‘It’s the first time she’s done that.’ I’d felt flutters before but they were never strong enough to know for sure. I put my hand to my stomach and felt her again. My chest swelled with love and instinctively I grabbed Andrew’s hand. ‘Feel.’
We sat for a few moments, waiting. All I could feel was the heat from his hand and I prayed she’d kick again.
She did.
‘Oh my God,’ he said, smiling.
I let out a small laugh. ‘It must have been all that running.’
‘Or the excitement of salt and vinegar crisps,’ he replied.
‘Well, you can’t underestimate salt and vinegar crisps,’ I joked.
I was about to be brave and invite Andrew in for a coffee when a familiar gold car pulled up across the road. ‘Oh, no,’ I groaned.
‘Unwanted visitor? You could always borrow my holiday snaps if you want to bore them away,’ Andrew said, keeping the mood light.
I giggled. ‘Thanks, but I’d need something more along the lines of holy water and burning sage to keep this one at bay.’
Concern flashed across his face. ‘I can come in if you like?’
‘Oh no, don’t worry. It’s the ex-mother-in-law.’ He gave a knowing look. ‘Thank you for the lift. I had a great time.’
‘Me too,’ he replied.
I forced myself to get out of the car, but the tingly feeling in my tummy stayed with me until it was scared off along with all small creatures and children in the vicinity.
‘Hello, Frances, what a pleasant surprise,’ I trilled, as she got out of her car and approached me when I was pushing my key into the door.
‘Can I just have a moment of your time, Charlotte, please? This won’t take long.’ Her face was worn and crumpled like it was straight off my ironing pile. She wasn’t herself.
I gestured for her to come in and she entered after me, taking in the room as she did before clearing her throat. ‘Well, this is . . . delightful.’ She forced a terse smile.
She hated it. I folded my arms protectively across my stomach in case somehow she could see the baby kick and want in on the private moment I’d just shared with Andrew.
‘I’ll cut to the chase. That little flyer you sent . . .’ I furrowed my brow – it was supposedly anonymous. Miraculously, she picked up on my expression and changed tack. ‘I received a flyer anyway. In an unmarked envelope. It was like a promotional flier for Emsworth, Haiden & Haiden Law but it had been tampered with.’ She paused to read my expression again but I held the confused eyebrow furrow like I was a feature in Madame Tussauds. It was strange because just beneath the surface, within my muscle tissue, was humour just itching to break out. I caught my reflection in the stainless steel splashback. Confusion was holding up well. She drew a breath, obviously dissatisfied that I appeared to know nothing about it. ‘I know what James did to you, Charlotte, and I wanted to say, I’m sorry.’
My words caught in my throat. I wasn’t expecting an apology – a tirade of abuse or one hundred and one reasons to go back to her precious son perhaps but not an apology. It threw me a little. ‘Oh.’
‘I didn’t have him marked as the sort who’d have an affair and quite frankly I’m furious with him.’ She shook her head. ‘So you weren’t aware of any leaflet?’ I probably should have just come clean but I couldn’t be bothered with a lecture about decorum.
‘No, but to be fair, of all those office women there was bound to be one with a grudge.’ I think I sounded convincing.
‘I suppose so, and any one of the office staff could have sent it. I’ve always been on the company Christmas card list after the initial investment I put in to help them get started.’ I’d forgotten she’d helped set the practice up. ‘Anyway, the fact is, I don’t blame you for leaving him and I wanted you to know I’d like to help you out.’
She reached into her handbag and pulled out an envelope, which she placed on the kitchen counter. ‘I know that James wasn’t just deceiving you, he also betrayed the trust of his business partners and the fact I supported him financially when he went into business with the Haiden brothers makes me all the more cross at what he did. Ambition I love, but greed I despise. That’s a little something for you and the baby and don’t offend me by trying to give it back. James has lost everything and won’t be supporting you for a while and that’s entirely his fault. I’d kept this aside for him but he can sort himself out.’ She clenched her jaw. ‘I would have come sooner but I’ve had a lot to sort out thanks to James. Anyway, I wanted you to know I’m happy to help you out with her if you need me to and this is just a start.’ She tapped a well-manicured fingernail on the envelope.
I softened to her a little. My parents were gallivanting; James’s father was dead. She was the only grandparent available and for all her faults she was trying. ‘Thank you, Frances, I’m sure I’ll need all the help I can get.’ She smiled a proper smile – it was her ‘James is wonderful’ smile and I’d received the baton.
‘I appreciate it, Charlotte. I know we haven’t been close and perhaps I’m to blame.’ Perhaps? ‘But James has proven me wrong about himself and you seem to be trying your best. That’s something I respect.’
She declined the offer of a coffee and left a short while after. I took the envelope and sat on the sofa gorging myself on crisps. It was a cheque, no note or anything, just a cheque, for a sizeable sum – enough to live off for a couple of years probably, or enough to do something meaningful with. Kate’s determination to
