Gigi

Richard wasn’t coming to see James today. He was playing golf with friends, and having dinner, and going to some award ceremony or other afterwards – she neither knew nor cared about the details – so the day stretched long and free. Chris and Emily had been invited to a colleague’s wedding – childfree. Gigi had jumped at the chance to have Ava and had even persuaded them (persuaded Christopher – in truth Emily hadn’t needed convincing) that they should stretch the day into a well-deserved Ava-free weekend. The travel cot had duly been dropped off, with various other bits of baby paraphernalia; Christopher had handed her a list of numbers, emails, addresses and GP information; and, with much fond eye-rolling from his wife, he’d finally handed over the baby and driven off. Now Gigi was delighting in having her beloved granddaughter to herself for two whole sleeps, and days. Ava was more and more interactive each time she saw her, and it was an unalloyed, albeit exhausting, joy. As much as she loved Emily, there was an undeniable pleasure in autonomous grandparenting.

Ava’s appearance at Clearview was greeted with much the same enthusiasm with which crowds greeted visiting popes. From the girl on reception, who’d leapt up from her seat and gone round the desk to cluck over her, to the nurses and custodial staff and the caterers in the canteen, everyone fussed. Ava took to the fanfare like a duck to water, beaming prettily at a parade of strangers as though this was her destiny, grabbing badges and hair where she could, and making those enchanting baby-talk noises for all the world as though she was having an in-depth discussion.

She even sat on James’s lap, though it made him more anxious to hold her than she was to be held, and he begged Gigi to take the ‘beautiful, precious girl’ he didn’t know off his lap after a minute or two, afraid, he said, that he’d drop her. Gigi remembered him, completely comfortable, with Meg – how he’d hold her, facing him, and bounce her on his knee, her fat little legs kicking with delight, her chortle echoing. That James had never been afraid of hurting his grandchildren, and he never once had. Lucky them. She’d taken a few fast photographs on her iPhone and then rescued Ava.

She noticed Iris sitting across the room. She was staring at them and smiling fondly. Gigi rested Ava comfortably on her hip and went over to her.

‘Hello, Iris.’

‘Hello.’ There was no sign that she knew who Gigi was, but her voice was calm and friendly. ‘And who is this little lady?’

‘This is Ava.’

‘Hello, Ava. Aren’t you beautiful?’

Gigi leant towards her, Ava gurgling and chattering. ‘Would you like to hold her?’

Iris looked touched. ‘Could I?’

‘Of course. Here you go, Ava … you have a cuddle with Iris.’

Iris held her with the competence and confidence of a mother, uncertainty falling away from her the instant the baby was on her lap. She put one arm around Ava’s waist, and, with the other hand, gently stroked her baby curls. All the while she murmured softly to her. Ava relaxed and sprawled happily against Iris’s chest, leaning her head back and staring, enthralled, at where the voice was coming from. For a few minutes, Iris was just lost in Ava. The two of them stared at each other, Ava mimicking Iris’s exaggerated facial movements – mouth opening wide on an intake of breath, a nod, wide eyes.

They were lovely to look at, and it was a few moments before Gigi noticed that Tess had come in. She’d been half expecting her – Iris wasn’t usually in the day room unless they expected visitors, and Tess was far and away the most frequent of those – the only one for Iris, apart from her mother, Donna. But Gigi had been riveted by Iris. She’d only known this lady confused and old. But watching her now, with Ava, you could see so very clearly who she had once been.

When she caught sight of Tess out of the corner of her eye she could see at once that the sight was doubly poignant for Tess – who had known her otherwise.

She went over to her, and hugged her briefly. ‘Look at your gran.’

‘I know. Is that your granddaughter?’

‘Ava.’ Gigi nodded. ‘I’m sole-charge granny this weekend – Chris and Emily have gone off to a wedding in Dorset … I’m in heaven!’

‘She’s adorable.’

‘And look at Iris. She’s had her for ages. They’re old friends at this point.’

‘She looks so comfortable with her.’

‘Doesn’t she?!’

‘It’s gorgeous.’ Tess kissed her grandmother’s head. ‘Hi, Gran. Who’ve you got here?’

Iris thought for a moment. ‘Ava. Like Ava Gardner. The film star. Except she wasn’t as lovely as this little one is, was she? No, she wasn’t …’ And it was more like she was talking only to Ava, in that melodic tone.

Tess laughed. ‘She’s so happy with you.’

‘Ah, she’s a happy girl, aren’t you, Ava? You were like that. You’d sit on my lap for ages. You’d go to anyone, for a cuddle. Just like this. Friendly, and easy.’

‘Was I?’ It was clear from Tess’s expression that it had been a long time since Iris had offered up a memory.

She smiled at Gigi and the two women held each other’s glance for a moment, sharing the sentiment, both made happy by this brief recapturing of something.

‘You have a hold, Tess.’ Iris was looking right at her.

Tess looked at Gigi. ‘Go ahead.’

Iris went to lift Ava, but she was too heavy. Tess scooted to take her before she lurched forward, and held her at some distance from her body, under both arms, staring at her for a moment. She smelt of powder and milk and fabric softener: delicious and quintessentially baby. Tess instinctively rested Ava against her shoulder, one hand under her well-padded bottom, the other on the back of her neck, although Ava had hers under full control. She bobbed slightly at the knees too.

‘See, you’re a natural.’ This was Iris too, looking on approvingly.

Tess looked at Gigi, who was looking at her in a way she couldn’t quite interpret. When she caught her eye, Gigi nodded. ‘A natural …’