‘Here we go.’
We’re back at home and I’m sitting in the living room with Edward as Mum appears with the tray of tea and biscuits. Earlier, when I introduced her to Edward, she was confused – my landlord? Driving all this way to see me? I think she was worried I was behind with the rent or something. But after I explained he was my friend and he’d come to lend his support, she was insistent he come back to the house.
Not that Edward would have put up much of a fight anyway. Unshaven, with heavy bags underneath his eyes, he looks in desperate need of my mum’s sofa.
‘So, are you staying for the weekend?’ she’s asking now, handing him a cup of tea. I notice she’s brought out the proper cups and saucers, and not the mugs with the funny slogans we usually drink out of.
‘I’m sure he’ll need to get back—’ I cut in quickly.
‘Actually, I don’t,’ he says, thanking Mum, who’s now offering him a chocolate biscuit. KitKats, no less. ‘I dropped Arthur off with Sophie and the boys when I went to pick up the car . . . Sophie’s my ex-wife,’ he adds, for Mum’s benefit. ‘Well, soon to be.’
Mum looks across at me and I shift in the armchair. Subtlety is not one of her qualities. Edward notices but pretends not to. Now I know how Lizzy Bennet must have felt.
‘What about her allergies?’ I ask.
‘I think she can handle a few sneezes for the weekend,’ he says, then turns to Mum. ‘To be honest, I think it’s more me she’s allergic to.’
Mum laughs at his joke. It’s the first time I’ve seen her smiling in days.
‘Well, you’re very welcome to stay. I can make up Richard’s room. They’re not arriving till Monday . . .’
My brother called earlier to say he was driving up with Nathalie and the new baby after the weekend. I’d been keeping him informed of what was going on, and he was as relieved as we were with the latest news about Dad.
‘Well, it is a long drive from London and I’ve never been to the Lake District before,’ Edward is saying now, looking at me.
I take another chocolate biscuit. ‘Well, that’s decided then.’
I’m grateful for: