The weather was getting worse. There was a storm approaching which, Jem told me with undisguised glee, was called Storm Alice.
‘Like our witch,’ she said. ‘Alice is coming to bring thunder and lightning and chaos.’
‘And delayed trains,’ I said, weary at the thought. ‘What are you up to for the rest of today?’ It was Saturday afternoon, so we didn’t have anywhere to be. ‘Are you seeing Cassie?’
Jem looked at her feet. ‘Not Cassie, no. She’s going to her granny’s.’
‘Do you want to come and help me? I’m going to Asda.’
Jem’s cheeks reddened. ‘Actually, a friend from drama has asked if I want to watch the film of Macbeth together.’
I looked at her carefully. She was blushing. ‘A new friend?’ I said casually.
‘Yes.’ She swallowed. ‘Callum.’
Ah ha! That’s why she was blushing. ‘He’s in the play with you, is he?’
‘Hope so, we don’t have our parts yet.’ She gave me a little shy smile that made my heart swell. ‘It won’t just be me and him. There are some others coming.’
‘Is he nice, this Callum?’
She flushed again. ‘Yes,’ she mumbled. ‘Funny.’
‘Good-looking?’
‘Muuum.’
‘I’m glad you’re making friends,’ I said, meaning it. ‘Boys and girls.’
She grinned at me. ‘Me too.’
I gave her a quick hug. ‘Have fun.’ Then the nerves took over. ‘If anyone says anything you don’t like or anything happens that you’re not comfortable with, call me.’
Jem tutted but I wasn’t finished. ‘Text me when you’re on your way home and I’ll come and meet you.’
She rolled her eyes and I felt a bit bad. ‘There are some of those posh chocolate biscuits in the cupboard. Why not take them with you to share with your friends?’
‘I will.’ She grinned again and I thought for the millionth time how well she had handled all the changes in her life.
Jem dashed off upstairs to get ready and I gathered all my empty shopping bags and headed outside. As I walked down the path, I heard a tapping on the window next door. Eva stood there, beckoning to me.
I went to her and she opened the window. ‘Are you okay?’ I asked. She looked a bit pale. Less vibrant than she’d been last time we’d met.
‘I’m fine, darling,’ she said. ‘Just having a bit of a bad day with my arthritis. It’s easing up now, but I saw you with your bags and wondered if you’re going to the shops, could you get me a few bits?’
‘Of course,’ I said. ‘What can I get you?’
‘I’ve got a list.’ She disappeared from the window and came back with a piece of paper covered in beautiful handwriting.
I scanned it – it was just basics and a bottle of gin. ‘No problem at all,’ I said, hoping she’d give me the money for her shopping. I didn’t want it to be awkward and have to ask for it later. But Eva had that organized too.
‘This should cover it,’ she said, handing me two twenty-pound notes.
I slipped the money into my pocket and zipped up my coat because the wind was getting stronger.
‘Back soon.’
As I wandered round the supermarket, I felt a bit odd. I was thrilled to bits that Jem was finding her feet in North Berwick. She was already as thick as thieves with Cassie, and now she had a new group of friends from the play too. But she was still my baby and to hear her talk about a boy made me realize she was growing up. Urgh. In some ways I wished she was still little so I could just keep her with me and know she was safe forever. But, I told myself, she was happy and that meant I was too. Of course, I was still dealing with the things Alistair had done – I’d been having counselling when we were in Edinburgh which had helped me but I hadn’t found a new therapist. And I wasn’t sure I could afford it anyway. But now we were away from all the memories, I could start to move on. At least, I hoped so.
It was busy in Asda, so it took me a while to get the things I needed and the bits Eva had asked for, but I got it all eventually. I unloaded all my own shopping first. It was quiet in the house without Jem there and I kept jumping when the wind blew and made things thud or bang. I’d never minded being on my own before – I relished it sometimes – but things had changed. Plus I’d made the mistake of reading one of the books about witches that Jem had brought home from the school library, and that together with the noisy weather, meant I was a bit spooked.
So I didn’t argue when I took Eva’s shopping round and she offered me a cup of tea and a biscuit. She looked much better than she had earlier. She said her arthritis was easing and she thanked me for getting the food she needed. She showed me her knuckles which were lumpy and swollen but, she said, better than they had been.
‘I have learned that when it bothers me, it goes away again quickly if I rest,’ she said. ‘But if I soldier on, then it just gets worse.’
‘There’s a lesson there for all of us.’ I smiled at her. ‘Shall I make the tea?’
Eva came into the kitchen with me and directed me to the right cupboards to find teabags and some pretty cups with matching saucers, and a plate to put biscuits on. I liked that she had a particular way of doing things; it reminded me of my granny. Then I carried our tea on a tray through to the table in the leaded window bay at the front of the house where Eva said she liked to sit and watch the world go by.
‘So what’s new with you?’ she asked. ‘Have you settled in?’
‘We have,’ I said. ‘Jem’s very happy at her new school.’
‘You were worried that she wouldn’t be?’ Eva asked astutely. ‘You sound surprised.’
‘She had a bit of trouble at her last place. There were a few personality clashes.’ That was an understatement but I didn’t want to go into too many details.
‘But she is making friends. I’ve seen her with a girl with curly hair.’
‘Cassie,’ I said with a smile. ‘She seems lovely. And Jem’s doing the school play which is giving her lots of other new friends. There’s even a boy she likes.’
‘How old is your Jem?’ Eva asked, taking a biscuit from the plate on the table.
‘Fourteen,’ I said. I chose a chocolate digestive and broke it in half, carefully catching the crumbs in my hand and putting them onto my saucer. ‘I’m pleased. She’s making lots of friends. It’s good.’
Eva looked at me sharply. ‘Feeling a bit lonely?’
I rolled my eyes. ‘Yes,’ I admitted. ‘Isn’t that silly?’
‘Silly, but understandable.’ She took a delicate sip from her mug. ‘You’re a team, I think. You and Jem.’
I nodded. ‘My divorce wasn’t easy.’ I chose my words carefully. ‘We are a bit bruised from it all. Jem doesn’t see her dad now.’
Eva nodded, thoughtfully. ‘It’s hard when our children want to untie the apron strings.’
‘It is.’
‘Perhaps you need to make some friends here. Or even find yourself a boyfriend.’
‘I don’t think so. It’s still very raw.’
Eva scoffed. ‘I’m not saying get married, just go out, have some fun. Live a little.’
I swallowed my biscuit. ‘Maybe.’ But I didn’t really mean it. I liked living quietly, just the two of us. And perhaps I didn’t have much of a social life, but that was fine. Better than fine. ‘Maybe I’ll get a cat,’ I said.
Eva rolled her eyes. ‘That’s not what I meant.’
‘I know.’ Feeling her piercing eyes on me, I changed the subject. ‘Perhaps I could join a running club. I used to be a member of one in Edinburgh.’
‘Or perhaps we should go for a drink,’ Eva said.
I shrugged. ‘Yes, that would be nice. One day next week, maybe?’
‘What about now?’
‘Now?’
‘Why not?’
I thought about it, and couldn’t think of a single reason why not. ‘Go on then,’ I said, amused by Eva’s directness. I was going to enjoy having her as a neighbour, I thought.
We wrapped up in our coats and scarves and with Eva holding my arm, we walked down the street to the pub on the corner. My phone beeped as Eva shut the door behind us. It was Jem saying Callum’s mum had ordered a load of pizzas for them and she’d be home later. I sent her a thumbs-up and a reminder to ring me when she wanted to come home.
The pub was called The Anchor. It was warm and cosy, with a real fire and stripped wood floors. The boss, who was chatting to some men at one end of the bar and watching the football on the TV in the corner, greeted Eva like an old friend when we walked in. We settled ourselves at a table close to the fire, where the wind rattled the windows and made us glad to be safely indoors.
I went to the bar to get the drinks and while I was waiting to be served, I saw the man who’d mended the door at the Haven the other day – Rory. He was standing slightly to the side of the group of men watching the football, with them but not quite. I paused, not sure if he’d remember me and whether I should say hello, and then he glanced up and grinned broadly.
‘Hello,’ he said. Then he frowned. ‘Are you here to see me?’
I laughed because it was such an odd thing to say. ‘Like a crazy stalker?’ He looked alarmed and I laughed again, more nervously this time. Gosh, I was out of practice when it came to small talk. ‘No. I’m with my friend.’ I gestured with my thumb over my shoulder to where Eva sat, scrolling through her phone and looking just like Jem even though she was about seventy-five years older than my teenage daughter.
‘Oh,’ he said, looking sheepish and a bit awkward. ‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t be.’
‘What can I get you?’ the barman asked, and in relief I turned to place my order. When I turned back, Rory was chatting to one of the other men, his gaze firmly on the TV screen.
I took the drinks back to Eva who gave me a knowing smile. ‘Handsome,’ she said. ‘And looking at you.’
‘Is he?’ I looked over to Rory and met his gaze which made me blush. I gave him a small smile and he smiled back.
‘I think I am not the only one who’s pleased you moved here,’ Eva said triumphantly.
‘Cheers.’