Chapter 36
THIRTY-SIX
‘You’re back early,’ Dad comments when I walk through the door.
Mum has retired to bed, having always been an early to bed, early to rise type of person.
‘It isn’t that early. And I do have work tomorrow.’ I smile at Dad as I hang up my coat.
‘Of course you do,’ says Dad as he mutes the sound on the television. ‘So how was your date?’ he asks.
‘Great thanks, Dad. I had a lovely evening.’
I tell him a little about the French restaurant and the moving film at the cinema, thinking of what a perfect first date it was. Before I maybe started overthinking things.
‘I’m glad you had a nice time, love, you deserve it. Will you be going out with Kian again?’ asks Dad.
That is the six-million-dollar question.
‘I hope so, although we haven’t actually arranged anything yet. Anyway, I’ll be off to bed then. Night, Dad, enjoy the rest of your film.’
‘Night, love.’
As I leave the room, I hear the sound of gunshots as Dad resumes watching his action movie.
Getting ready for bed, I think about the lovely evening I spent with Kian and wonder if I was right to be so cautious. What he said made perfect sense about Sally wanting to spend time with their daughter on Christmas Day, but I can’t seem to get the image of the three of them smiling in the road out of my head. They looked so happy together and I can’t take the risk of being hurt, despite them being divorced. It isn’t unknown for couples to rekindle things, given the time and the opportunity. Especially when there are young children involved. I wonder if Sally is on social media. Maybe I could message her and ask, woman to woman, if she harbours any hopes of her and Kian getting back together.
Sleep doesn’t come easily, as I toss and turn and go over the events of the evening. I also think of that kiss too, gentle yet passionate, and allow myself to think that he enjoyed it as much as I did.
Maybe it’s about time I do something I never normally do, and throw caution to the wind, and just go with the flow, even if that puts me at risk of being hurt down the line, but then what would life be like if we were too afraid to ever take risks?
I am finally nodding off, when I hear the ping of a text. It’s from Kian.
I really enjoyed this evening, hope you did too. I’ll call you tomorrow. Kian. X
Okay. And I enjoyed this evening too but I think we need to have a chat. I’m in work tomorrow, so maybe we can talk in the evening? Lauren .
Sure. Speak soon. Goodnight. X
I feel a little more settled then, and soon drift off to sleep, ready to see what tomorrow brings.
Bentham’s is as busy as ever with the sales continuing as we count down the days to New Year’s Eve. Sparkly party dresses are flying off the rails, along with men’s shirts and discounted leather shoes. There are steady sales of luxury mince pies and fruit cake that have been discounted and displayed on a table, alongside shortbread and whisky marmalade.
We are so busy, I don’t have to time to chat with Gemma about my date, although she did ask me how it went earlier. I assured her it was lovely, and that I would fill her in a bit more later when we have a break.
I just finish serving a lady with some cotton handkerchiefs for her husband – the type that come in a box and have an initial embroidered at the corner – when I see a familiar face standing in front of me.
‘Mrs Evans, hi, how are you?’ I greet the ex-headmistress of the local primary school, who attended the Christmas party at the community centre.
‘Judy, please.’ She smiles, although I always feel like addressing her formally.
‘Of course, it’s nice to see you again, Judy.’ I smile.
‘And you too. I know you are busy, but I thought you might like to know that I ran the idea of the children performing at an assembly to invite the elderly residents in by the current headteacher.’
‘Oh, you did?’
She stands aside for a second as I quickly serve a customer.
‘Yes, and she thinks it’s a wonderful idea. I told her that I saw first-hand how well the older people interacted with the children. I also realised how much I missed them.’ She smiles. ‘And apparently, some of the children are only too keen to show off their recorder skills.’ She laughs.
‘Really? They still teach recorder in schools?’ I ask, thinking back to my primary school days, and how proud I was when I learned to play the theme tune to Match of the Day .
‘Not many, I don’t think, but the headteacher was determined it wouldn’t be a forgotten skill, so she bought in some recorders and even teaches the children herself.’
‘How great is that?’ I smile as another customer approaches the counter.
‘Anyway, I can see you are busy, so maybe you could call the school and speak to the head sometime. She is definitely on board with the idea of involving the children in a concert, or at least regular assemblies.’
‘I will. Thank you so much, Judy, I know plenty of people who will really enjoy that.’
She was right in saying the pensioners mixed well with the children. Even Elsie thawed out in the end, saying what a marvellous party it had been when she left.
‘Myself included. Bye then.’ She lingers at a stand and feels some leather gloves before heading off out of the store.
During my lunch break I call the school, forgetting that they are still on their Christmas holidays, so pop a reminder on my phone for January when I will give the headteacher a call.
Gemma is sipping a green tea and trying to resist the Christmas boxes of chocolates and shortbread that people have brought in. It would appear most of the staff, including Gemma, are on a post-Christmas diet.
‘Ugh this tastes awful, but apparently it helps with weight loss,’ she says, pulling a face as she sips her drink. ‘Anyway, you said you would fill me in on how your date went,’ she says, her resolve already gone as she takes a fantail shortbread from a tin.
‘It was really lovely. We went to a gorgeous French restaurant, then on to the cinema.’
‘And did you invite him in for coffee?’ She raises an eyebrow.
‘No actually, he invited me to his place. Besides, Mum and Dad are staying with me at the moment remember.’
‘Ooh tell me more,’ she says, throwing half of her biscuit in the bin after feeling guilty.
‘We had a drink and a chat. His place is lovely, just as I imagined it to be. Anyway, I was home and in bed by eleven thirty, what with being in work this morning.’
‘And that’s all you’re going to tell me?’ She looks visibly disappointed.
‘There is not a lot else to say.’ I sigh. ‘Other than Kian is calling me this evening so that we can talk.’
‘Just talk? Are you not going out again?’ Gemma eyes me suspiciously.
‘Maybe. Oh, Gemma, I really do like him, but I’m wondering if I ought to get involved with someone who is so friendly with his ex-wife.’
‘Is he?’ She frowns.
‘Apparently so, although he tells me they are not friends exactly, and the only communication they ever have is about Bella.’
‘Which is understandable, I guess.’
‘And I totally get that. She was the mystery blonde we spotted him with in town,’ I tell her as I sip my coffee. ‘She spent Christmas Day with him and Bella.’
‘So, that was his ex-wife?’ she says. ‘Maybe they are just friendly for the sake of Bella. It is Christmas time after all.’
I tell her all about the cancelled holiday flight, and how Sally is now sunning herself in the Caribbean with her boyfriend of over a year.
‘I understand your caution,’ she says eventually. ‘But she sounds pretty loved up to me.’
‘I know you’re right. But then I also can’t help thinking about the present he bought for a woman. What was it, do you remember?’
‘A beautiful silk scarf,’ she tells me. ‘And not cheap as I recall.’
‘Right,’ I say, draining the last of my coffee.
‘I suppose it could have been for anyone, as you said.’ Gemma shrugs. ‘I kind of wish I hadn’t mentioned it now.’
‘No, you did the right thing. It’s just that if it was for his wife, and they are still buying each other expensive gifts, it feels like there is unfinished business between the two of them.’ I sigh.
‘It does seem a bit odd to be buying an ex a costly gift,’ she agrees. ‘But then again, that scarf could have been for anyone. There is only one way to find out and that is to ask him,’ says Gemma, gathering up our cups and placing them in a dishwasher.
Glancing at my watch, I see break time is almost over, so I nip to the ladies. I reapply my signature red lipstick before returning to work and mull over what Gemma has just said. Maybe I will just have to come right out and ask him who the gift was for? Without sounding like some sort of weirdo, that is.
Finishing work at four, I’m driving home when my phone rings. It’s Kian. I answer on hands-free and tell him I will be home in ten minutes, so he agrees to call me back then.
I arrive home to the sight of Mum and Dad watching Countdown on the television and Mum boasting that she got the long word.
‘Nine letters. It’s the best I’ve done in the history of watching the show.’ She beams.
‘It was a fluke,’ teases Dad. ‘You told me you didn’t even know if it was a word, you just put all the letters together and hoped for the best.’ He laughs, and she shoves him on the arm.
‘What was the word?’ I ask as I shrug my coat off.
‘Jumboizes. Which is a shipping term for enlarging a ship by adding another section to it,’ she says knowledgably.
‘You only know that because Susie Dent explained it.’ Dad giggles.
Mum rolls her eyes, and offers me a cup of tea. She is healing remarkably well and is almost bustling about at her usual pace now. I’ve enjoyed having her here, and Dad too, but knowing Mum, she will be wanting to get back to her flat soon, a ground floor one with a pretty garden that she has worked hard on and enjoys spending as much time as possible out there, especially in the summer months.
I take my tea upstairs and wait for Kian to call. I’m just out of my uniform and about to take a shower when my phone rings.
‘Kian, hi, how are you?’ Despite my uncertainty about the future I am thrilled to hear his voice.
‘I’m okay. I was calling you about that chat, but I thought we could do that in person? Are you free later?’ he asks.
‘I could be, I suppose.’
Some of the work gang are going for drinks this evening, including Gemma, but I can meet up with them later at the pub.
‘Can I pick you up in say… an hour?’ he asks. ‘I’ll drop Bella off at her grandparents’ first, she’s been wanting a sleepover there to show them her Christmas toys. We could come back here to my place, or go for a drink, whatever you prefer.’
‘I’ll come to your place, if that’s okay,’ I tell him, thinking it the best place to have a private conversation.
‘Okay. I’m looking forward to seeing you, Lauren. See you shortly.’
I’m dressed and downstairs, nerves building at the thought of meeting Kian, when my parents say they have something to tell me. My heart sinks for a moment, my first thought being that Dad is more ill than I first thought.
‘I’ll be out of your hair tomorrow,’ says Mum. ‘I should be completely on my feet by then. I’m actually okay now, just a little stiff when I stand up,’ she explains.
‘But there’s no rush, surely?’
I kind of thought they would both be here until at least New Year’s Eve.
‘I know that, love, but I’m missing my place. I don’t like the apartment being unoccupied for too long,’ she says. ‘And I have a couple of indoor plants that will need watering by now.’
‘Well, I can understand you wanting to get back home, as long as you feel okay to look after yourself.’
‘I will be.’ She smiles. ‘But I will have someone watching out for me, so don’t worry.’ She takes a glance at Dad. ‘Your father is coming to stay with me for a while.’
‘What? Are you telling me you are getting back together?’
I am standing with my mouth open. I know they have been getting along well lately, but I assumed that was just because they were thrust into the same space together.
‘We’ve talked about it, and we just thought, why not?’ says Dad, smiling at Mum.
‘Neither of us are getting any younger, and as I’m retired, I can look after your dad after his operation,’ Mum tells me.
‘But I wouldn’t have minded you both staying here, you know that.’
I take in the news that my parents are going to spend their later years together, which fills me with joy, mixed with a touch of trepidation. They say you should never go back, but I guess love doesn’t work that way, does it? I am filled with emotion at the thought of my parents spending the rest of their lives together. I do hope things work out, as I want nothing but the best for them both.
‘Of course you would, Lauren, but you have your own life and a full-time job. It would be too much for you. I’m sure we will be just fine, and we know where you are if we need you,’ Mum reassures me.
The three of us are standing there then in a group hug and I feel a silent tear trickle down my cheek. I’d always worried about Mum being on her own as she gets older, if I’m honest. I had no idea things were bad between Dad and Rose, so assumed they would be together for the duration.
‘I’m so happy for you both,’ I tell them, when we finally stop hugging. ‘I hope you can make each other happy again.’
‘We’ll do our best. And I actually think I might be developing a taste for all that veggie food,’ says Dad. ‘I’d forgotten what a good cook your mum is.’
I grab my coat, and head out with a huge grin on my face. Now it’s time to go and find out if my own love life has any chance of progressing.