Oh, God, not another hater...
Urgh, thatword!
‘That was just the way it worked out.’ I’m tense, but I hope I don’t sound too defensive.
To my surprise, he smiles. ‘Charlie says you ’ave been cheering them up.’
‘Really?’ Hope replaces some of the tension.
‘It is good,’ he says. ‘What ’appened with Nicki was very tragic.’ His face grows sombre as he looks down at the table. ‘Very, very sad.’
‘Yes,’ I agree quietly.
He perks up and strokes April’s head. ‘But it is good to see this little monkey.’
She stares at him vacantly and he tweaks her nose. She smiles and he smiles back at her. It’s a lovely sight.
‘Very good indeed,’ he says softly, brushing her cheek. ‘I ’ave to get back to work, but I maybe see you later, yes?’
‘That would be great,’ I reply, and I mean it.
He crosses paths with Charlie on his way back indoors, clapping his son-in-law gently on his back. Charlie looks heartened when he rejoins us, carrying a bowl of Rice Krispies and some fresh fruit.
‘Okay?’ he asks as he places the bowl in front of April.
‘Yes,’ I reply with a smile.
More than okay...
‘I’m just going to nip in here to ask about rock-climbing lessons,’ I say to Charlie as we’re wandering back past the activities-and-excursions hut after breakfast.
‘Rock-climbing lessons?’ he asks with surprise. ‘Oh, for thebook!’ he realises.
‘I’ll see you back there?’
‘Okay.’
There’s a girl sitting behind the desk and a young couple over by the window, flicking through a brochure.
‘Can I help you?’ the desk girl asks me.
I get straight down to business, booking myself onto Isak’s beginners’ taster session for this afternoon.
Charlie smiles at me when I return. ‘I forgot we weren’t just here on holiday, for a minute.’
I wish thatwerethe case.
‘Are you actually going to try rock climbing?’
‘I may as well.’ I shrug. ‘Nicki’s character does it, so it’d help if I could write from experience.’
‘When are you going?’
‘This afternoon.’
‘Maybe we’ll come to watch,’ he says with a grin.
I can’t lie to him...
