7. Thora
THORA
D ressed in her favourite fleecy pyjamas, fluffy socks, and an oversized sweatshirt with the slogan World’s Best Dog Mom on the front, Thora padded down the stairs and into the lounge.
Big Barry, her black and white chihuahua, lay stretched out on the sofa, snoring with his tiny pink tongue lolling from the side of his mouth.
She smiled as she gazed at him, resisting the urge to pick him up and hug him.
He was a cuddly little boy but he also liked his sleep and she didn’t want to startle him by disturbing him when he was out cold.
It was Saturday evening, and she had the house to herself.
The twins had both gone out with friends and would be back later, so that meant she could eat what she liked and not have to cater to their food preferences, and she could have the TV all to herself too.
She’d soaked in a bubble bath, put on a face mask and read her book.
When she’d got out of the bath she’d wrapped herself in a fluffy towel then slathered herself in a body butter that claimed to be good for mature skin.
She didn’t get much time to pamper herself these days, and was often too tired to bother, but after her shift at the café, she’d decided to make the effort.
She opened the fridge and peered inside.
What could she have for dinner? There were a few things in there but none that she really fancied so she could order a takeaway.
Ordering just for herself went against the grain for her but she knew she needed to get used to it because when the twins left home, she’d need to embrace single life.
Grabbing her phone from the kitchen table, she was about to check the food delivery app that her daughter had downloaded for her, when the doorbell went.
She hurried through the house to the front door, hoping to make it before whoever it was disturbed Barry.
Once he started barking, it took a while to settle him so she wanted to avoid that if possible this evening.
He seemed to be even more protective of her when the twins were out and made it his business to warn off any intruders who might threaten his mum and his home.
She unlocked the door, then opened it.
‘Oh … Hello.’
Her ex, Finn, smiled at her. ‘I brought food and wine!’ He held up two bags.
Thora swallowed a sigh of disappointment. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Finn, obviously, just that she’d been looking forward to a quiet evening. But she also suspected that when the twins left home, she’d end up longing for some company.
‘Quietly, please. Big Barry is sleeping.’
‘Oh … Of course!’ Finn knew the drill with Barry. She’d adopted him after Finn moved out, but he often spent time with the small dog when he came round and they got on well. But Barry was definitely a ladies’ man, and she knew he liked having Thora all to himself.
‘Where’s Titus this evening?’ she asked.
‘Out with some friends. They’ve gone to stay in Exeter so he’ll be back tomorrow.’ Finn came inside and she closed the door behind him. ‘So lucky me I get to spend some time with my favourite ex-wife.’
‘Your favourite ex-wife!’ She laughed. ‘How many do you have exactly?’
‘Just you, darling.’ Finn went through to the kitchen. ‘One is quite enough, thank you. Right, I got Chinese takeaway, ice cream and two bottles of red. That OK?’
‘Sounds perfect!’
She got some plates out, and he loaded them up with food while she poured some wine.
They took their plates through to the lounge and she sat on the sofa with Barry — who opened one eye as the aroma of food woke him up — and Finn took the chair near the log burner.
‘Nice and cosy in here, Thora.’ He nodded his approval.
‘I know. I’m so glad we got the log burner put in.
’ They’d had it done before Finn left, and it was a very welcome addition that she appreciated more every winter.
It made the lounge so warm and cosy that she often nodded off there with Barry, only to be woken by one of the twins when they got home from a night out, or when they came downstairs to check if she’d gone to bed.
They were both kind and caring, and she appreciated how they looked out for her.
‘No decorations up yet then?’ Finn looked around.
‘Rosie said we have to do it tomorrow,’ Thora said before taking a sip of wine and placing her glass on the side table.
Barry had opened both eyes now and was gazing longingly at her plate.
He didn’t seem to have noticed Finn yet, but then when there was food around, he was often more interested in that than in anything else.
As for Christmas, it had been more fun when the children were young.
These days it was more expensive than ever and she’d been saving all year for it because Rosie and Reggie were at an age where the things they wanted were more costly.
Finn paid child maintenance, of course, but even so, Thora wanted to give her children a good Christmas so she worked hard to do so.
‘Titus said we have to wait until the 1st of December, so I’m being good but I can’t wait!’ Finn loved Christmas and got more excited than the twins about it. Thora had liked that about him because it always made the festive season even better.
‘Do you want to watch something while we eat?’
‘Definitely! Isn’t there some dancing competition show on that we both enjoy?’ He winked at her and she laughed as she found it on the TV guide.
They ate and drank while watching the show and commenting on the dancing, the outfits and who they thought would win this year.
Finn was fun company because he enjoyed watching the same programmes as Thora.
She’d always felt very comfortable with him and that was why they’d lasted so long, she often thought.
That and the fact they had two children together and because she loved him.
But loved him in a friendly, family kind of way and not in a romantic way.
She’d thought she did love him that way once upon a time, but that had been years ago and now they were simply the best of friends who shared children.
After Finn had taken the plates out and loaded the dishwasher, telling Thora to stay where she was because Barry had now slid across the sofa and claimed her lap, she sat back and sighed with contentment.
Her belly was full, she was warm and relaxed, and she had a dog snuggling up to her. What more could a woman want?
‘More wine and ice cream!’ Finn announced as he returned with a bowl of salted caramel ice cream and another glass of wine.
‘You spoil me,’ she said, accepting the bowl and glass.
‘You deserve to be spoilt. You’ve been on your feet all day serving people, so now it’s your time to relax.’
Finn went and got his ice cream, and wine, then sat on the sofa when he came back. Barry stared at him before flopping against Thora and starting to snore again.
‘So how are things with you?’ he asked before spooning ice cream into his mouth.
With his sandy hair and green eyes, he reminded Thora so much of their daughter, especially when he was eating because they both had such hearty appetites.
They also wrinkled their noses in exactly the same way when something tickled them.
Finn was mad about water sports like Rosie and despite the fact that he was a food critic who really loved food, he was as thin and wiry as he’d been in his teens when they’d been friends at school.
All the activity kept him from gaining any weight, and Thora wished she had the same ability to keep the pounds at bay.
Despite walking dogs for clients in the village on a daily basis, and being on her feet several days a week at the café, since she’d hit forty, she seemed to be gaining weight like never before.
Not that she was fat, not at the moment, but she could no longer eat what she wanted without dealing with the consequences.
‘I’m good. I’ve been busy as usual but that’s fine. Keeps me out of mischief,’ she said, falling back on a worn-out phrase.
Finn put his bowl on the table and picked up his wine. ‘That’s not true though, is it?’
‘What do you mean?’ She frowned then licked her spoon before placing it in the empty bowl.
‘Thora, I know he’s back in the village.’
‘Who?’
Finn rolled his eyes. ‘Thora…’
‘Oh OK. Yes, Lucas is back and yes I’ve seen him but it’s fine. I’m fine.’
‘Really?’ He peered at her over his wine glass. ‘I have known you a very long time.’
‘I know.’ She sighed and rubbed a hand over her eyes. ‘I was a bit shocked to see him. Well, he actually knocked into me at the café and knocked a tray of mince pies out of my hands, so I was also a bit annoyed too, but…’ She shrugged.
‘How does he look? I saw him from a distance earlier driving his father out of the village, but didn’t get a proper look at him.’
‘Good, I guess. For a man of our age.’
Finn snorted. ‘A man of our age. What does that mean? Brad Pitt looks good, and he’s older than us.
Pierce Brosnan looks delicious, and he’s older than us.
But then there are some men who are younger than us and they don’t look so …
good. What I’m trying to ask is if you found our Lucas attractive still? ’
Thora took a sip of wine to buy some time, but she knew there was no point lying to Finn. He knew her too well for that.
‘He looks great. Very hot and handsome and age has improved him the way it does some men.’ She ran a hand over her belly, thinking that he probably didn’t think time had been as kind to her.
‘I bet he thought you look incredible too!’ Finn grinned at her. ‘Now stop trying to squish your belly in. There’s nothing wrong with having a bit of a pot.’
‘What?’ Barry jumped at Thora’s tone and looked around like a meerkat for the source of her horror. ‘It’s OK, Barry. I’m fine.’ She pulled him back to her and stroked his head with one hand while holding the wine glass in the other.