Chapter 15
Fifteen
We make it into The Wandering Wisp and Lola is sat colouring at a table. She sees us walk in and runs towards us. Sam puts both arms out, but she bypasses him and runs to me, wrapping her tiny arms around me.
“Hi, Harri.” She smiles, looking up at me with her big, beautiful eyes just like her brother’s.
“Hey, Lola, what a welcome.” I give her a squeeze back and she nestles into my waist.
“Hey!” Sam shouts. “Where’s my welcome home?” He places his hands on his hips.
“I see you all the time,” she teases as she pulls my arm over to where she was drawing.
“What are you drawing?” I ask.
“Witches. It is nearly Halloween, Harri, and I want to be a witch! Do you like witches?”
“You’re obsessed with witches.” Sam laughs, shaking his head.
Her little nose scrunches in anger. “They are real. Nana says they are!”
“Of course she does.” He laughs and hops over the counter to the other side. Gloria smacks him with a tea towel.
“There’s a door for a reason, Samuel,” she lectures playfully.
He kisses her cheek and heads to the coffee machine.
Gloria tuts and turns to me. “So, Harri, how was your first day as our new grocer?”
“Wow, news travels fast, doesn’t it?” I say, surprised.
“Oh, nothing is sacred in Brindlewood,” she replies.
“I can see that.” I chuckle.
She smiles, trying to work out if I am joking or genuinely concerned at the rate that gossip travels. She must settle on me joking as she lets out a little giggle and goes to get some plates. “Banana bread OK?” she asks.
I walk to the counter licking my lips. “Sam said there would be banana bread!”
“Made it just this morning. I wake up and decide what I want to bake that day. Keeps the mind fresh, you see. Especially in my golden age.”
Sam comes up behind her. “You’re as young as you look, Nana. Twenty-five next week, isn’t it?”
“Oh, stop it, you. You and your sister have aged me terribly! But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
” She turns to me. “You know, Harri, these two have been my rock for most of my life. I’m so fortunate that I got to relive having children again, and hopefully this time…
well, they don’t end up like…” She pauses so as not to hurt Sam or Lola.
“You know.” I nod in agreement understanding she means their mother.
The one who has chosen addiction over them.
I still don’t understand it. Gloria brings me back into the room. “So, Harri, did you want children?”
Sam chokes on the sip of latte he has just made us, burning his lips. “Jeez, Nan, personal and all!”
“I’m just asking. Harri’s not offended, are you, dear?”
I love this. She is such a nan. Like my own. Like all the nans and grans I have encountered since being here. “Possibly, one day.” I smile.
“You’d both make beautiful children,” she mutters to herself, thinking we can’t hear. We can. Maybe she wanted us to hear. She winks and carries on cleaning. OK, she wanted us to hear.
Sam is rubbing his now burnt bottom lip and leaning on the counter next to me. “Sorry about that. She likes to know everything that woman.”
“It’s fine. It’s a very ‘nana’ question to ask a young woman.” I laugh. “Shall we sit? My feet are killing.”
“Not used to demanding work, are we, Harri?” he says in jest.
“Not since I’ve been here, no.” I sit down near the log burner and sip my latte. Sam sits opposite me. “Thanks for this again. I seem to be thanking you a lot recently.”
He looks up from his cup. “What for?”
“Just being around. It’s nice to have someone to chat to that doesn’t ask if I’m going to a premier this weekend or if I can get them into Opal or whatever nightclub is hot on the list that week.”
“I hate nightclubs and I have never been to a premier and don’t think I’d miss it if I didn’t. There you go.” He drinks his latte feeling happy with his answer.
“I just mean it’s nice. You’re very down to earth.”
“Thanks, I think?”
“It’s a compliment.”
“I mean, you just haven’t been around normal folk, you know, people that work, have normal lives, no flashy cars or lots of money, just family and community.”
“I would agree with you that I am extremely far from normal. And you are right, I have not been around this before.”
“Do you miss it?”
I ponder a moment. “Maybe a little bit, but mostly no.”
“But it’s complicated?” he questions.
“Oh, Sam…” I sigh. “I wish I could tell you it all. But you would stand up and walk out and think I was absolutely mental.”
“Little uncomfortable now. But I don’t mind a little spice, as long as you haven’t killed anyone, right?” He laughs nervously.
“No, nothing like that. I haven’t done anything wrong. My family, well, they’re complicated.”
“Have you not listened to the story of my life? So, if your family is complicated, we can trauma bond on that for sure. There is a lot more to my story!” He reaches over and touches my hand.
“But from experience, don’t let your family hold you back.
You know, my mum really messed up my head.
When I was a teen, I was so angry and confused.
Had all these feelings I couldn’t control.
Things happening to me that my mum… well, she couldn’t explain, she couldn’t cope.
I probably made my nana sick with worry.
I rebelled, causing trouble in the surrounding towns being a stupid kid.
“I met Hannah and Lois in college. At first, I pushed them away, but the more I did that, the more they tried to be my friend. I had an epiphany one night when I heard Nana crying to my mum on the phone, begging her to come and help with my behaviour. To get her shit together. She didn’t.
I realised I was hurting the one woman who loved me for me.
That night I changed. Lost contact with those who brought the worst out in me and finally let Han and Lois in.
I learnt to control who I really was and learnt how to manage it.
My nana has never had to cry over me again.
I am just saying, don’t let your past affect your future. ”
“What do you mean control who you are?” I ask intriguingly.
He hesitates and takes a drink. “I mean, control my anger about where I am from, if that makes sense? My mum and stuff.”
“I get that. Sorry you had a rough start, Sam.” I rub his thumb with my finger.
“Eh, made me who I am.” He changes to his jokey tone. “Tall, dark and handsome, right?” He winks.
“Well, it didn’t affect your ego, did it?” I pull my hand away and roll my eyes amusingly.
We chat a bit more and finish our cakes and lattes. I help Gloria pop the dishwasher on before Sam offers to drive me home.
“Don’t forget the Halloween party this weekend, Harri. Would love to see you here,” Gloria mentions as we’re about to leave the cafe.
“That would be great.” I smile. Lola gives me a thumbs up and points to her witch picture. I laugh and nod and then follow Sam out into the night.
The chill in the air makes me shiver. I am glad he offered the van and not to walk back home tonight.
I need warmth. As we drive home his hand rests open on his leg.
I just want to hold it, but I am scared I won’t be able to control myself.
But the more I stare, the more I want to.
I hold mine open on my leg. I see Sam look and his palm twitches.
It is a checkmate situation. Who is going to make the first move?
Without taking his eyes off the road, Sam reaches for my hand and pulls it onto his leg, his palm enveloping mine.
I am going to end up kissing him again, aren’t I? I mean, a girl can hope.
Rain begins to fall quickly from the sky as we reach the driveway. The window wipers furiously try to keep up. My mind wonders if the rain will be perfect cover for us to get a bit closer in the van. But my thoughts run to a halt.
A black Range Rover is parked outside the cottage.
“That’s weird. I didn’t know they were expecting visitors…” I say quietly.
A dark figure walks from the back of the Range Rover and into the headlights of the van. Dressed in now a very wet suit he moves his head up so I can see his face.
“Shit,” I shout.
“What?” a panicked Sam replies.
Colour drains from my face as I panic. “It’s Greg.”
I rush to climb out of the passenger side. Sam shouts something to me but I don’t hear it. I go to run towards Greg but remember Sam and his hatred for Greg. I rush back to the van and open the door.
“I’m just going to tell him to go. Just wait there,” I say calmly. Sam looks concerned but nods and sits.
“So, this is where you’ve been held up?” Greg’s eyes are bloodshot and whiskey steams from his breath.
My voice is furious. “I am not held up, Greg. How did you find me?”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m here to take you home.” He hiccups and staggers in the now wet mud of the driveway.
I scoff. “You are drunk. Get Charles to drive you back to London.”
“Who’s that?” He stumbles to the side and points to the van still facing us with the headlights shining.
I am now very defensive and annoyed. “My friend.”
“Oh right, ‘friend’.” He has poison in his tone.
“Greg, I don’t have to explain myself to you. Just go home.” The anger is rising in my throat.
He hiccups again and stares at me for a moment. “You need to come home, Harri, you know you do. My parents are making my life hell because of you.”
“Go home. We can talk at the Winter Wonderland Ball, not here. Not when you’re like this.” I go to walk past him, and he stops me by grabbing my shoulders aggressively.
“There’s nothing to talk about. You’re mine by rights,” he spits.
I hear the van door shut and footsteps in the now wet mud come from behind.
“Look, mate, I think you need to talk about whatever this is when you’ve not been drinking.” Sam pulls Greg’s hands from me and steps between us.
“I’m not your mate and I’ll talk to my wife how I wish.” He tries to move Sam to the side but fails.
“Well, from what I can see, she is not your wife and asked you to go home. I don’t want this to turn nasty.” Sam’s body covers mine. Greg is athletic but pound for pound Sam could crush him in his hands.