A couple of days later, Rose and Hattie went to the lodge. Rose was donating some curtains and soon the gloomy lodge was a bright, attractive place to live.
‘It’s still tiny, though,’ said Rose, having finished her curtain hanging.
‘Fine for one. Or a close couple,’ said Hattie. ‘I can work from the second bedroom. I wonder if Aiden will bring the bathroom upstairs eventually? It would be too small for living in but a perfect romantic getaway.’
‘It’s a shame you had to leave your last place,’ said Rose.
Hattie hadn’t given Rose all the details of why she wanted to move. Now she glossed over it. ‘Oh, well, you know me. I never want to stay anywhere too long. And wherever my pots of herbs and things are, that’s my home, to massively misquote Bob Dylan.’
Rose didn’t comment but Hattie had a feeling that she hadn’t got away with that glib reply. ‘Are you sure you won’t come back and eat with us? Sam is cooking and I know he’d love to see you – and Xander of course.’
‘No, thank you. I want to make sure Luke’s house is as clean and tidy as possible before he gets back tomorrow. Then I’ll move in here.’
‘Well, at least it’s near Luke’s,’ said Rose.
Hattie felt annoyed by this but decided not to comment. Why did Rose think she needed to live near Luke? She was perfectly all right on her own.
Hattie was alone at the lodge, watering her pots, when her sister rang.
‘Hattie? How’s it going? I can’t get Xander on his phone. Is he with you?’
‘He—’
‘But I need to speak to you first.’ She didn’t even stop for breath. ‘He has a parents’ evening coming up – an appraisal – whatever they call it – and I need you to go.’
‘Lennie! I’m not his parent. It would be quite inappropriate for me to go.’
‘You’rein loco parentis, which means you have to. And how else am I supposed to find out how he’s doing? There’s no earthly point asking him!’
Hattie had to admit her sister was probably right about that.
‘But I’d have no idea what to do at a parents’ evening!’
‘You make appointments with the different teachers and turn up. They can be a bit shambolic, I do admit. But I don’t need you to see every teacher, just his English and maths tutors.’
‘Oh? But what about music? He likes that!’ Xander had finally told his mother about his passion for electronic music, and how living at Luke’s meant he could indulge it.
‘He may like it,’ said Leonie crossly, ‘but it’s not exactly going to give him a career, is it?’
‘He’s very young—’
‘I know how old he is. He’s my son. And I’m only asking you to see two teachers. How hard can it be? Oh, and record the interviews on your phone.’
Hattie definitely wasn’t going to do that. ‘I might take notes. People don’t often want to be recorded.’
‘Oh, OK. Now go and get him, would you? I haven’t got long.’
‘He’s at Luke’s. He must have been in Luke’s cabin when you called so he didn’t hear the phone. I’ll get him to give you a call.’
‘Please do!’ Leonie sounded bossy and demanding. Then she suddenly added, ‘I miss him.’
Hattie’s heart lurched. She realised that her sister’s heart wasn’t made of stone however hard she tried to pretend it was. She rang Luke the moment her phone was free.
‘Hey, Hattie, what’s going on?’ he said, when he answered.
‘Could you get Xander to ring his mum, ASAP? She’s missing him and needs to speak to him.’
‘OK. For a moment there I thought you were going to come over and hang out.’
