62. Well, I suppose…
62
WELL, I SUPPOSE…
It was mid-afternoon and Netta was in Frank’s bed watching a spider spinning a web across one corner of the ceiling. She’d have liked to think normality had been restored but that wasn’t true. The old normality had been consigned to the bin the day Colin came to stay. For a while everything got messed up. Then it got worse. Then it got better. And from all that a new normal had emerged. One in which Colin had become part of her family. Doogie too. Possibly Grace in the future as well. Who knew what was ahead of them?
On the plus side, carnal relations had been resumed between her and Frank. They’d been as good as ever, with maybe just a little extra spark after all that had gone on.
Saying goodbye to Doogie had been a lot harder than she’d thought it would be. She should have known, because saying goodbye to Doogie was always hard. It was like letting a part of herself go. She liked to think that in a parallel universe somewhere, there was another version of her and him leading the life they’d imagined they would, back when he was her Heathcliff and she was his crazy mad, one and only Netta Wilde.
She checked her phone yet again, hoping for a message to tell her that Grace had forgiven him and there was a wedding on the cards. It was his turn to be happy now and she wanted it so much for him.
There was no message from him but there was one from Liza saying she was coming home later. Yesterday, Will had been to see Colin and familial relations had also been resumed, which was a relief. He and Belle were staying over there for a few days and Liza was taking a break. The new normal. At least that got Netta off the hook in the staying-over department. It wasn’t staying with Colin that bothered her, just staying in the house. It gave her the creeps. Not only because of the life she’d had when she’d lived there, but also because it was the place where she’d nearly met her untimely demise. No one was saying too much about that, but she knew they were all thinking it could have been the end of her. And although she didn’t want to dwell on it herself, it had certainly made her stop and think. You only got one life, and all that. Also, it hadn’t escaped her notice that it was Colin who’d saved her. Although, it had to be said, she wouldn’t have needed saving if he hadn’t got her into that situation in the first place.
Will had asked if she minded him staying there which was sweet of him. Right after he asked, yet again, if she and Frank were going to get married which was not so sweet of him. She didn’t understand why the younger generation was so hung up on marriage. You’d have thought they’d have seen the mess their parents made of it and vowed to keep well away from it.
Frank put his arm around her. ‘What are you thinking about?’
‘I was thinking how everything had changed. I knew that day I picked Colin up from his house that it would. I thought it was a bad thing.’
‘Me too, but it’s been all right really.’ She pulled a face at him. ‘Okay, I admit it was a bit shite for a while. All right, it was very shite for a while. But we worked through it. We beat it.’
‘That’s very upbeat and positive of you, Mr O’Hare.’
‘That’s me, new-man O’Hare. I’m an upbeat, positive kind of person these days. To be honest, I don’t mind Colin and Doogie being around. Since Colin’s been through hell, he’s turning out to be a sweet guy. Doogie scares the crap out of me sometimes, but he’s actually a really nice fella. And he was great with Colin.’
‘He was, wasn’t he? If we’re being honest, I think I should tell you the kids keep talking about us getting married.’
‘Oh, they’re doing that to you, too? The sneaky wee feckers.’
Netta looked back up at the ceiling. The spider was still spinning. The wallpaper behind it was starting to peel away. Perhaps the web was the only thing holding it in place. ‘Which room are you decorating next?’
‘Probably this one, before the ceiling paper comes down on us. I’ve got some paintings to finish for my next exhibition first. I’m a bit behind. Do you want to?’
‘What?’
‘Get married.’
‘Not sure. Probably not. You?’
‘Ditto. Although, if we are being completely and absolutely honest, I wouldn’t mind waking up next to you every day.’
‘Getting under my feet?’
‘Exactly.’
‘I suppose we could just move in together. If we wanted that.’
‘I suppose. I could crack on with the decorating once my exhibition was out of the way. Rent this place out. Just in case we change our minds.’
‘Yes, you could. And I do have that nice big empty loft. You said yourself it would make a great studio with a few more windows.’
‘We could get the stairs put back in. I’ve money put away for a rainy day that would more than cover it.’
‘Really? Well, I suppose, when you put it like that…’