‘They’re young and in love,’ said Granny Viv.
‘Don’t I know it. When Avery was staying at mine, I had to turn the speakers up on more than one occasion just to drown them out.’
‘The angel takes after her great-grandfather. He was rather … vocal when we were making love.’
‘Eew! Too much information, Gran!’
Granny Viv roared with laughter. ‘Having sex is a healthy way for anyone of any age to spend their time. Well, anyone over the age of sixteen, that is. Don’t be such a prude. You might consider trying it yourself.’
‘Thank you, but I’m fine without it.’
‘Hmm. Millie suggested Beth and Avery might like to have a place down here. Avery comes to see her almost every week, you know.’
‘Does he? I didn’t know that. I did know Millicent … Millie … is his only living relation. That wouldn’t be too bad, I suppose.I’d rather have Beth living down here than living miles away in Meribel. But sadly, it’s not my decision. We’ll all have to wait and see what the pair of them decide. I just hope they stay in Mum’s home for, oh, at least the next forty years.’
‘Good luck with that,’ said Granny Viv.
Three
Kate had a restless night. She had gone to bed around ten but had tossed and turned until midnight when she finally got up and went downstairs to make a hot drink. Rufus had been fast asleep in his bed, which Kate had placed next to her own, yet he came down and joined her a few minutes later. He had obviously woken up, seen she wasn’t there, and come downstairs in search of her. Poor thing. He must be missing Frank and wondering what was happening. Although he seemed to feel at home at Granny Viv’s, having spent two weeks there over the festive season.
Kate took her mug into the sitting room where the fire had been slowly dying since she and Granny Viv had gone to bed. There were just a few embers left now but the house was still warm. The central heating thermostat was set for the heating to kick in if the temperature dropped below a certain level, which varied depending on the weather and the time of year. Being February, it was no doubt set to around seventeen degrees at night. Granny Viv liked a warm home even when she was in bed.
Kate sat in the chair her gran had occupied earlier and placed her mug on the side table next to her. She tugged at the scrunchie that had been holding her wayward locks in a ponytail and retied it. Her brownish-gold, shoulder-length hair always curled in any direction it wanted and she had long since given up trying to control it. She tied it in a bun for work, or sometimes, swept it back with a headband.
One day she might have it cropped short and styled into a pixie cut. Except it wouldn’t stay that shape. Her curls would still do whatever they wanted, no matter how short her hair might be and, unlike her mum and her gran, Kate had never been one to spend an inordinate amount of time sitting at her dressing table fiddling with things like hair and make-up. Kate – and Beth – took after Kate’s dad who firmly believed that if people didn’t like you for who you really were, they weren’t worth your time or concern. It should be what is inside that matters, not trying to live up to someone else’s idea of a perfect persona on the outside.
That didn’t mean Kate and Beth didn’t make an effort to look their best. It simply meant they didn’t spend too much time worrying about it.
Rufus curled up at her feet but kept his gaze fixed on her face as if to say she wouldn’t walk off without him knowing about it next time.
Kate wasn’t sure how long she spent staring into the embers in the grate and drinking the hot chocolate she had made, all the while mulling over what her gran had said that evening about Beth moving away, but by the time she decided to return to her bed, Rufus was snoring.
Nevertheless, the moment she moved her foot, his head shot up.
‘I’m so sorry, Rufus. I didn’t mean to disturb you. Let’s go back to bed.’
He immediately got up as if he understood every word.
Kate was now so sleepy that, having rinsed out her mug and placed it in the dishwasher, she tripped as she headed back upstairs, but she managed to stop herself from falling and it wasn’t long before she had tumbled back beneath the duvet and fallen fast asleep.
The next time Kate awoke, the garden birds were singing, the seagulls were squawking, music was wafting its way up the stairs, but more importantly, so was the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, Granny Viv was calling her name, and Rufus was nuzzling her with his wet nose.
Still half asleep she reached out for her phone and glanced at the time displayed on the screen.
‘Oh no!’
She threw back the duvet and leapt out of bed. It was almost eight o’clock. How could she have overslept? Rufus needed to be walked. She hoped he didn’t need to pee as badly as she did. She could let him out into the garden the minute they got downstairs.
She dashed into her en suite and after washing her hands, she threw on her dressing gown and hurried down to the kitchen where Granny Viv stood, showered and dressed, pouring heavenly smelling coffee into two large mugs.
‘Morning!’ Kate said, racing towards the kitchen door that led into the garden. ‘I need to let Rufus out. Sorry I overslept. I had a restless night.’
‘It’s not a problem, darling. Well, not for me. Rufus, on the other hand, might feel differently.’
Having opened the door and watched Rufus for a second or two, Kate joined her gran who now sat at the kitchen table, and pulled out a chair. Dropping onto the seat she encircled the mug of coffee with both hands and raised it to her lips taking several large gulps and then sighing loudly.
‘I needed this. Thanks, Gran.’
