‘Especially you.’
Jules picked a feather off the top of one of the eggs and stroked her palm.
‘Will you be sad?’ Tasha said, stopping what she was doing to look at her directly.
‘I’ll try not to be, but when you miss people, you are a little bit sad, aren’t you?’
‘Erin says Lance is sad.’
‘Ah!’
‘Why don’t you like him? He’s a brilliant person.’
‘Oh, Tasha, I do like him. I’m a bit of a mess at the moment on the romantic front…’
‘He knows that. He could make you happy again.’
‘If only it was that simple.’
‘I think you’re making it more complicated than it is.’ She placed the egg cartons in a big box. ‘Can you drop these off on the table at the top of the drive on your way past? There are also some punnets of raspberries in the fridge which Erin and I picked yesterday and a few courgettes.’
Jules nodded. ‘There are some figs, too. I picked loads off the tree earlier and Rita’s not going to be making jam or chutney anytime soon, so she said to put those out as well. Is Erin coming around later?’
Tasha nodded.
‘In about half an hour. We’re going to do some baking. I think we’ll make an apricot and almond cake. There’s still some jam left from last year and it’s one of Granny’s favourites.’
‘You’re such a star, Tasha.’
She beamed.
‘Granny does loads for me. Now it’s my turn to pay her back. It’s not all about me, is it? You showed me that.’
‘Did I?’
‘By saying you’d come and look after Granny when I know you were planning to head back up to Manchester.’
Jules frowned.
‘How did you know that?’
Tasha picked up a piece of cheese and studied it.
‘I sense things. Mum says I’m hyper-sensitive and she makes it sound like the worst thing in the world.’
‘It can make life hard.’
Tasha nodded. ‘But it’s not always a bad thing. It does have its advantages. I can empathise. A lot of people can’t do that, or they shut that part of themselves down. I’m not going to do that any longer. Some of us need to cry or take ourselves off for some quiet time more than others.’
Jules smiled. ‘That’s very true.’
‘In the nineteenth century they said tears were heart-improving.’
‘I’ll remember that. My heart definitely needs some improving.’
Tasha took a bite of the cheese.
‘I’m trying to eat a bit more, too.’
