When Kate had told her mum about it, Rose had roared with laughter. She did agree however that the situation wasn’t ideal for any of them. Especially not for Kate.
The weekend after that, Avery had come to get Beth on Friday and they had gone to his home in Meribel. Kate thought it would be a relief to have her house to herself, and yet, by the time Beth returned, late on Sunday night, Kate was elated to see her.
The following weekend, Avery had, once again, come to stay at Kate’s. She knew she would need to become accustomed to this new arrangement, and seeing Beth so happy made it all worthwhile.
Deep down though, Kate was aware that the couple needed their own space. Beth had already brought up the subject with her during their lunch break at school that week, saying that both she and Avery had been actively looking for a property but there really wasn’t much available. Kate had discussed it with Rose who had said it was obvious that things had to change. Kate hadn’t expected them to change quite so soon.
It was the last weekend of January when she, Beth and Avery were having Sunday lunch at Rose’s house because, as Rose had declared the day before, she and Frank had an announcement to make. Kate wasn’t sure whether to be excited or concernedbut as Rose refused to shed any light on this “announcement” until they were all seated around the dining table, Kate was experiencing a mixture of emotions.
‘Frank and I have been chatting,’ Rose said, drowning not just her own roast beef in her signature, thick, yummy, port-laden gravy, but also drowning Frank’s. ‘I know you’ve been looking for somewhere to buy or rent nearby, Avery, but that might take a while. We’ve got a proposition for you. And an announcement,’ she added, winking at Kate as she handed her the gravy boat before smiling at Beth. ‘At our ages, Frank and I can’t afford to waste any time, so I’m going to move in with him right away.’
Kate had tried to suppress her gasp of surprise but had failed miserably, and had also poured rather more of Rose’s delicious gravy onto her roast beef than she had intended. ‘Are you sure, Mum? It’s a big step.’
Rose had laughed. ‘Hardly a big step. Frank lives next door. Oh, don’t worry. I know what you mean, sweetheart. Perhaps it is. But we both feel we’re ready. And that’s why this is perfect.’ She looked directly at Beth once again. ‘Rather than sell my house, or rent it out to a stranger, we were thinking that you and Avery could move in. Then you’d have a place to call your own. Until you decide where you want to spend your future together.’
Now it was Beth who had gasped with surprise, while Avery glanced from Rose to Frank to Kate with a look of disbelief etched on his handsome face, before he and Beth had beamed at one another.
‘That would be fantastic,’ Beth said to Avery, clearly amazed.
‘Absolutely fantastic,’ Avery agreed looking equally astonished and yet delighted.
‘Oh, Nanna!’ Beth exclaimed, as though Rose’s words had just sunk in, and she smiled at her grandmother as if all her prayers and hopes and dreams had been granted. ‘Are you sure? Isn’tthat a wonderful plan, Mum?’ She looked at Kate with such an exuberant smile that Kate didn’t have the heart to disagree.
‘Well, it’s certainly something to think about, darling,’ Kate said.
‘I’m leaving everything as it is,’ Rose continued. ‘For now, at least. All I’ll be taking are my clothes and personal belongings. You and Avery can move in right away. Today, if you like. Provided the two of you, and Kate, will help move my things into Frank’s. I know you’ll want to make some changes, in time, if the arrangement suits you both, but for now I’m sure you won’t mind living with my furniture. Although, if you do, we can move it into storage, I suppose. Or donate what I don’t want to keep, to one of the many local charity shops. We can sort all that out later.’
Beth had leapt to her feet and hugged both Rose and Frank. Avery had looked elated. Even Rufus’s bark – caused by Beth’s sudden movements and delighted shrieks, sounded happy somehow. But Kate’s head was swimming.
This was all happening fast. Too fast. She was still getting accustomed to the fact that both her mum, and her daughter, were engaged. She wasn’t ready for either of them to take the next step and live with their fiancés.
At least they wouldn’t be moving far. That was one thing to be grateful for. But Kate had never really lived alone – and she wasn’t convinced she would like it. The two weekends that month that Beth had spent in France had given Kate a taste of what that might feel like.
Previously, when Beth had been away, Kate had spent more time with Rose. Now that Rose was with Frank, Kate had tried not to do that, despite both Rose and Frank assuring her that she was always welcome.
Kate did have friends, of course, but they all had husbands, or partners, and most had families. Understandably, they wantedto spend their weekends with their loved ones, although they had also told Kate she was welcome to call, or pop round for a coffee or a glass of wine at any time.
Until now, Kate hadn’t given much thought to the fact that she … and Granny Viv … and Avery’s great-grandmother, Millicent, were the only people she knew who were, in fact, single … and alone.
Kate had lived with her parents until the day she had married, and after that, although her husband was away more than he was at home, he was usually only gone for a few days at a time, so Kate didn’t think of those times as living on her own.
Then Beth had come along, and since the day Beth was born, thirty-five years ago, she had lived with Kate. Other than perhaps a week or two here and there when Beth had gone away without her. Beth had even attended the local university, having obtained her teaching degree at Anglia Ruskin University in Chelmsford. So, as far as Kate was concerned, she had not lived on her own.
A vision of her future played out before her eyes. Evenings alone in front of the TV. Dinner for one. Eating breakfast on her own. No one to bring her a cup of coffee in bed on a leisurely Sunday morning. No more dancing around the kitchen with Beth as they prepared their various meals. No one to share a bottle of wine with at the weekends, or to sit in the garden with after work, drinking tea and chatting about the day. Kate’s tummy tied into a tight knot at the prospect of her future.
And then she silently reprimanded herself.
What was wrong with her? This wasn’t about her. This was about her mum’s, and her daughter’s, happiness. She let out a sigh of resignation, before quickly pulling herself together.
‘I think this is wonderful news,’ she had said, also getting to her feet now and hugging everyone in the room, including Rufus, which may have been going slightly over the top. ‘Let’s eat ourlunch and get started on the move. There’s no time like the present.’
Beth gave Kate another hug. ‘You are okay with this, aren’t you, Mum? I know everything has changed since the New Year and we’re all getting used to it and figuring things out, but I love Avery with all my heart. I’ll be sad to move out, obviously, but we’ll see each other every day. And at least, thanks to Nanna and Frank, I won’t be going far.’
Kate tucked a loose strand of golden brown, long, straight hair behind Beth’s ear and then cradled her daughter’s face in both hands. ‘Of course I’m okay with it, my darling. More than okay. I’m delighted. Congratulations.’
‘Well,’ said Rose, a few hours later, ‘I think this calls for champagne. I happen to have a couple of bottles chilling in the fridge. Avery, would you do the honours?’
‘With pleasure,’ he said, heading off in the direction of Rose’s kitchen which was soon to be his and Beth’s.
