7. Henry
7
HENRY
S eptember had flown past and Henry was settled in his new routine. He’d decided that Saturday mornings were the perfect time to head to The Garden Café for breakfast to enjoy a treat or two.
It was cold out this morning, a proper autumnal day, with a brisk wind blowing in off the sea. The air was laced with salt and the earthy tones of fallen leaves along with the sweetness of wind-fallen fruit. Pale sunlight filtered through scattered clouds, its rays gently caressing the frothy waves. Gulls glided above, their calls carried on the wind like they were welcoming the autumn in and preparing for the winter ahead.
Henry had put on a warm jacket and a hat for his walk to the café and enjoyed the sensation of the cool air enveloping him while he walked. He loved being outdoors and found it a great way to blow off the cobwebs and to clear his mind. He had some schoolwork to do over the weekend, but he’d fit it in around doing some things he enjoyed. Early in his teaching career, he’s learnt the importance of balance to prevent burnout and maintain his effectiveness as a teacher.
When he reached the café, he ordered at the counter, then took a seat at a table near the window. Pearl’s granddaughter, Ellie Cordwell, brought his breakfast over and they chatted for a bit. Ellie was in a relationship with a local man called Jasper Holmes, who had two young children at the primary school — Mabel and Alfie. Henry had seen them at the school and around the village and they seemed very happy together. Whenever he saw a loving couple, it gave him hope it was possible to be happy with someone and that relationships didn’t have to be toxic.
He picked up the crusty roll and took a bite, then closed his eyes for a moment. The bacon was salty and crispy, the brie creamy and the cranberry sauce added the perfect tart yet sweet contrast. Henry rarely ate bacon because he knew it wasn’t good for him, but this was a treat so he’d enjoy it.
‘That good, eh?’
He opened his eyes to find Rosa smiling at him.
‘Sooo good. I recommend this one if you’re here for breakfast.’
‘I am. I’m meeting my friend, so I’ll consider ordering that…’ She peered at the roll.
‘It’s bacon, brie, and cranberry.’
‘It sounds delicious. Perhaps I’ll take one to the shop for Vinnie too.’ She glanced around and spotted a woman waving from the green leather sofa by the bookshelves. ‘Ah, there’s Sita.’
Henry smiled over at Rosa’s friend, then took a sip of his caramel latte. Sita Vandermeer and her husband Niels also had children at the school, so he was getting to know quite a few of the villagers via their children. Wherever he went in the village, he was going to bump into parents or pupils, but he didn’t mind because it was what he’d expect from a small community.
‘Are you here alone?’ Rosa asked.
‘I am.’
‘You could join us if you like?’
‘I wouldn’t want to intrude.’ He smiled and shook his head. ‘I’ve got a podcast to listen to and then I’ve got chores to do and errands to run. Thank you though. It’s very kind of you to offer.’
‘No problem.’ She smiled again, and he felt bad, like he might have offended her by declining.
‘Another time, perhaps? If you’d like to, that is.’
‘Another time.’ She nodded. ‘Enjoy your breakfast and I’ll see you soon.’
Before she could leave, his phone rang; he answered automatically then realised — too late — that it was his mother on FaceTime.
‘Henry!’ She waved out of the screen at him. ‘Hello, darling. How are you?’ Her eyes slid to Rosa, and she waved. ‘Hello there! Oh … Sorry, darling, do you have company? Shall I call back later?’
‘No, it’s fine, Mum.’ Henry turned to Rosa. ‘Apologies.’
‘No problem,’ Rosa said. ‘And hello, Henry’s mum. Right, I’m going to order my food and leave you in peace.’
Rosa walked away, and Henry looked back at the screen. ‘I’m actually in the café at the moment having breakfast and I don’t want to be that person who takes a call while others are eating their breakfast, so shall I call you back?’
‘All right, darling. But don’t take long because I’m off to the WI cake sale at noon.’
‘I’ll be ten minutes.’ Henry ended the call and stared down at his crusty roll. Sighing, he picked it up and ate quickly. His mum would want to know more about the mysterious woman she’d seen him with, and he knew she’d be pinning her hopes on Rosa being a person of interest . She was desperate to see him settled, as she always put it, and telling her he wasn’t interested never seemed to convince her.
After he’d finished his breakfast, he took the plate and mug to the counter and thanked Ellie again. Then he left the café and walked through the gardens and up the slight incline to the bench that had an amazing view of the sea. There was a large oak tree behind the bench and autumn had painted the leaves in tawny gold and russet hues. Some lay on the ground around the bench like autumn confetti, while others hung on, rustling like crumpled paper in the sea breeze.
Henry got his phone from his pocket and scrolled to the last caller, then swiped to call his mum. The phone rang twice, then her face appeared on the screen, familiar and comforting as always with her grey bobbed hair with a blunt fringe, bright blue eyes behind red framed glasses and pearly pink lipstick. He knew she would smell like white musk, clean, soft, and powdery. It was a scent that reminded him of clean washing and of his childhood.
‘Hi, Mum.’
‘Hello again, Henry.’
‘Look at this a moment.’ He flipped the camera on his phone so she could see the view, then moved it around so she could see the surrounding gardens.
‘Goodness, that’s beautiful.’
‘I know. You’d love it here.’ He returned the camera to his face.
‘I’m sure I would.’ Her eyes shone as she smiled at him. ‘But the best view is right in front of me now.’
‘Ha! Thanks, Mum.’ Henry resisted the urge to roll his eyes in embarrassment. ‘You’re always so kind.’
‘You’re my baby boy and I love seeing your handsome face. I miss you so much.’
‘I miss you too, but you know you’re welcome to come and stay anytime you like. I have the space.’
‘I know, darling, and I’m grateful for the offer. I’m just?—’
‘Very busy there, I know, and you worry about Dad.’
His mum pursed her lips. ‘I don’t like to leave him to fend for himself.’
‘I’m sure he’d manage. He’s an adult, you know.’ Henry swallowed down what he wanted to say next. His father was a grown man and he would cope perfectly well on his own, but he knew his mum was afraid he wouldn’t. His father would then blame her, and she would face the fallout — his prolonged sulking, while denying he was upset, and it would go on for weeks.
‘He needs me,’ she breathed.
Henry gave a small dip of his head, not wanting to make his mum feel bad. His parents had been married a long time, and he knew they loved each other. His dad was a hard man though. Before retiring recently, he’d been a highly successful corporate lawyer. Bruce Clay valued ambition, self-discipline and a strong work ethic. Coming from a long line of lawyers, he’d had high expectations for his only son and Henry knew he’d found him disappointing. Hell, Henry had found himself disappointing, but he knew it stemmed from how his father saw him and it was hard sometimes to rise above that. When he’d been working in finance, his father had been proud, but now he was teaching, his father disapproved. Teaching was not the route to secure finances and career success, his father believed, and nothing else mattered.
‘How’ve you been, Mum?’ he asked, a note of tenderness in his voice.
She told him about the latest WI projects she’d been involved with as well as her work at the food bank and he listened, enjoying the sound of her voice and watching how her eyes lit up when she spoke about helping others. She was a kind woman, and he knew he hadn’t always appreciated how compassionate she was when he was growing up. As a teenager, he’d seen her caring nature as a weakness at times, and occasionally told her as much, especially when she was trying to keep the peace between him and his father. Now, though, he saw exactly how strong she was and how her kindness was a strength few people possessed. He wished she’d be more selfish, but it wasn’t in her nature and he knew she’d always put others, especially her husband and family, before herself. She’d worked as a counsellor for young carers for a while, and he knew she’d carried a lot of that with her for years. Seeing youngsters struggling to act like adults had often left her tearful and wishing she could do more. Feeling powerless to help others was the thing he’d once thought could be her undoing. But she endured, and she kept helping and she kept being there for her family.
‘That all sounds great.’ He smiled and her cheeks turned pink.
‘Thanks, darling. So…’ She licked her lips. ‘Who was that lovely young woman at the café?’
‘Her name is Rosa, and she owns the bookshop in the village.’
‘A bookshop, eh? I’m sure you’re spending lots of time there.’ She laughed, aware that Henry had a serious book buying addiction.
‘Some, it’s true. You know me and my reading habit.’
‘I do, my little bookworm, I do.’ She winked at him. They shared a love for reading fiction. While he was growing up, they’d kept it secret from his father because Bruce only approved of non-fiction and educational books. ‘But this Rosa … she’s not your…’
His mum always did this, left pauses rather than asking full questions, and it made him shake his head. ‘No. There’s nothing between us.’
‘Oh.’ She raised her brows, then gave a small shrug. ‘Never mind, darling. How’s work?’ She was proud of him for becoming a teacher even if his father wasn’t. She had encouraged him to apply for the teacher training course when he’d told her how he felt about working in finance. She thought teaching was an admirable profession and said she was sure he would make a massive difference to the children he taught. Her faith in him and her encouragement had meant the world.
Henry told her about how well he’d settled in and how happy he was at the school and she smiled and nodded and asked questions about his colleagues and then things like if he was eating properly and getting enough rest.
‘Well you look wonderful, Henry. The sea air is clearly doing you the world of good.’
‘Thanks, Mum. How’s Megan?’
Megan was his younger sister and the golden child of the family — at least in his father’s eyes. She was a medical student, ambitious, and she’d shown a distinct lack of understanding of Henry’s chosen career path. She often patronised him when they spoke so he limited phone calls to once a month with her, sometimes relying on a text instead to stay in touch, especially if she was on shifts. He felt bad about it from time to time, but justified it by telling himself she needed to rest and they could catch up later in the month. Megan had shown no interest in romance, and Henry wondered if seeing what he’d been through had affected her outlook in that respect. He loved Megan and thought she was incredible for choosing a medical career, but they were very different and so they’d often clashed over the years.
‘Right then, Henry,’ his mum said. ‘I’d better get ready as I want to get dinner prepared before I go, so it’s ready to pop in the oven when I get home.’
He bit back asking why his father couldn’t do that and instead said, ‘Have a great afternoon, Mum. Love you.’
‘Love you too. Don’t forget to stay in touch, now.’
‘Never!’ He blew her a kiss, then ended the call.
He put his phone away and gazed out at the view, watching the rhythmic push and pull of the sea and a pair of large, black cormorants gliding low over the waves. Down on the sand, a child, and a dog ran side by side chasing a ball and beyond that, a boat entered the harbour, its engine humming.
The village was bathed in morning sunshine now, and the amber and rust of the leaves on the trees was beautiful, the colours seeming brighter than ever before. It was as if he’d spent years wearing murky contact lenses, and day by day, his vision was clearing. The space from London and from his former life were helping him to move on, and it was in moments like this that he realised just how much he’d needed the change.
From now on, things could only get better…