thank you for meeting us, I hope it’s not too much trouble. I know we could've passed the keys on through the estate agent but having you talk me through the alarm system and heating and other bits is much better.”
I nodded, smiling. “Happy to do so. We’ve lived her for over three decades so we know the house pretty well. There’s even a secret room through the larder which would make a great games room.”
The boy smiled politely at me. “I don’t think I’ll be short of rooms to use.”
“How many of you are going to be living here?” I hoped it was more than just the two of them. There was no sign of the boy’s mother although I had corresponded with her so I knew she was part of this.
Mr. Collins smiled, looking entertained. “It’s myself, Carter and his mum when she comes over. She’s an oncologist and she is aiming to move over, but we don’t know when that will be yet as there’s been a delay. We both have grown up children who’ll be spending time here as well, so at times we’ll have a busy house.”
“There’s plenty of room. I had seven children grow up here and it just about was big enough.” I smiled at the boy. “Which school are you going to?”
He named the one down the road, which I was more than familiar with.
“Two of my granddaughters are there. Rose is going into second year and Eliza starts first year in September. It’s a good school and you’ll be able to come home for lunch.” Or nip off when it was a lesson he didn’t like. I was well aware that few of my children had been saints with things like that and pretended to not notice that the kitchen was untidy because they’d had an extended lunch while they were meant to be in French.
I don’t think they ever realised but there was only ever French cheese in the fridge during this period, along with Orangina and French bread for sandwiches. A level of irony that’d been totally missed by Seph and Payton.
He nodded, not knowing quite what to say.
“Carter’s starting his last year before A-Levels,” his dad said, taking stock of the house himself. “Shall we have a look around?”
I nodded, leading the way to the door, explaining about the locks and security, which I’d also emailed to him as there were quite a lot of layers.
I took them through each floor, pointing out where I’d left notes about how to use appliances that we were leaving, the odd door that swung both ways, where the secret room was and the staircase that’d been hidden at first.
I didn’t tell the stories that the walls sang to me as I walked through one last time, catching the scent of new born baby when I went into the room I’d nursed my three in. I knew that smell hadn’t been there for years, but I still caught it, a potent memory I never wanted to forget.
“It’s a beautiful home, Mrs Callaghan. We’ll take very good care of it.” He looked at the many keys that were on the console table as we circled back to the door; all necessary information passed on. “We’ll be moving in over the next few weeks – staying in a hotel for now but I want Carter settled for when school starts.” He glanced at his son, who’d managed not to get his phone out once while we were walking round, something of a miracle.
“Similar to what we did when we moved in. The place when we bought it wasn’t quite finished. It still needed fixtures and fittings and furnishing, so we had a mad month getting it habitable. This should be a bit easier, then you can put your own stamp on it.” Which was exactly what they should do. The furniture they’d bought with the house wasn’t sentimental, there was nothing I’d regret leaving and I’d take the memories with me.
Although there was one thing.
“In the garden, there’s a rose bush that was bought and planted by my granddaughter. It’s taken very nicely and is healthy, so if you decide to revamp the garden and no longer want it, I’d appreciate it if you’d let me know and we can replant it elsewhere.” Rose had been a little sad yesterday when she’d seen the plant, knowing she wouldn’t see it again. We’d cut a few of the blooms for her to take home, Grant de-thorning it so she didn’t hurt herself.
She was the most precious at the moment, her upcoming procedure at the hands of the man I was talking to, making us all realise how fragile we actually were.
I wasn’t going to mention that the granddaughter I was referring to was a patient of his. That could unfold in due course.
Mr. Collins’ eyes brightened as he nodded. “I actually like gardening and one of the things about here that really appealed was the size of the garden. It’s just the right size for me to keep on top of, so I’ll look after the rose. I’m quite green fingered, aren’t I, Carter?”
His son nodded and grinned. “With an obsession for house plants. I have nightmares that they’re actually AI about to strangle me in my sleep.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. They’re not AI. They might strangle you though.” The doctor’s eyes danced as he teased, and I realised I liked him. He had a sense of humour and was intelligent. His son was a credit to him and it made me feel better knowing that it wouldn’t be a family of eejits living in my house.
Because it would always be my house, somehow. Me and my family were part of her history just as much as she’d been part of ours.
“I’ll leave you to explore and decide where to put your murderous house plants. You have my number and the estate agent's if you have any questions. There’s a bottle of champagne in the fridge for you to celebrate and good luck in your new home.”
Mr. Collins nodded, shaking my hand again, and opened the door for me to make my exit.
I did so, taking one last long look back at the place where I’d been so happy.
I was lucky though. I’d been happy in a lot of places and there was more happiness to be had.
“Thank you,” I muttered, hoping no one heard me and thought I was going insane. I wasn’t sure who I was thanking, maybe everyone and everything, but it was time to go now, Grant would be waiting and so were my characters and I was desperate to know whether they’d finally get together.