‘I hated it too,’ she admitted. ‘I’m still ashamed to think of how it had spiralled until contact was minimal and forced. But that’s behind us, Ash. I meant what I said: we’re far better off looking forward.’
‘I feel like I have a lot to look forward to, possibly for the first time ever! Victor and I are just starting out, really, and little Levi! He’s stolen my heart!’
‘You’re a good mum, Ash, and a brilliant nana.’
‘Well, coming from you, that’s the best compliment.’
Remy felt a rush of affection for her sister. ‘I’m going to stay with Bertie and Ulla when the new baby comes. Midge and I can look after the twins so they can enter their baby bubble.’
‘Ah, lovely. Have they got any names yet?’ Ashleigh asked casually, and so she tried to answer in kind, knowing her response would cause a ripple.
‘Yes, they’re going to call her Nettle.’
‘Nettle? As in stinging or tea?’ Her sister wrinkled her nose as best she was able with all that Botox.
Remy felt the smallest flare of defence at the name, which was, after all, going to be how she referred to her baby granddaughter.
‘That’s the one.’ She held her sister’s gaze. ‘And it’s not the weirdest thing. Do you remember your friend who named his baby after his dog! What was it? Ben and Ben?’
‘Yep, the Bens!’ Ashleigh laughed. ‘Ridiculous. Can I ask you a question, Rem?’
‘Course, fire away!’ She braced herself for some more name-related teasing.
‘Would you do it again? Would you make out you were me? Sit the exam?’
‘Oh.’ This was not what she had expected. ‘I’ve thought about that in the past, and the answer is yes, yes I would.’
‘Even though it caused us problems further down the line, put a rift between us, almost, made us fight?’
Remy reached out and took her sister’s hand inside her own, the same hand, one egg, split in half,miracles ...
‘Yes, Ash, because I would only do what I thought was right at the time and Ithoughtthat was the right thing to do, because Ithoughtit was what you wanted. Because I love you that much.’ It was her truth, would always be her truth. She would do it all again.
‘I know. I loved you that much too.’ Ashleigh’s words were hoarse, her vocal cords pulled thin with emotion.
‘Loved?’ Remy pulled a disapproving face.
‘Love. Iloveyou that much, little dove,’ Ashleigh whispered.
‘I love you that much too, little dove ... always have, always will.’
‘What are you two conniving about?’ Ruthie asked, pushed into the room in her wheelchair by Pia.
‘Nothing.’
‘Nothing.’
They replied in unison. It was that way with twins. In sync, in tune and always having each other’s back.
Remy Hughes
2042
Aged 80
Elio shut the passenger door. He was a wonderful young man, popping in often to her little flat overlooking the river in Salisbury, not far from where Harper lived with her boyfriend, Frank, and their three dogs. Harper, who had, in recent years, found a certain peace, and thankfully now had more good days than bad. Elio was a wonder, her rock, who didn’t talk to Remy like she was deaf or daft. His partner, Pia, also a doctor, was about to give birth to Remy’s first great-grandchild. She couldn’t wait.
She wished Bertie and Sophie would take a leaf out of Elio’s book, her wonderful son and daughter, who she had to remind, ‘I’m eighty, kids, not deaf or stupid. My body might be a little slow, but my mind isn’t.’
