‘I don’t mind them. It’s not something I’ve ever thought about. I feel I’m a bit old to have one now. Hannah has one; it’s a little map of Australia on her wrist.’
‘What? You’re never too old for a tattoo. It’s something I’ve often thought about, but it has to be special. I don’t know what I want yet. It’s my goal to get one before I turn sixty. Australia sounds like a good choice for Hannah. I’d love to meet her one day.’
‘Wouldn’t that be lovely? I wish she wasn’t so far away, but I can’t blame her for wanting to living there. I’m pleased she’s happy and healthy; that’s what’s important. Maybe one day she can come to Amsterdam, or I can go over there. Perhaps one day you could come with me to Melbourne and meet her.’
‘I’d like that very much.’
It feels heart-warming that the man I am seeing takes an interest in Hannah and wants to meet her. Even though I don’t see much of her, it’s important that Abe cares so much, as we take our relationship day by day.
‘So, when shall we start the painting, now all the permissions have come through?’ says Abe, changing the subject.
‘As soon as possible. I can’t wait to put my mark on it.’
‘How about we start next week? I’ll ask Beatrix to cover for a day or two. She can always get Willem to help.’
‘Really? We can start that soon?’
‘Absolutely. I know a place we can get the marine paint. If you like, I can pick up some paint colour charts for you. I don’t believe in waiting for anything you want. Do you?’
As Abe looks at me, with his kind smile, I can’t help agreeing.
Why wait when you know something is right?
Chapter Thirty-One
True to his word, Abe turns up, as promised, with a chart of paint colours before rushing off to work. Over a coffee, I look at the shades of red and green that he has picked out. They’re all gorgeous. It’s going to be so difficult to choose between them. What colours were used for the houseboat onRosie and Jim? That is the exact colour I want. I’m tempted to write to the BBC and ask them if they have the details in an archive somewhere.
The reds are all fabulous. Do I choose flame red or signal red, so that I look like a traffic light? Then there is emerald green, moss green, grass green and leaf green. How green do I want my windows and surrounds? Who would have thought choosing the right colour would be so difficult.
I eventually narrow it down and get my choice between two reds and two shades of green. I decide to get Hannah’s opinion since she is good at things like this.
I send the photos across on WhatsApp and hope she picks them up soon. In the meantime, I practise some of my Dutch.
‘Rood,’ I say. I’m sure that’s red in Dutch.
‘Groen,’ I say to myself. Then I check back in my book that I’ve got the word for green correct. My Dutch is finally getting somewhere, and I am understanding quite a bit and able to speak a lot more each day. Having a strict teacher has paid off.
As I’m making another coffee and am about to move on to the next level of Dutch, I see that Hannah has messaged back.
Hey, hope you’re having fun there. I think Rosie and Jim’s boat had adarker green shade. Go for the darker one.
Thanks, love. Everything okay there?
Yeah, good. I held a party for Dad’s birthday. I’m still a bithungover.
Oh no. Must have been a fun party though.
I have been so busy socialising that it hadn’t occurred to me that it was that time of year already. Paul would have been fifty-eight yesterday.
Well, tell him happy birthday from me, hey.
I will. I told him you’re having the time of your life inAmsterdam.
That’s nice. Were many at the party?
I can’t help wondering if Hannah invited Paul’s new girlfriend. Do they all cosy up together now and play happy families without me? I try not to let it get to me. After all, Hannah is grown up and Paul is my ex. But it still hurts to think that another woman gets to see Hannah more than her mam does.
Yeah, about twenty of us. Anyway, I’d better go. Off for an interviewat a new bar that’s opening. Hoping to pick up some work. My backpackingdays are over and I can no longer sofa-surf with Dad’s family. I may doa part-time interior design course.
