Two days later, after lunch, when I was writing my diary and gazing out of the window at the fishing boats bobbing about on the waves, my phone rang. My heart stopped. I had been willing my phone to ring as I guessed that my letter was delivered the day before. I posted it when Aunty M popped into the Mini Mart to buy some onions. She never asked me what I was doing in the study two mornings before. She was amazing. She treated me like a grown up and never asked questions. I couldn’t tell whether she was disinterested or whether she was giving me privacy. I decided to believe it was the latter. She knew I needed space to be myself. Well on this occasion, I was glad she did.
I flicked up my phone.
“Hello.”
“Hello is that Florence?”
“Yes it is who’s speaking?”
“This is your grandma, Rosamund and your grandfather, Alastair, is next to me.”
“Oh my goodness,” I heard myself saying, “how do you do?”
“We are fine and very keen to meet you. When would you be able to visit?”
“I could come to see you tomorrow. You are only about fifteen minutes away from where I am staying. I can walk quite easily.”
“Yes you can. Why don’t you come for tea tomorrow, say at four?”
“I’d like that very much. See you at four then,” I responded.
“We are looking forward to meeting you. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye grandma.”
My phone went dead.
I sat on my bed my heart pounding. I started now and I would have to go on. I was excited and yet deeply worried that I would cause more trouble with my mum and Aunty M. I felt really bad about the attic and how I upset Aunty M so badly. There were so many secrets and no-one made any attempts to tell me. My mum was always so sharp and irritated with me and I never knew why. And most important of all was Roma who needed us all.
“Who was that?” came a voice behind me.
I swung around hoping it was not Aunty M. It was Roma.
“That was our real grandparents. I’m seeing them tomorrow at four for tea. Will you come too?”
“Sure. I wouldn’t miss meeting them for anything,” said Roma as she hovered above my bed.
I looked at her and as I did I realised time was running out. She was very pale and her eyes, which had been bright blue, were losing their glint.
I know I had to work fast. Mum and Philip would be back at the weekend. They were coming down to collect me on Sunday. I had three days to make a miracle happen. It was a risk I knew I had to take, and with that thought, I went downstairs to see if Aunty M would like a cup of tea. Everything would have to be normal. I could not raise any suspicions. I would have to lie about where I was going tomorrow; I knew that but I felt it was the right thing to do. I had to do all I could to save my sister Roma.