by Jenny Kane
Taking Helen’s hand, Tom tugged gently so she’d sit next to him. ‘Don’t blame yourself. Sue has been acting really strange lately, even for her. Every time I think she’s developed some maternal instincts she proves me wrong.’
‘Surely not being impressed to discover her son was with babysitters and not you is maternal instinct? I’d probably have reacted the same way if he was my son.’ Helen hoped Tom hadn’t noticed her gulp as she spoke. ‘You’d better go.’
‘I can’t persuade you to come with me? You aren’t officially back here until Tuesday.’
‘I’m not sure Sue would be terribly pleased to see me and…’ Helen paused. ‘Hang on, did you say she was expecting you to stop at her place in Tiverton?’
‘Yes, Sue was very definite about that, she…’ Tom suddenly came to the same realisation as Helen. ‘She said was going away, didn’t she? That’s why I have Dylan all week.’
‘So, what’s she doing in Tiverton?’
Jumping up, Tom kissed Helen hard on the mouth. ‘I’m sorry I have to go, but I need to find out what game Sue’s playing this time.’
‘Good luck.’ Wanting to change her mind, and say she’d go with him, Helen forced herself to stay where she was. Even if they were still together at Mill Grange, the conversation Tom and Sue were about to have was for them alone.
Tom was shoving his trainers on and was out of her home before she knew it. Seconds later, Helen was waving his Fiesta drive down the hill at more speed than was sensible; leaving an empty space and empty feeling behind him.
*
Thea munched a salad sandwich as she flicked through the Job Vacancies page on the Current Archaeology website. There were a few that sounded interesting, but they were all abroad.
Getting up from the bed, where she’d been resting her laptop on her knees, she looked out of the attic window and down across the garden. When Thea had arrived at Mill Grange the gardens had been overgrown and the house barely habitable. Now, thanks to a great team of volunteers in the early days, then Sam, Tina, Mabel and Shaun, it was working. Not just working, but providing help for those who needed a fresh start in life.
I don’t want to leave.
As she watched, Thea saw Sam, Shaun and Dylan emerge from the gate connecting the woods to the garden. A lump formed in her throat. Have we drifted too far apart this time to get back to where we were?
The trees swayed in the light spring breeze, sending light sprays of blossom across the garden. A magnolia petal landed on Sam’s head, and she saw him smile as he brushed it to the ground.
Like confetti.
Drawing away from the window, Thea turned off the laptop. There was no way she could leave Mill Grange, and knew in her heart she wouldn’t have to. Whatever happened between her and Shaun, he’d be the one to move on. He was only here part of the time anyway. Unless he lost his post with Landscape Treasures.
Cradling her mobile, Thea longed to call Tina or Helen to talk, but both her friends had their own problems. The last thing they needed was her offloading about a misunderstanding that had got out of control.
Groaning, Thea sat on the side of the little bed. Walking up the aisle behind Tina, and standing next to Shaun as their best friends exchanged vows, had been something she’d been looking forward to. Now she dreaded it.
I love him, but I have no idea how to fix this. Closing her eyes, Thea conjured an image of the Goddess Minerva she’d kept in her office in Bath. You helped me before, can you help me now? Some halfway decent advice would do.
Her mobile burst into life, making Thea’s eyes fly back open.
It was Helen.
*
Tina fired back the final booking confirmation email of the morning. The word was spreading about what Sam was doing at Mill Grange with wounded ex service personnel. Since they’d closed for Easter and the wedding, they’d been an upturn in booking enquiry emails and direct bookings. As she checked the calendar, she smiled. August and September were fully booked. October was almost full as well, and they even had a spattering of bookings for November and the following spring.
She looked around the old scullery that she and Thea used as an office. It wouldn’t be the same if Thea left. Not that her friend had mentioned leaving, but Tina knew that the last time Thea had had a relationship fall apart, she’d wanted to move away – have a fresh start. That fresh start had been at Mill Grange. The circumstances were different of course. John had made life so difficult, that Thea had been compelled to leave Bath behind her. Shaun would never do that. So…
Tina’s thoughts were interrupted by the ring of her mobile. It was Thea.
‘Fancy escaping for a while?’
Tina’s eyes automatically flicked to her wedding notebook and the clipboard with today’s to-do list. There was so much to do. ‘Where did you have in mind?’
‘Glastonbury Abbey.’
Forty-five
Thursday April 9th
The words, ‘Fancy a catch up as we walk around Glastonbury Abbey’, had come out of her mouth before Helen’s brain had registered that by offering Thea a day away from Mill Grange she was holding up work at the house and wedding arrangements even further. A crime she’d compounded by asking if Tina would like to come too.
Now, as she climbed into her Land Rover, Helen was relieved to be doing something positive. She’d never be able to relax until she’d apologised to her friends for walking out on them.
As she backed out of her driveway, Helen glanced at her watch. Tom should reach Tiverton in the next forty minutes or so. I hope he’s okay.
*
Sam had virtually pushed Tina into Thea’s car.
‘But there’s a wedding to plan! And what about Dylan?’
‘Mabel has promised to bake cakes with him this afternoon. Now off you go. Have some fun! And if you can, find out what’s going on with our bridesmaids. The wedding will be easier to plan with them as part of it.’
*
On the drive to Devon, Tom had been determined that he and Sue would manage a whole conversation without him getting exasperated. He’d told himself it was reasonable that she’d be cross, and that if their situations were reversed, he’d have demanded an explanation too. However, hit by a torrent of accusations about not caring for their child, his resolve had fractured approximately thirty seconds after his arrival at Sue’s front door.
‘Sue!’ Tom slid his hands into his pockets. ‘Will you just stop shouting and let me speak!’
‘You abandoned our son!’
‘Says the woman who dumped her child at Mill Grange for longer than planned so she could go away for the week, having just assumed I had no plans of my own, but then came home.’ Feeling his temper fraying, Tom snapped, ‘Why did you do that? Was it some sort of test to see if I could cope, or is lying to me becoming a hobby?’
‘I was away. I’m back now, that’s all.’
Sensing a slight softening in Sue’s anger, Tom asked, ‘Good back now, or been dumped by boyfriend back now?’
‘As if you’d care either way.’
‘Don’t be childish.’
‘I had a few days away with friends, that’s all.’ Sue jutted her chin out, steering the focus away from herself. ‘So, why did you leave Dylan alone?’
‘For a start, I did no such thing. I left him with people who care for him, and in my defence, the situation I found myself in was unexpected. It was a split-second decision. If Dylan was not in safe hands, I wouldn’t have gone.’ Tom levelled his eyes on Sue’s face. ‘You know I wouldn’t.’
Resting her back against her front door, Sue uncrossed her arms. ‘Okay, yes, I know you wouldn’t. It was a shock that’s all. I need to know I can trust you with Dylan. It’s important.’
‘Of course it’s important.’ Tom frowned. Something about Sue’s tone set alarm bells ringing. ‘Why didn’t you call my mobile last night? Why ring the house?’
Sue averted her gaze to Tom’s feet. ‘I was looking at the website for Mill
Grange, saw the number and thought I’d ring it for a change. I wondered who’d answer, and if, should there be an emergency and I couldn’t reach you, it was a good number to use instead.’
‘O… kay.’ Tom felt his unease rising. ‘Who answered?’
‘Someone called Thea. Sounded like she’d been crying.’
‘Really?’
‘Yeah. She said you’d gone to Bath and would be back today, and that Dylan was fine.’
‘I spoke to him this morning.’ Tom’s lips curved upwards. ‘Apparently they had a bubble session yesterday. He was being a zombie.’
Sue sighed. ‘He’d have enjoyed that.’
Tom was becoming more confused than ever. ‘Sue, what’s all this about? I mean really about. You know I wouldn’t endanger Dylan, so your calling me to rant about that was an excuse. What I can’t figure out is if you’re being awkward for the sake of it, or if you called because you feel guilty about something.’
Sue suddenly looked up from studying her feet. ‘Would you like to come in?’
‘You’re inviting me into your home? You never do that.’
‘Some conversations shouldn’t happen on the doorstep.’
*
They’d got as far as the motorway before Tina couldn’t hold back from asking the obvious question. ‘Have you spoken to Shaun yet?’
‘No.’ Thea concentrated on overtaking a lorry.
‘Um, you will still be my bridesmaid, won’t you?’
‘Of course!’ Thea let out a puff of breath. ‘I’m sorry, Tina. Your wedding party is dissolving in front of your eyes, isn’t it?’
‘It rather is.’ Tina shrugged. ‘I wish you were all okay though, and not just for selfish wedding reasons.’
‘Me too.’
‘Did Helen give any clue as to why she ran away?’
‘No, but she said Tom had been and gone again and that she’d explain when she saw us.’
‘Is it good that he’s left already or not, do you think?’
‘I’ve no idea, but he wouldn’t leave Dylan at Mill Grange without him for long either way.’
‘I suppose not.’ Tina watched the world blur through her window as they whizzed along the M5. ‘At least, if Tom’s back, the boys will get a few more jobs done. I feel ever so guilty not being there.’
Thea sighed. ‘I think there’s been far too much guilt over what’s been done and not done in and around Mill Grange over the last few days.’
‘That’s true.’ Tina brightened as she told Thea about how many bookings they had over the coming months.
‘There you go then. Despite the romantic fallout, Mill Grange is working.’ Thea tried an ironic laugh, but it came out as a groan of defeat. ‘We’ve earned a break and Helen needs to talk.’
*
The sofa he perched on had been designed for appearance rather than comfort. Tom could imagine Sue showing it off to visitors, but he couldn’t imagine Dylan playing or sitting comfortably on it.
As Sue came in with a tray of tea and coffee, Tom wondered if she’d been crying but dismissed the thought as a trick of the light.
‘You told me that Sam had no money, but I’ve seen the website. He’s loaded. He has to be.’
This was not the opening Tom had been expecting, but it was very “Sue”. ‘And I explained that buying the house and doing it up took all of his money and that it still needs a lot of work. The business is new. So far there is enough income to pay the staff and no more. Any weird ideas you have about titles and land equalling ready cash can be forgotten right now. This is Mill Grange not Downton Abbey.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
‘I can’t help that.’ Tom picked up his mug of coffee. ‘I also don’t see why we are talking about it. Sam’s financial status is none of our business.’
‘Your wages will be good though. You could easily afford to look after Dylan, couldn’t you?’
‘My wages are only a fraction above minimum wage and after maintenance there is nothing left. You know that.’ Leaning forward, Tom said, ‘Can you please just tell me what all this is leading up to?’
Taking a deep breath, Sue put down her tea and looked Tom straight in the eye. ‘I have a new partner. It was him I went away with. He wants me to move to Australia. I came home early so I could have space alone to think about what to do.’
Forty-six
Thursday April 9th
Helen pulled into Glastonbury Abbey car park as the church bells chimed two o’clock. She couldn’t see Thea’s car.
They’ll come. They haven’t changed their minds.
She picked up her mobile hoping to see a text from Tom. There wasn’t one.
Of course he hasn’t texted. He’ll be talking to Sue. Sorting out whatever she wants this time.
Telling herself to stop over-thinking everything before it became a habit she couldn’t break, Helen went off to tackle the unnecessarily complex parking pay machine. She was just tapping in her registration number when Thea’s car pulled up behind the Land Rover
*
Tom stared at Sue. He knew his mouth was open, but as hard as he tried, the words he was trying to say wouldn’t form.
‘Say something!’
‘You can’t go. I—’
Sue pursued her lips. ‘I can do what the hell I like, Tom. And if you think you can stop me, then you’re very much mistaken.’
‘No, I meant…’ Too winded to raise his voice, Tom shook his head. ‘Dylan, he’s happy here.’
‘Yes.’ Sue’s hostility faded. ‘He is.’
‘So how can you even—’
Sue raised a hand. ‘Please, Tom, just listen for a minute.’
Tom could feel his pulse thudding in his neck as he watched his ex get up off her armchair, grab a whisky bottle from the sideboard and pour herself a half measure.
‘His name’s Nathan. He’s my boss at the supermarket. There’s a new store opening in a large town near Sydney. Nathan is going to be the manager.’
Tom’s head reeled. To think that Helen had got it into her head that Sue was after a family reconciliation with him and Dylan. The family she must have been referring to when she’d spoken to Dylan didn’t include him at all. It didn’t even include living in England. There’d be no visits to Dylan. No picking him up from school. No nativity play trips with Helen to see his son as a shepherd or a wise man.
Is that why she dropped him with me for a week, to give us time together before she takes Dylan away forever?
‘Say something.’ Sue gripped her glass, staring into the autumnal liquid. ‘Do you want one of these? I assumed, what with you driving…’ She trailed off as she saw the agony on his face.
Tom tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. He felt sick.
‘It seems a nice place. Abbotsford it’s called. I’ve been on Google Maps. Some of the houses we’re looking at buying are amazing.’
Closing his eyes, Tom took a long slow breath. ‘How could you do this to Dylan? He’s just settled. He’s happy.’ And so was I, just for a while.
Rather than yell at him, Sue shifted uncomfortably in her seat and sipped some of the whiskey. ‘My move would give him stability, a chance to be part of a family. Even if… even if it meant that one of his parents was far away.’
‘Far away!’ Tom found his voice rising this time. ‘You’re talking about New South Wales Sue! That’s the other side of the bloody world!’
‘There’s Skype and Zoom and Facetime and—’
‘And no cuddles. No comforting him when he cries. No building dens or exploring. No pulling off his wellies when they get stuck. No helping with homework. No anything!’
‘There are holidays.’
‘On our wages? Come off it, Sue. Get real.’ Tom sank back, the uncomfortable sofa digging into his spine. ‘I honestly thought you’d changed. It really looked, just for a minute, that you were putting Dylan first.’
A single tear trickled down Sue’s cheek. ‘I didn’t mean to fall
in love, Tom.’
Momentarily stunned, the concept of love and Sue not fitting neatly together in his mind, Tom found himself thinking of Helen. He hadn’t intended to fall for her either, and yet he had. He’d been powerless to stop it.
‘Perhaps you’d better tell me about Nathan.’
*
Helen had started apologising as soon as Tina got out of the car, and had repeated herself twice as they moved through Glastonbury Abbey’s pay station, and again as they passed onto the lime green grass which led towards the abbey’s stunning skeletal remains.
‘It’s alright.’ Tina tried to reassure her friend. ‘We all do things we regret, but what I don’t understand is why. It’s not like you not to face things head on.’
‘No, it isn’t, is it?’ Pointing to a picnic bench near the café, Helen stared up at the architectural splendour. ‘Coffee before we explore?’
‘Always.’ Thea and Tina spoke in unison, making Helen realise how much she was going to miss working with them.
Helen fiddled with her car keys as she apologised to Thea for not letting on about her relationship with Tom. ‘I should have said. It’s not as if our attempts to keep it secret worked!’
Tina grinned. ‘You both looked so loved up, it was blatant.’
Helen sighed as she went on to explain about Dylan’s painting, how he’d mentioned Sue wanting him to be part of a real family, and her assumption that – combined with what she’d overheard Sue say – that had meant Sue wanting to try again with Tom.
‘And you didn’t want to be the one who stopped Dylan being with his parents.’ Tina nodded. ‘That I get.’
‘I panicked. The thought of Tom being around and not being with him.’ Helen laid the keys on the table, and looked across at the abbey where King Arthur and Guinevere were reputed to have been laid to rest after a life time of love. ‘As I had a home and job in Bath to return to… well, it was a bolthole and I bolted.’
As she picked up a menu, Thea asked, ‘But now you’ve spoken to Tom? Is that what’s happening? Is he getting back with Sue?’
‘No. I got it wrong, so I can add feeling a total idiot to my list of achievements this week.’
