Grandad laughs. ‘Not for long.’ Granny is fifty-nine. ‘This house needs so much work.’
‘We’ll be all right,’ Granny says. ‘Mick left us some money and if things get tight we can heat only part of the house and live off baked beans on toast.’
There’s a silence.
‘We’ve made the right choice,’ Granny goes on. ‘I know it’s hard leaving London, but what would your father have said if we’d sold up and someone had turned this place into a seaside hotel? This house has been in your family forgenerations. And I keep on thinking…’
‘What?’ Grandad asks.
‘This is what Ellie would have wanted.’ Eleanor was my mother, always called Ellie for short. I’ve seen pictures of her. She was beautiful, her thick chestnut hair tied back in a scarf, her full lips painted red. Granny told me that she loved to dye her hair. One time she’d dyed it turquoise and pink. She had a small heart tattoo on her ankle and in her early twenties she was rarely seen without a roll-up and a drink in her hand. ‘She was a wild thing who swept your father off his feet.’ When I asked why my father’s parents didn’t see us Granny used to get fidgety saying, ‘You’re too young to understand, but they’re the ones losing out.’ But now Lucas and I understand. Lucas had demanded answers on his last birthday because one of his friend’s grandads always slipped a ten-quid note inside his card. ‘Why don’t they send us presents?’ he had asked.
‘The sad thing is your father’s parents didn’t approve of their engagement,’ Granny had replied, exchanging a look with Grandad as if to make sure we were ready for the truth. ‘They threatened that if he married her, they’d disown him.’ And they did. They cut him out of their lives overnight. My grandparents only met my other set of grandparents at Mum and Dad’s funeral. Granny said it was terrible in every way. Their remorse was too late.
‘Ellie loved her summer holidays here,’ Granny says. ‘I know she would have wanted us to get Jan away from that school. I swear if anyone lays a hand on her again I’ll call the police…’
‘Our local school here promises zero tolerance.’
‘Heard that one before. What these teachers should be doing is working outwhythe Toby Browns are bullying and re-educate them. And it can’t just be because she’s different. I’m not the only granny at the gates, and touch wood Lucas has been all right.’
‘He’s a different kettle of fish,’ Grandad says.
‘You’re telling me. When I read his last school report I thought I must be reading about another kid the way the teachers said how polite and hard-working he is, a joy to teach and all that. I mean, I was proud, of course I was, but…’
‘He’s bright.’
Lucas is top of his class in most subjects and excels in maths.
‘Clearly he saves his bad moods for us.’
‘Lucas will be all right, but any sign of trouble with Jan and I’ll come down on them like a ton of bricks. I’ll tutor her from home if need be.’
Granny laughs gently.
‘I can wear a gown and you can call me sir.’
‘January is softer, not as rebellious as Ellie, but sometimes when I look at her I see my little girl…’
‘Come here.’
‘Timothy, I’ve been thinking.’
‘Uh-oh.’
‘Do you think we should join a gym?’
Grandad bursts out laughing now. His idea of exercise is turning a page or getting up and down off the sofa.
‘We are all those children have and we have to stay fit. Any lump or bump we go straight to the doc. You promise?’
‘Promise.’
Finally I open the door and see them huddled together on the sofa. Granny sits up. ‘I thought you’d gone to bed, love.’ She wipes her eyes on the sleeve of her cardigan.
They make space for me to sit between them. ‘I was saying to Grandad how happy we’re going to be here.’ She’s putting on that cheerful voice.
‘Granny, what happens if you and Grandad die? Who will look after Lucas and me then?’
They exchange glances. ‘There’s lots of life in us oldies yet,’ Grandad says.
