Chapter 4
Amy heard Roxie’s sharp intake of breath. She looked at her clenched hands. ‘Come and sit beside me, Roxanne,’ she said quietly, patting the settee.
The television showed the roads congested with traffic.
‘Goodness! That’s bloody awful!’ Ciaran muttered, clearly forgetting he was not alone. He cast an apologetic glance at Roxie, then kept quiet when a reporter began speaking.
‘I never saw a reporter — I was looking after the baby,’ Roxie muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Amy patted her hand where it lay clenched on her knee.
‘No, dear, I’m sure you were doing a very good job,’ she said quietly. ‘Caring for that poor baby.’ She chatted softly, distracting Roxanne from the television until Jenny switched it off.
‘I understand now why you were so delayed,’ Ciaran said. ‘The roads must have been jammed for miles. I’m truly sorry for giving you such an awful welcome. I hope you can forgive me and we can start again, as friends.’
‘I’m amazed that you managed to get back into your car and drive it,’ Donald said. ‘Especially on unfamiliar roads and coming to strangers.’
‘You did well,’ Ciaran nodded. ‘I really do apologise for being so bad-tempered. You had still taken time to worry about my mother in case she was in need,’ he added.
Amy raised her eyebrows, looking pleased at her son’s genuine apology. Roxie met Amy’s eyes and they shared a smile of understanding. Amy realised Jenny had wanted Ciaran and Donald to understand why Roxie had been so delayed yesterday.
‘I’m so glad you were able to help with the baby, Roxie,’ said Jenny.
Roxie was relieved to focus on something she could talk about happily.
‘Yes, I’m just glad I could do something.
I helped my best friend with her twin baby girls for a while, when she wasn’t well.
Her parents live abroad so weren’t around.
I helped her whenever I could, especially in the evenings.
I would get one ready for bed while she did the other one.
I am their godmother,’ she added with a smile.
‘There you are, Jenny! When we don’t know what to do, you will be able to ask Ro—’ Donald suddenly clapped his hand over his mouth. His eyes were wide with dismay as he caught his wife’s accusing glare. ‘Sorry, sorree . . .’
Roxie breathed a sigh of relief now the interest had properly moved away from yesterday’s tragedy, even though she knew she would never forget it.
‘What is all this, then?’ Aunt Amy asked, seeing Roxie’s relief at the change of topic. Her bright eyes moved from Donald to Jenny and back again. ‘Do you two have some news for us by any chance?’
‘What were you saying, old boy?’ Ciaran asked innocently, then gave a burst of laughter. ‘You may as well spill the rest of the beans now or Mum will give Jenny no peace.’
Amy persisted. ‘Are you expecting a baby at last, Jenny?’
Jenny shook her head in despair at her husband.
‘He never could keep a secret.’ Ciaran chuckled, pretending to punch Donald in the ribs.
‘What do you mean “at last”, Aunt Amy?’ Jenny asked. ‘We have only been married two years. Anyway, we didn’t mean to tell anyone until I couldn’t hide it — did we, dear husband?’ she added darkly, but they were both smiling.
‘I am so happy for you both,’ Amy said. ‘I shall look forward to being a surrogate granny. I know how happy your mother would have been by your news and I know I can never take her place, but I am delighted and I will do my best to help if I can. I may not be able to get around that easily, but I shall still enjoy bouncing a baby on my good knee. So, when is the baby due?’
‘Not for ages yet. Oh, well, I suppose now that Donald has let the cat out of the bag I may as well tell you. It’s due at the beginning of May.’
‘Are you keeping well, dear? You will not have to overdo things and you spent all morning cooking us a beautiful lunch.’
‘You know I enjoy cooking, Aunt Amy, and I enjoy eating too. I shall be as big as a house if this goes on.’
‘But it is good to know you are keeping well. Now that Roxanne is here, maybe we shall be able to repay you by cooking a Sunday dinner for you.’ She turned to her young companion. ‘I hear Jenny calling you Roxie. Do you prefer that, dear?’ she asked.
‘My friends all call me Roxie.’
‘What do you think then, Roxie? Would you consider cooking a Sunday dinner?’
‘I would enjoy that! Once I get used to your cooker and where everything is kept. Everything is so new to me yet.’
‘Give the girl a chance to settle in, Mum,’ Ciaran said. ‘She only arrived yesterday evening.’
‘Yes, I’m forgetting everything will seem strange at first, but I feel as though I have always known you, Roxie. You don’t seem like a stranger in the house.’
‘Thank you,’ Roxie said almost shyly, and she was not normally shy. ‘You have all made me welcome so I don’t feel like a stranger either. I was used to an Aga cooker at home and I noticed yours is an Esse at the bungalow, so I suppose it will be a little different at first.’
‘It is, but you don’t need to worry about that. You can use the electric cooker if you prefer, especially if we’re having guests to dinner and there’s more cooking.’
‘You didn’t tell me you were wanting a cook, Mum, as well as a companion and a chauffeur,’ Ciaran said, raising his eyebrows.
He winked at Roxie, but she just smiled.
She felt comfortable with Amy Baxter and she was grateful for her easy, almost motherly manner.
Besides, she was used to being busy. When she had first met her new employer and realised Amy would not be needing help with washing, dressing and getting ready for bed, she wondered what she would be expected to do when they weren’t out and about.
The house was modern and with Iris doing the washing and cleaning, she doubted she would ever earn the generous salary.
‘So, Jenny, my dear, I shall be able to start knitting baby clothes now. I wondered how I was going to pass the long winter evenings when I can’t get around so easily. I will crochet you two baby blankets. Would you like them in white?’
‘We shall be grateful for whatever you make, Aunt Amy. That’s very kind of you.’
‘Do you knit or crochet, Roxie?’ Amy asked.
‘I’m a slow knitter. I have never learned to crochet, but I would have a go, if you are willing to teach me.
I do enjoy sewing, but I left my electric sewing machine behind.
I couldn’t get everything in my small car and I wanted to bring my laptop and printer.
I have no accounts to do now—’ her heart sank when she remembered all the things she and her father had done together — ‘but I do want to keep in touch with my friends . . . that is if I can get the internet? I never thought of that! Do you have an internet connection up here?’ Donald and Ciaran burst out laughing.
‘We may seem uncivilised, but we do have the internet.’ Ciaran chuckled. ‘Even Mum has a connection for her computer, but she rarely uses it, do you, Mum?’
‘I don’t understand it very well,’ Amy said grumpily.
‘Maybe you might succeed in teaching her what to do when you’re with her every day,’ Ciaran said. ‘I will come and get you connected up tomorrow.’
‘Yes, Aunt Amy. I could send you emails instead of letters to keep in touch more often,’ Jenny said. ‘And when the baby arrives, we could send you photographs now I’ve got a digital camera.’
‘Oh, yes, I would like that,’ Amy said. ‘But I fear Roxie will need to sort that out for me. I don’t understand these modern gadgets.’
‘I will help you,’ Roxie said. ‘Emails are easy.’
‘You might end up with more than you bargained for, Miss Roxanne Carr,’ Ciaran said with a grin. ‘Cooking and driving, tutoring Mum about emails, advising Jenny on baby care . . .’
‘I’m sure Jenny will not need any advice that I could give on babies,’ Roxie said with a smile. She fixed her eyes on Ciaran’s and added firmly, ‘I prefer to be occupied and know I’m earning my wages. I have always been busy.’
‘I have an electric sewing machine you can use if you want to sew, Roxie,’ Amy said.
‘I have scarcely used it. It has a lot of gadgets my old sewing machine never had. I bought it because I wanted to make all the curtains for the bungalow before we moved in.’ She looked at Ciaran and shook her head sadly.
‘That was before your father had his last heart attack, if you remember.’
‘I do.’ Ciaran nodded. ‘You did right to have them made at the shop, Mum, whatever the cost. Dad was very content in the time you had together at the bungalow.’
‘Yes, I know.’ She sighed. ‘Anyway, Roxie, remind me to show you my little machine tomorrow and you can take it upstairs to your sitting room and use it whenever you like.’
‘Oh, yes,’ Jenny said. ‘That little table under the window in your room opens up.’
‘Your aunt told me it was your idea to make me a sitting room, Jenny. I never expected such comfortable accommodation.’
‘I did think it was a good idea, honestly,’ Jenny said with a grin. ‘But as it happened, we benefitted too because dear Aunt Amy gave us the bed as well as the bedside cabinets! It had been her spare bedroom, you see.’
‘So that means you don’t have a spare bedroom now, then?’ Roxie looked anxiously at Amy.
‘I don’t need one, dear. Most of my friends live near enough to visit for an afternoon and that is usually long enough.
Jenny and Donald were the only people I enjoyed having to stay, and Ciaran has plenty of room for them.
He enjoys their company too, especially when Jenny cooks as well, don’t you, son? ’
‘I do.’
Amy smiled happily. ‘I have thoroughly enjoyed my day with you all. It is so good to be with young people again, and hear you sparring and teasing and your laughter.’ She reached out and patted Roxie’s knee.
‘Your family’s loss is my gain. I am so glad I didn’t allow Ciaran to persuade me to settle for either of his choices. ’
‘So am I!’ Jenny said fervently. ‘Apart from being your chauffeur, Aunt Amy, I think Roxie and I will be friends, and you’re always telling Ciaran and me we can never have too many friends.
Now, I had better make a cup of tea before Ciaran has to put on his working clothes again and go to milk his cows. ’
Roxie cast Amy an enquiring glance, wondering if the older woman was tired and wanted to leave, but she gave a little smile and shake of her head, indicating she was happy to stay.
‘I will come with you then, Jenny, and lend a hand if I can.’ When they got out of the room, she added in a low teasing voice, ‘Pregnant mums are supposed to take things easy, aren’t they?’
‘Don’t you start.’ Jenny pushed the kettle onto the hot plate of the Aga to boil.
‘Donald has been bad enough. He has his own dental practice and I work as his hygienist-cum-receptionist so he keeps saying he ought to get me some help. They’ll be getting someone in to cover maternity leave, anyway.
I’m hoping we shall be able to get a receptionist too, eventually. ’
‘How have you been feeling so far?’ Roxie asked, setting out the cups and saucers.
‘Oh, no worries at all on that front. And I don’t even need to travel to work.
We live in one of the old Victorian houses in the town and made two of the second-floor rooms into a surgery and waiting room.
Patients come in the street door. There is another door to the rest of the house, which we keep locked.
We’ve our kitchen-diner with glazed doors onto a large garden at the back.
Upstairs we’ve two very large rooms for our own use as a sitting room and dining room.
That leaves the four bedrooms and the family bathroom on the third floor.
We like it since we gutted it all out and modernised it to suit ourselves.
Though it’s not been convenient for Aunt Amy, of course, these past eighteen months, with so many steps everywhere.
She has managed the few stairs down into the kitchen a couple of times, though.
She’s a lovely lady and has always been generous to me, even when I was young and Mum was alive. ’