‘Daddy!’ Luke flies into Marcus’s arms and throws out an arm to include Marie in his embrace as well ‘....And Mummy’ he says, giving a smile but with an uncertain look in his eyes as if he might be using the wrong word.
‘Hello, mate!’ Marcus hugs him tightly and swings him round. ‘Hope you’ve been good for Granny’
‘I have been good’ Luke nods several times ‘Granddad said’ he adds weight to the assurance. ‘I’ve been in a police car and made the lights go and the noise went really loud!’ he puts his hands over his ears to demonstrate what he needed to do. ‘And they gave me some chips and a drink and a real police helmet and I made cakes with Granny and I’ve made you a picture and we saw elephants! There aren’t any cakes left’
‘Whoa!’ Marcus laughs and throws him over his shoulder while he greets his mother. ‘You worn out?’ he asks as Paula gives Marie a hug.
‘It’s been wonderful’ Paula holds out her arms to lift Luke down. ‘On the go all the time but we’ve really enjoyed ourselves. I’ve lost three pounds!’ she grins.
‘We could hire him out to Weightwatchers’
‘That wouldn’t be a bad idea’ Marie laughs as she is dragged into the house.
‘Did you have a nice time?’ Paula falls into step with Marcus, and follows.
‘Superb!’ he responds emphatically. ‘Just what we needed after all the last minute tearing around and the weather couldn’t’ve been better’ He pushes back the sleeve of his shirt to show off his tan ‘That’s something we don’t often get time for back home....or it’s too flipping hot to lay out in it’
‘Hmmm....anyone gets brown in this country and it’d be rust, this year...though it’s not been bad for the last couple of days’ Paula threads her arm through his so they walk more slowly and their conversation is more private. ‘So ‘home’ is back in Australia?’ she asks, tilting her head to look him in the face ‘I know you were feeling a bit unsettled before the wedding....a bit homesick, perhaps...and I did wonder if....’
‘We’re going back’ he says, anticipating her question and grimacing slightly ‘Certainly for the short term. We can’t odds it...and the life is great out there’
‘But neither of you have got....’
‘Family there’ he finishes for her again ‘I know. Don’t think we haven’t gone all though this, because we have. We’ve looked at it every which way and upside down. Thing is, Mum....’ Marcus eyes her with some sympathy ‘I know you miss having me around....Will miss me, Marie and Luke and I daresay Marie’s Mum and Dad don’t feel any different ....but when you add it all up, we’ll have a better life out there. There are more opportunities for us....jobs....housing....education. It’s living, not existing. When it comes down to it, that’s what I want. I want a future and I don’t see one here.’ He sighs and walks a few more steps ‘Sorry’
3 Manor Road
Chapter Forty-one
Pennywell, Bower Lane
‘The thing is, we had intended to stay over’ Lynn shields her eyes and groans, seeing Cerys determinedly carrying Alfie towards the dolls pram in the middle of the lawn. ‘That poor animal! Cerys, don’t do that, sweetheart. You’ll make him very cross and he’ll scratch you’
‘That’s the only way she’ll learn’ Helen takes a sip of her wine and studies the glass ‘After the morning I’ve had, this is very welcome. The makings of an alcoholic, you think?’
‘Drinking at lunchtime?’ Lynn splutters a laugh and puts her own glass down. ‘Hardly!’
‘You’d be very welcome to stay here...and then maybe make your peace with Harriet in the morning?’
‘She was in such a funny mood! Maybe I shouldn’t have reacted quite the way I did but nothing was right for her at all. It would have been purgatory having to put up with that until tomorrow’ Lynn digs in her bag for her mobile phone and lays it on the patio table to remind her. ‘I’d better text Chris. The last thing I want is for him to ring there tonight and get a lecture about me being totally unsuitable as a wife’
‘Wife?’
‘Well...’ Lyn shrugs ‘near enough....The mother of his child, then’
‘You’re not exactly in the same league as the first, thank God’ Helen grimaces and takes another drink ‘Will you stay?’
Lynn glances at Cerys and covers her eyes with one hand, groaning again. ‘You think Alfie could stand it?’
Helen follows her look and laughs. ‘That is one stupid cat!’ she giggles at the sight of Alfie lying full-stretch in the pram and being wheeled round the garden with only his head showing above the blanket. ‘He will get out when he’s had enough, I promise you’
‘I’m worried she’ll hurt him’
‘Oh, he’ll let her know if she does’ Helen picks the last of the garnish from her plate with her fingers ‘Have you had enough to eat?’ she asks, popping the cherry tomato into her mouth and pairing the remains of a lettuce leaf with a morsel of cheese left from her sandwich.
‘Yes, that was lovely, thank you. I didn’t expect you to feed us’ Lynn replies. ‘I’ll have dinner ready for when you get home, shall I?’
‘You’re staying! Wonderful’ Helen smiles broadly then shakes her head ‘There’s no need to do that. It’s such a nice day, it wouldn’t take much to persuade Kester to get the barbecue out and then he can do all the work’
‘Sounds good to me’
‘But we’ll only book it if you’re sure you’re going to be okay on your own’
‘Of course I’m going to be okay’ Leonie snaps ‘And if you even think about moving Andy and Beth in to look after me, I’m going to be really pee’d off!’
Grinning, Richard puts his arm around Marilyn’s neck and pulls her closer for a jokey kiss and cuddle. ‘After thirty years, I reckon we’re due a second honeymoon’ he growls.
‘Oh, pull-eeease!’ Leonie scowls, plainly swallowing an urge to gag. ‘Mum deserves a break, so go. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. I’ve got Liz now anyway’
‘And I don’t deserve a break?’ her father jokes.
‘You don’t do as much as Mum does and she works as well. She doesn’t have a lot of free time’ the implication that Leonie thinks he has too much is clearly obvious.
‘Your father works very hard’ Marilyn says in his defence. ‘It’ll be nice to get away together’
‘For a change’ Leonie’s lip curls.
‘What do you mean, ‘for a change’? Just because I have to go away every now and again doesn’t mean I’m not working my arse off while I’m there! I’m knackered when I come back’
‘Mmmm....I’m sure you are’
‘What’s got into you?’ Marilyn frowns as Leonie gives Richard a look she is unable to comprehend and turns back to her magazine. ‘If you don’t want us to go, we won’t go. You’ve only got to say’
‘No’ Leonie murmurs absently and licks a finger to turn a page ‘You go and have some fun. I’m sure it’ll be lovely’
Richard lifts his shoulders and spread his hands in a ‘search me’ gesture when Marilyn looks back at him. He scratches the top of his head lets his hand slide to the back of his neck. ‘I’ll go finalise everything, then’ he says, leaning forward as though he has more to say but deciding against it and shaking his head. ‘So....’ he says, ignoring Leonie and smiling at Marilyn ‘You’re absolutely sure about the hotel? It’s not too late to change the booking’
‘It looks absolutely wonderful’ she breathes and shivers with excitement. ‘I can’t wait’
‘Looks can be deceptive’ Leonie mutters.
Marilyn closes her eyes and sighs inaudibly. ‘There was a link to a video’ she maintains her cheerful smile ‘So I’m pretty confident it’ll be like it is in the brochure....and even if it isn’t, it’s a beautiful place so it won’t matter too much’
‘Wanna bet? I don’t intend doing much sight-seeing’ Richard’s eyebrows waggle. ‘Second honeymoon, remember’
‘Oh, for goodness sake!’ Leonie snatches up her magazine from the arm of the chair and stalks towards the door ‘Throw some water over him or something!’
Hill House, Boundary Road
