by Kim Nash
‘Why don’t you go and look round the rest of the house while I wait for the kettle to boil? And take your time. I’m in no rush today.’
Grace meandered around the house. Sadly, the kitchen was the only room which had been renovated; the other rooms needed a great deal of love and attention. But with her eye for interior design, Grace was able to visualise how each room could look under different circumstances. There would be a lot to do; there were no two ways about that. But it had the bones of a stunning house. The cast iron fireplaces with tiled surrounds in the lounge and dining room were simply beautiful. She’d always dreamed of having a real fire, the smell always bringing back such happy memories of her childhood. The high ceilings with ornate cornicing gave a wonderful feeling of space and the huge sash windows throughout reflected light into every room. She just loved it. She knew it would take a lot of hard work and money, but with her design skills and knowledge about using colour, light and shade, and coordinating the soft furnishings, this house could be totally exquisite – the perfect home for her and Archie.
‘What do you think, Arch?’
‘It’s a bit old and gloomy, Mum. I’d prefer to live somewhere newer, like Dad and Lorraine’s flat.’
Grace’s heart sank, but then his face lit up as he walked into one of the bedrooms that overlooked the back garden. Staring out of the window at the lawn, he said that there was room for a full-sized football goal. Grace agreed that it was definitely a possibility. And when Archie saw the huge TV screen on the wall of the bedroom, Archie claimed the room as his immediately. ‘We could get a TV like that for my Xbox, Mum! Can I have this room? Please, please! I love this house now, I’ve changed my mind.’ He did a strange dance move, and Grace did a funny move back at him.
‘Really, Mum! No one dabs any more. It’s all about the floss. Get with it!’
Grace grinned and heard the kettle whistling downstairs. A memory flooded back to her of her nanna’s house, where there was always a whistling kettle and tea leaves with a tea pot, china cups and saucers, and a tea strainer. She’d spent many hours as a young girl there, as her own mum worked so hard to keep the bills paid and a roof over their heads. Grace’s dad wasn’t good with money, he was old-fashioned in his ways and as quick as her mum could earn it, he could booze it away with his mates down the pub. Nanna was always there for her and her sister, Hannah, when Mum was working. There was a huge Nanna-shaped hole in all of their lives when she passed away not long after Grace turned sixteen. But right now, thinking about Nanna didn’t make her sad, it made her think about how much Nanna would love this house and that warmed the cockles of her heart.
She returned downstairs, aware that her heart was beating a little faster. Since Mark had left there hadn’t been much to smile about, but looking around this house, Grace felt the first stirrings of anticipation.
‘Let me.’ She took the tray from Gladys and followed her through to the lounge where original leaded French doors overlooked the garden. It was strange but she felt a sense of peace in this house, as if she’d come home. It felt familiar and warm to her and a delicious shiver of excitement ran down her spine. Grace realised that it was enthusiasm, mixed with trepidation. She already knew she wanted this house for herself.
‘Do excuse the garden, my dear, I haven’t been able to keep on top of it. The house too. I’ve tried my best, but the time really has come for me to move to a smaller, more manageable, place. This house is way too big for me now and it’s time for someone new to come in and make wonderful memories like Charles and I made here with our family. I hold ours right here in my heart.’
A lump formed in Grace’s throat, and she hoped she and Archie would make amazing memories here, too. Memories that would make Gladys proud.
As Gladys reminisced about bringing up her family in the house, and asked her questions about her life, Grace found herself opening up about Mark and her divorce. She told Gladys how they’d moved to Little Ollington when Mark had been offered a job out at a smaller school, after being sick and tired of schools in inner-city Birmingham. She confided that when they’d moved out to the countryside, they had known nobody, and about the fact that the split with Mark meant that they were living in rented property, but that they were now ready to find their forever home. She smiled at Gladys, hoping fervently that this would be the one.
She glanced over at Archie, who was sitting cross-legged on the floor playing Fortnite on Grace’s iPhone. Grace was going to have to start limiting screen time, as he had been a little obsessed lately, and it was becoming a real issue with him getting way too stroppy when she asked him to do something. Setting the boundaries was increasingly difficult when his dad let him play on the computer as much as he liked, which Grace knew he only did as it was easier than interacting with his son. But while she was chatting to Gladys that day and he was quiet and happy, she let him play.
Over tea, Grace told Gladys all about her family. It felt really natural to share so much with her; she was such a sincere, interesting and open character and Grace had warmed to her immediately, thinking how much her mum would have liked her.
So Grace told Gladys about how her dad had recently moved out of his house and into a local retirement village. He had gone to pieces when her mum died – they had been together for fifty years – and Grace was so happy that he was finally starting to enjoy life again. He had his own private flat, but it was in a community where lots of people were in the same boat and he could have company if he wanted, but could also choose to be alone. There was a small supermarket on site, and carers and cleaners popping in and out for those who weren’t quite so mobile. And he had made new friends who were constantly visiting him. It was perfect and it had given him a new lease of life.
When her dad still lived at home, Grace had made sure to keep popping in to keep him company even though he was quite demanding and often grumpy. Mark was charming in front of his father-in-law but behind closed doors he didn’t like that Grace spent lots of time with her dad and didn’t understand his neediness. But Grace knew her dad was lonely and craving attention. He’d been with her mum so long that he didn’t know how to exist on his own. Sometimes she’d be driving home from his house when she’d get a call on her mobile from her dad’s neighbour to say that he was feeling unwell. Grace knew it was attention-seeking, because he’d been perfectly fine when she’d left him not that long ago, but he constantly needed the reassurance of people around him.
The retirement village was therefore the perfect answer and doing her a favour too, as it meant that she got some time out from her dad giving her earache about her son coming from a ‘broken home.’ Her father’s mindset was old school, he thought that people should stick together through thick and thin for the sake of their children and not be selfish and divide their family. Grace was aware that her father totally disapproved when she kicked out Mark, and felt that they should have worked through their differences – which was rich, really, coming from him who had been a bit of a lad in his day. But Grace knew that now she had Archie, she couldn’t put up with what her mum had lived with, although times were different then.
She remembered a conversation she once had over a cup of tea one afternoon when her mum was having a moan about the lack of respect that she was shown in her marriage. Her mum’s view was that you either put up with the person you’d chosen to be with and got on with it or work hard to sort it out and fix it. You make your bed and all that. But Grace knew that if she stayed with Mark, not only was she not being true to herself, but she was also showing Archie that it was OK to act that way too. She was determined that she’d make sure Archie would grow up to know how to treat people properly. Grace wanted to show him that relationships were meant to be happy, not tolerated.
Gladys took the details of the retirement village and said it sounded pretty perfect for her too, that she’d give them a call and maybe arrange a visit. Grace found herself offering to take her along to meet her dad one of the days so that she could get a
feel for the place. Gladys was someone that she felt she wanted to spend more time with, and this would be helping her too.
She glanced at her watch. ‘Gladys, it’s been a real treat to meet you and to look round your amazing house. We love it, as you can probably tell. But it’s nearly time for Archie’s football training and I’m going to have to tear myself away from your beautiful home and do some workings out and we’ll be in touch, if that’s OK.’
The moment Grace got in the car, she rang her work and raved to Edward, the agency owner, how much she loved the house, and told him not to show it to anyone else just yet – one of the perks of working as an estate agent. He could hear the excitement bubbling over in her voice, but kindly told her to sleep on it and that they’d discuss it when she was next at work.
When she went into the office the next day, they chatted over a coffee, and agreed a plan of action. He suggested a low but sensible offer and made the call to Mrs Robinson while Grace waited with bated breath. Gladys wanted to go away and discuss things with her family and said she’d be back to them within a few days, after she’d had time to mull over everything.
In the meantime, Grace couldn’t concentrate on a thing. Her head was full of the house and how it might look once she’d put her stamp on it. Archie had always wanted a navy-blue bedroom, which just wouldn’t have been right in their modern build, but which Grace thought could work beautifully in the new house. She had always loved deep, dramatic colours, and because of the height of the rooms and the light that the huge windows let in everywhere, deep colours would be perfect and really make a statement.
The roll-top bath in the main bathroom was simply to die for. She could imagine new tiles on the floor, with underfloor heating. This house had the potential to be magazine-worthy; she had totally fallen in love with it, although she was trying not to get too carried away just in case she was disappointed. But even if she didn’t want to admit it, the house had got under her skin. It was even a little closer to the high school that Archie would be going to next year, which was another bonus and he’d be able to walk home quite easily. There wasn’t one thing about this house that she didn’t love – apart from the money that it would take to get it to be how she dreamed it could be. But there was no rush. If they got it, they’d have all the time in the world and she’d just have to work harder, and gain more commission to pay for the things that it needed.
When two days later, Mrs Robinson phoned Edward to say that they were happy to accept her offer, Grace couldn’t believe her luck. Mrs Robinson said to Edward that she thought that Grace was a lovely lady and that Archie was adorable and that she couldn’t think of anyone better to move into her home.
Hearing these words, Grace was truly over the moon. This new house would give her and Archie the new start that they needed. Maybe dreams could come true after all.
* * *
Two weeks after they’d been to look at the house, Grace and Archie picked up Gladys and took her over to meet her father in the retirement village. She’d told him that they were coming, and he’d laid out tea and cakes to welcome her. It was lovely to see her dad with some colour in his cheeks, excited about having guests. Although he could still be grumpy at times, he loved spending time with his grandson and Archie adored his papa. That day, Grace noticed that her dad had on freshly laundered clothes and she even smelt aftershave. She smiled to herself. He welcomed Gladys with warmth, and invited her to take a look around his flat, while Grace put the kettle on. He proudly told them all that he’d ordered cakes especially, with his Tesco home delivery. Grace was amazed that he’d bought himself the latest Apple Mac and had been having lessons in the community centre from a young IT professional who was helping the residents get ‘on the line’. He’d ought to be clocking up loyalty points based on how much he was spending on his Amazon account.
Her dad was telling Gladys how safe and secure he felt in his new home, how he could be alone if he wanted to and cook his own meals, or how more often than not, he went to eat in the community dining room where he didn’t have to do any washing up. Grace was delighted to see that her father seemed to have a new lease of life, and Gladys was bowled over by the place, asking Grace if she could arrange an appointment with the manager and find out if there were any free flats. Grace and Archie wandered off over to the main building to see if she could find someone to talk to. The manager came back over with her to her father’s flat and, as they walked in, all they could hear was the tinkling of laughter from the lounge.
It warmed Grace’s heart and she hoped that Gladys and her dad would become firm friends if she decided to move in there. Gladys went to view an apartment and returned a short time later with a huge grin on her face, announcing that she would be moving into flat number five as soon as she physically could. Grace was amazed by how quickly she’d made her decision and asked her whether she needed to take some time before committing.
‘I’ve spoken to the family and we had already decided that it was a great idea. I’ve done nothing but look at brochures of this place since I accepted the offer you made on the house and had pretty much made up my mind. Coming here and meeting your dad and some of the other residents in the community hall has made me realise how I miss company. There’s a flat vacant so I’m moving in and I am looking forward to moving onto a new adventure. It must be fate, meeting you and you telling me about this place,’ she said, giving Grace a big hug.
Grace adored this little old lady, who seemed to have more energy and positivity than she did. Her father seemed delighted at the prospect of having a new friend close by and they chatted about what mischief they could get up to when she moved in.
* * *
The sound of a taxi beeping outside Grace’s house shook her from her memory, and she took in a deep breath knowing it was now or never. It was a good job that she’d hardly had to do anything to get ready; it was nice having her hair, make-up and clothes all sorted for her. She’d really just had to grab her handbag, touch up her lippy and go. It had been ages since she’d been out properly, and Monica had arranged for them to go to Elizabeth’s wine bar in the village.
As the taxi set off, and she’d greeted Monica who was already sitting in the back, Grace reflected that Little Ollington was the kind of picture-perfect village that she had always dreamed of living in. There was a duck pond on the green, overlooked by the local church, and a high street with several shops. A few were for tourists, selling knick-knacks that you would never use, but there were a couple of teashops and a few other practical shops, plus the obligatory supermarket. The local forest attracted lots of visitors when the weather was nice and there were dog walkers and mountain bikers galore on a beautiful sunny day. She didn’t know how she’d feel about living in a village when she first moved here, not really knowing a soul, but she’d made contacts through work and school, and some of those had become friends. Now she couldn’t imagine not living here.
Her parents had lived on the outskirts of Birmingham and they’d never really known much about their neighbours and locality. Despite growing up there, Grace much preferred the countryside to a city, loving the fact that when you went to the local supermarket, you’d bump into lots of people you knew and would have the chance to chat to. And because the estate agents was such an integral part of village life, she’d got to know the other shop owners and locals quite quickly when they arrived. Grace loved that Archie got to grow up in a much nicer, calmer place than she had, where they could appreciate nature and walk around feeling safe and secure.
The taxi dropped them off, and as they walked down the high street, they passed a shop that had been closed down for years.
‘One day…’ Grace muttered to herself.
‘One day what?’ Monica asked.
‘Christ, can nothing get past you. How did you hear that?’
‘Errr, hello! You said it out loud! So come on, spill the beans! What did you mean?’ Monica enquired.
‘Oh it’s just a dream of mine. I ca
n’t tell you because that would make it real and I’ve never admitted it to anyone before.’
A voice came out of nowhere. Darling girl. If I taught you nothing more in life, it’s that through hard work and determination, you can make your dreams come true. You just have to have the courage to follow and pursue them. Don’t let dreams just be dreams. Life is short, turn your dreams into reality. But how can anyone help you if you don’t help yourself?
Monica replied. ‘You’re going to tell me though, right?’
Grace took a deep breath and quickly mumbled, ‘I’ve always dreamt of turning that place into a bookshop, that’s all.’
‘Well, do it then!’ said Monica.
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Grace replied. ‘Just because I had an idea doesn’t mean that I’d ever be capable of turning it into a business. I’d never be able to do that!’
‘Why ever not?’ Monica questioned. ‘You’ve been brilliant at the estate agency. Clearly you have a head for business. Don’t put yourself down. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.’
‘Hey, I need to stop you there, hun. Don’t you think there’s been enough life-changing today?’
Reluctantly, as she knew she’d already put her friend through her paces, Monica muttered ‘whatever’ and dropped the subject as they went into the wine bar. Grace groaned internally, knowing that Monica was just parking this idea for a future conversation.
The bar was modern and pretentious and not the sort of place that Grace would normally choose to go, although she went out so rarely that she didn’t know what she did or doesn’t like these days. Monica introduced Grace to the barman.
‘Grace meet Mario, Italy’s finest barman. He fell in love with a friend of mine called Beth who was on holiday in the Italian Lakes. He missed her so much when she returned home that he got on a flight to the UK, spent weeks tracking her down and when he finally did, declared his undying love. Luckily for him, she owned this bar, and that’s why the gorgeous Mario is our wine waiter this evening.’
