Chapter 14
Chapter fourteen
Meredith arrived just as Carl called to say he was returning to fetch the girls for their afternoon session. She smoothly swept into the room, before claiming an empty seat and ordering a 'quick glass of wine’.
"Honestly, I thought I'd never get out of there." Meredith grinned and continued her fabricated story, "Everything takes twice as long because Schultz needs to translate back and forth. I'm afraid my uptake of the language isn't yet up to scratch for full-on conversations."
"Surely someone speaks English well enough to help," Rosa said.
Meredith nodded. "They probably do, but I'll never learn if everyone just speaks to me in English."
Rosa tilted her head. "I guess so. They do say immersion is the best way to learn something new."
"I definitely found that helpful with therapy," Billy said. "There's nowhere to escape to. At first, your brain can't understand it, but after a while, it begins to find a new way to think in order to begin understanding it."
The table fell quiet, everyone watching Billy.
"I'm glad it helped you," Imogen said.
"We had therapy, as a family and individually, when my parents died," Robbie said. "It was helpful."
Her eyes met Billy's as she smiled in understanding.
"It must have been such a shock for you all," Rosa said. "I can't imagine…"
"Yeah. Massive. I'm just glad that I had the chance to know them, though, you know? I have memories and lots of good times to think about, but I feel bad for Max. He was so young, his memories are limited and mostly need a photo or video to jog them."
"And Cassie?"
"For a while she was my shadow. I think she thought I'd be next," she chuckled, "but she's doing okay now.
Pippa has become a great surrogate mum, I think.
She's the glue. Aunt Georgia is…Aunt Georgia," she said, laughing.
"Family is everything at the end of the day, isn't it? No matter how it fits together."
"Wise words, Robbie." Meredith winked at her before swallowing down the last of her wine. "So, who's for a wander around town this afternoon?"
"Not us, Grandma. We have another run or two to do with Carl and then he's going to drop us home before the snow really comes down."
"I think it already is," Rosa said. "Is it wise to go into town?"
"I'm sure it will be fine," Meredith said. "We can give it a go and if it gets too bad, then I'll drop you both back at the cabin."
"What about this evening?" Rosa asked. "Wasn't the plan to have dinner together?"
"Of course. I assumed you two would want to get changed, and then I’d send Schultz down to collect you both."
She stood. One by one, the others rose from their seats. They moved around the table, exchanging hugs and kisses with Meredith, Billy, and Rosa, before Rosa gave a last, "Please be careful."
All three girls nodded, but Imogen rolled her eyes. "Mum, honestly, we'll be fine. Stop worrying and have a nice time shopping."
Carl waved from the doorway as the girls headed in his direction.
"Okay, ready to go?" Meredith asked the women.
"Yes," Billy answered. "Let's go and have a wander and then…" She glanced at Rosa. "Back to the cabin to change and warm up again."
"Good job I'm wearing layers." Rosa smiled and followed them both out.
The town was small from what Rosa could see of it through the blanket of snow coming down. They passed a small white church, its unique orange window frames the only splash of colour amidst the near whiteout.
The streets were deserted, shops shuttered against the storm.
"I think everything is closed up," Rosa said from the back seat.
"Hm, I think you might be right," Meredith concurred, peering through the windscreen as close as she could get to the glass. "I can barely see where I am going."
"Then let's turn around and head back," Billy said. "I'm not liking this at all if I'm honest."
"I agree," Rosa said. "Do you think the girls and Carl will have headed home?"
Billy turned to look at Rosa in the back seat. "I think so, yes."
"I hope so," Rosa murmured as she peered into the blizzard.
Meredith gently slowed the car and made a turn, the chains on the tyres doing their job and keeping the car from sliding on any ice that had built up under the snow.
Windscreen wipers worked rapidly, displacing the snow as it landed. The heaters in the car were no match for the temperature outside.
"We'll take the longer route—it should be gritted."
"Let's just take our time, regardless," Rosa said. She caught her lip between her teeth, worry beginning to take over. This was not what she had expected when she'd agreed to this trip.