‘John, wake up,’ Kevin urged.
‘Wh … what?’
‘Come on, wake up. I want to talk to you.’
John cranked open one eye to look blearily at the figure standing over him. When he realised who it was, he shot up in bed. ‘What are you doing here? You said you were going abroad.’
‘When I heard about my father I postponed my departure and got here as soon as I could.’
‘I’ll go home then,’ John said. ‘I don’t want to stay now you’ve turned up.’
‘John, why are you in such a hurry to leave?’
‘Because you lied to me. When you were waiting for me outside my school, you said you’d cleared it with my mum.’
‘I’m sorry about that, but your mother might have refused to let me see you and as I was leaving the country, I didn’t have a lot of time. I pray that God will understand my desperation to talk to you and forgive my deceit.’
John recalled how worried his mother had been and threw back the blankets, saying bullishly, ‘I’ll ring my dad to come and fetch me.’
‘Your gran needs her family around her right now and it might upset her if you leave. For her sake, at least stay for one more night,’ Kevin urged.
John paused in thought, but then decided to talk to his gran. She wasn’t alone now and maybe she wouldn’t mind if he left. ‘I want to get dressed,’ he said pointedly.
‘All right, I’ll see you downstairs … And, John, though it isn’t the best of times, it’s nice to see you again.’
John went to the bathroom to have a wash, and then got dressed. He hadn’t been to see his grandparents because of Kevin, and now he felt that he was being driven away again.
Adrianna was up soon after Dolly. She was none too happy. She hated sharing a room with Kevin’s mother, albeit in separate beds. Kevin had spun his mother some sort of story that she was broke and homeless, but the woman was making it obvious that she didn’t want her here. It was humiliating, but Kevin seemed oblivious to his mother’s snide comments.
‘John, there you are,’ Dolly said, smiling at the lad who had entered the room.
Adrianna found herself staring at him, thinking that he was a young double of Kevin, and then saw that he was staring at her too, his expression puzzled.
‘John, this is Adrianna, a friend of mine,’ Kevin said. ‘Adrianna, this is my son.’
Adrianna remembered then. There’d been mention of a wife and kid when Vince had Kevin checked out, but she’d been sure it had been said that they were out of the picture. Her smile forced, she said, ‘Hello, John.’
‘Hello, Adrianna,’ he replied, smiling back shyly.
‘Adrianna my foot,’ Dolly said derisively. ‘Why aren’t you using your real name? Ruth, isn’t it? Ruth Canning.’
‘How do you know that?’ Adrianna gasped.
‘I saw your passport.’
‘You’ve been snooping in my handbag! You had no right to do that!’
‘When my son brings a so-called waif and stray into my home, one who’s been lying to him, I have every right!’ Dolly snapped.
‘Mum, there’s no need for this,’ Kevin said, placing a placatory arm around his mother’s shoulder. ‘It’s just a name Adrianna uses as she prefers it to Ruth, that’s all.’
John went to her side too, asking, ‘Gran, have you taken your pills?’
‘Yes, of course I have.’
‘That’s good, and would … would you mind if I go home today?’
‘Go home! But I haven’t seen you for ages and you’ve only been here overnight.’
‘Kevin is here now, and Adrianna too, and there isn’t really room for all of us,’ John pointed out.
Dolly heaved a sigh. ‘I suppose you’re right, but will you come to see me again soon?’
‘Yes, of course I will,’ John said, but Adrianna felt she saw a trace of doubt in his expression.
‘Right then, Mum, if you feel up to it I think you’d better feed us before we fade away to nothing,’ Kevin joked, introducing lightness into the atmosphere.
‘Oh you, but you’re right, we can’t have that,’ Dolly said, managing a smile. ‘I’ll make breakfast, and then you can run me to the bank.’
Adrianna wasn’t smiling. She was still seething that Kevin’s mother had been nosing in her handbag. No matter what the woman said, she had no right to do that.
Breakfast had been eaten by eight thirty, and Dolly was clearing the things away, annoyed that Adrianna hadn’t offered to help. She wanted to get to the bank as soon as it opened and to be back before John left.
There was a knock on the door and quickly drying her hands, Dolly went to answer it. She saw it was the same police constables who had broken the news of Bernie’s death.
‘We’re sorry to disturb you, Mrs Dolby,’ said the policeman. ‘But we need to ask you a few questions concerning the details surrounding your husband’s death.’
Dolly saw John pale. He still believed his granddad had died in an accident and she wasn’t ready for him to hear the truth.
‘John, these police officers need to talk to me in private,’ she said quickly. ‘Go upstairs or into the back garden. You too, Adrianna.’
Tight-lipped, Adrianna marched upstairs, and thankfully Kevin urged John to do the same, though the lad didn’t look happy. Only then did Dolly stand aside to let the constables in.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said quietly, ‘but my grandson has only been told that my husband died in an accident.’
‘We understand,’ the policewoman said. She removed her hat and the policeman took off his helmet as they stepped inside.
‘This is my son,’ Dolly said, and both officers nodded at Kevin. ‘Is there any news? Have … have you found my husband’s body?’
‘I’m afraid not. We’re checking the shoreline, but so far there’s no sign of him.’
‘He’s sure to wash up eventually,’ the male constable said.
The policewoman glared at her colleague as though to admonish his insensitivity, and then asked, ‘Can we all sit down?’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’
‘I’m sorry, Mrs Dolby,’ she said when they were seated, ‘I know that these questions may be difficult, but can you tell us what state of mind your husband was in the last time you saw him?’
Dolly closed her eyes as if searching her memory. ‘He was down in the dumps, but as he’s been like that for some time it didn’t seem unusual.’
‘What was causing him to feel like that?’
‘He’d become forgetful, and as his father had senile dementia, Bernie was frightened that he was going the same way.’
‘Was he on any medication?’
‘No. He may have been worried but he hadn’t been to see the doctor.’
‘Did he seem any worse that morning?’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Look, I told you,’ Dolly said, ‘he was a bit down in the dumps, but how could I have known he’d do something like that? You’re blaming me! You think it’s my fault! I bet everyone will think it’s my fault!’
‘Of course they don’t, Mum. Come on now, calm down,’ Kevin said as he came to crouch in front of her.
Dolly clung to Kevin, while he said to the constables, ‘I think my mother has had enough for now. If you have any more questions, they’ll have to wait.’
They rose to their feet. ‘I think we’ve covered everything, but if we have any news at all we’ll be in touch.’
Dolly kept her head buried until they left, then she pulled away from Kevin to say, ‘I dread telling John the truth … that his grandfather drove off the top of a cliff.’
‘I don’t think you’ll need to,’ he said.
She looked up to see John in the doorway. He must have heard everything, but as Dolly held out her arms he turned away from her and fled back upstairs. ‘See, I was right. John blames me and everyone else will too!’
‘I doubt he does, but I’ll talk to him,’ Kevin said reassuringly.
Dolly was once again overwhelmed with relief that her son was there. She still had to go to the bank and could imagine Kevin’s reaction when she gave him some money. He’d be so grateful, especially when she would then offer to fund his dream of a refuge. That would definitely keep him by her side.