Chapter 7 #2
‘Theo’s mum told me his name. Me and your dad used to be friends with her when we were at school.
She’s lovely, and I bet her kids are too.
It must be hard for them, moving here and starting somewhere new.
They haven’t lived near the beach before.
’ A grin tugged at the corners of Nathan’s mouth as he looked at his nephew again.
‘And Theo will need someone to warn him about the importance of keeping sand out of his bum crack.’
Leo giggled. ‘Okay then, I better tell him.’
‘Rowan!’ Nathan called out her name before Leo could change his mind and she looked up and smiled.
Her long auburn hair hung around her shoulders in loose waves and from this distance it was almost as if she hadn’t aged a day since she’d moved out of Port Agnes.
As she got closer, he could the differences, but time had been kind rather than cruel.
Her cheek bones were more prominent and there was just the hint of laughter lines around her hazel eyes, indicating a side he hadn’t seen to Rowan since her return.
She’d been friendly enough when they’d chatted at the school, but there’d been a definite air of melancholy about her too.
Looks wise, she might be instantly recognisable as the girl he used to know, but her spirit was nowhere near as vibrant and the thought of that made him sad.
Still, he seemed to remember that she’d been quite quiet when she’d first started at secondary school.
So maybe this version of her was closer to the real Rowan than the far more sparky and confident girl who’d kissed him on the night of the golden jubilee.
In a way he hoped it was, because he hated the thought that life might have robbed that spark from her instead.
He knew what it was like for life events to change everything, and he was only just starting to feel a bit more like his old self, two years down the line.
‘Hi Nathan, good to see you again.’ Rowan was still smiling when she reached them. ‘And you must be Leo? I’ve heard a lot about you.’
‘Uncle Nathan said you went to school with him and Dad, a really, really long time ago.’ Leo gave her an earnest look and Rowan burst out laughing.
‘I didn’t say anything about it being a really, really long time ago.’ Nathan held up his hands in protest.
‘But we can both admit it was an awfully long time ago.’ She exchanged a look with him, her eyes twinkling, and he could see that old spirit of hers was still in there somewhere after all. ‘This is my son, Theo, who is going to be in your class and my daughter, Bella, who’ll be in Year 6.’
‘Hi.’ Leo’s shyness seemed to have crept back in and he dipped his head as he spoke.
‘Hi Leo. Your wheelchair is really cool; does it go in the sea?’ Theo had the sort of brilliant directness, with absolutely no ill intention, that only children really seemed to possess.
‘Yes, it can go anywhere and I never have to worry about stepping on a jellyfish.’ Leo grinned.
‘I hate jellyfish.’ Bella gave a shudder.
‘But you both love the idea of hanging out at the beach a lot more often, don’t you?
’ The children nodded in response to Rowan’s question and started asking Leo more about what kind of sea creatures he’d seen.
As they chatted, moving slightly away from the adults to look at some of the shells that were mixed up with the sand, Rowan turned towards Nathan. ‘You already know my mum, don’t you?’
‘Of course, good to see you, Katrina. How’s the line dancing going?’
‘I’m not a patch on your mum yet, but I’ll get there.
I’ve just got to take every chance I can to practise.
’ Katrina gave a brief demonstration of the grapevine step as if to prove her point, before turning to look at her daughter.
‘Nathan’s mum, Irene, goes to the same class as me and Marion.
Irene and Ruth, you know, the one who runs Mehenick’s Bakery with her husband, are Nicky’s star pupils. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.’
‘It sounds like you all have a great time and that’s the main thing,’ Rowan said.
‘You two should join us.’ Katrina looked from Rowan to Nathan and back again. ‘I know your dad or Dean would be happy to have the kids.’
‘Thanks, Mum, but I’m not sure it’s my thing and I can almost guarantee it’s not Nathan’s.’
‘I might be tempted if I’m allowed to wear a Stetson and some cowboy boots.’
‘You’d be the most popular man there.’ Katrina laughed. ‘Although you’d also be the only man there.’
‘Oh God, is that really the time?’ Rowan said suddenly, double checking her watch as if she was finding it impossible to believe.
‘James is FaceTiming the kids in half an hour, so we’d better get back.
It was good to see you again, Nathan, and Theo and Leo seem to be getting on like a house on fire. ’
‘Their names rhyme, so maybe it was meant to be.’ Nathan found himself silently praying that it was.
Leo had friends, but he’d never found a best friend.
Nathan had always had a built-in best friend, because of the closeness of his relationship with Will, but it would make his year if his nephew could find one too.
‘I think it might well be and maybe we could arrange another get-together? Theo will kill me if I call it a play date, but maybe we could meet up for a bit longer next time, before they start back at school?’
‘Leo would love that. I’d give you a card with my number but…’ He grinned, pretending to reach into an imaginary pocket, suddenly aware that he’d been standing chatting to her this whole time wearing only his swimming trunks.
‘I’ll get it off Dad; he said you’ve been working together.’ Her tone was level, not giving away how she felt about the situation.
‘Sounds like a plan.’ He watched as she spoke to the children, telling them that their father would be calling soon and that they’d make arrangements to come back to the beach with Leo and Nathan again soon.
He was glad she’d confirmed it in front of them, because he knew that meant she’d definitely call him.
He just couldn’t be certain whether it would be him or Leo who would look forward to it more.
* * *
Rowan had worried about how the children might react to seeing their father on FaceTime and whether they’d get upset, especially after he’d pulled out of the plan to hire a van to drop the rest of their things off and spend time with Bella and Theo.
Apparently there was ‘too much going on’ at Membory Grange, something she very much doubted given that it was still the school holidays.
Nonetheless, James had somehow persuaded Pippa and Daniel to drive up with the stuff instead.
It had been great to see them, but Rowan had been left to mop up the children’s disappointment at not seeing their father and it was why she was worried about how they might react to the video call.
She needn’t have been concerned, they’d both chatted away happily about life in Port Agnes, which was already feeling far more settled than Rowan had dreamt possible.
She was under no illusion that there wouldn’t be some ups and downs ahead, but for now everyone seemed so much happier than they had even a week ago.
Bella had got to know the twins next door, Kit and Merryn, who were due to start in Reception, but she seemed to enjoy mothering them.
She’d told Rowan that Merryn was a bit nervous about going to ‘big’ school, and Bella had reassured the little girl that she’d be there to talk to at break times.
The idea of looking out for Merryn seemed to have alleviated all of Bella’s own nerves and her resistance to starting at Port Agnes Primary.
Bella had also got chatting to a girl called Tiffany who lived three doors down from Rowan’s mother, and who was in her class.
They’d arranged to meet up in the last week of the school holidays when Tiffany got back from visiting family in Ireland.
Now that Theo had been introduced to Leo, it felt as if he had a ready-made friend to start school with too, and it gladdened Rowan’s heart to see her children looking so much happier.
Both of them had always loved the beach and seemed to be relishing having it on their doorstep, as well as being able to spend time with both sets of their Cornish grandparents.
And there was no doubt about it: all four grandparents were clearly thrilled to have the kids so close to home.
James’s parents had never been warm and, since his mother’s death five years earlier, Rowan could probably count on the fingers of one hand how often Michael had asked if he could see the children.
They never asked about him either, but as the former bishop should know, the quote about reaping what you sow was so often spot on.
‘Daddy wants to talk to you now.’ Theo thrust Rowan’s iPhone back into her hand, barely pausing as he ran past her. ‘I’m going to sort out my Lego. Leo said he’d do some with me next time we see him.’
Bella had already gone too, no doubt out to the back garden to hang over the fence so she could talk to the twins.