Just The Way You Are(74)

‘We are going to find out,’ I replied, doing my best to pretend I wasn’t a jumbled mess of turmoil and trepidation too. ‘But like I said, we need to consider how we do it. Can you give Sam and me a chance to do that, please? Let’s make sure we do it the right way so that we have the best possible chance of it working out well.’

‘I told you it’s going to work out well, just like I told you we’d find them!’ Joan retorted, but her shoulders had stopped heaving quite so hard, and she finished the statement by sitting back down and tearing off a giant piece of pizza with her teeth.

She chewed her mouthful, eyes roving from side to side as she considered this. ‘Okay. I’ll do it your way. On one condition. I’m coming too. You know that they’re more likely to behave nicely and say yes to coming to meet Mum if their adorable long-lost granddaughter is there.’ Joan pulled a fake-sweet face, clasping her hands in front of her chest. ‘I will melt their hearts.’

I wasn’t about to argue. She’d melted mine. ‘Okay, you can come.’

‘Promise?’

‘I promise. If you promise to wait in the car while I check out the house and make sure it looks safe before we ring the doorbell.’

‘Well, Sam can do that, can’t he?’

‘Um, I don’t think Sam’s going to trek all the way to Chester with us.’

‘Are you kidding?’ Sam asked. ‘I wouldn’t miss this for the world.’

Joan wasn’t the only one capable of melting my heart.

We sent her off to choose a film to watch – I’d not got around to buying a television, but we’d moved hers over from New Cottage the previous weekend.

‘Fine!’ she said, waving her hand breezily as she left the room. ‘You have your secret, adult-only conversation about my grandparents while I pretend to spend ages choosing a film. Then you can come in and tell me the PG version of your plan.’

‘What do you really think?’ I asked Sam, popping the caps off two beers.

‘About what?’

‘All of it!’

‘I think it’s genuinely them, like I said. I think that there are lots of reasons why teenagers can become estranged from their parents, but not many of them still matter fifteen years later. Has Leanne given any indication that they might be people we need to protect Joan from?’

‘No. And I think that when she shared her story, she’d have mentioned if her parents drove her away, rather than being groomed by that evil man.’ I took a drink. ‘Still, though. Is this a totally irresponsible thing to be doing? I could drop Joan off at holiday club tomorrow and just go, check it out first.’

‘And be back in time to pick her up and tell her that you broke your promise?’

‘Crap.’

Lesson learnt in basic parenting: don’t make a promise you’ll regret ten minutes later.

‘You really don’t have to come if you’d rather stay out of it. You weren’t stupid enough to promise.’

Sam looked at me steadily across the table. His eyes were like pools of caramel. Even in the midst of my anxiety, I felt that fizz of attraction that made me want to lean in and touch him.

‘While I think the safety risks are minimal, the emotional risk is another matter. You might appreciate a slightly more impartial head and steady pair of hands. I also find that people are more inclined to speak to a stranger knocking on the door if they’re a solicitor.’

‘Thank you.’ I hoped those simple words managed to convey how much it meant. The thought of Joan and I attempting this meeting by ourselves was terrifying. With Sam there, I could dare to hope it might turn out okay.

Of course, what would happen after that was a whole different story that I would try not to panic about until I needed to.

We agreed that forcing Joan to wait longer than necessary was going to drive us both bananas. Sam and I could switch some work things around and make time for a hare-brained trip the day after next, which was a Thursday.

‘Are you going to stay and watch Another Dog’s Adventure?’ Joan asked Sam, once we’d told her the decision. This was a big step forwards from her instinctive suspicions a few days ago.

‘Do you know what, if Ollie doesn’t mind, I might just do that. I loved the first one.’

‘A fan of Dog Adventures?’ I asked, not bothering to hide my amusement.

‘Obviously. What kind of monster wouldn’t be?’ Sam replied.

‘Urgh, will you two stop flirting so we can watch the film!’

We certainly could. I did need to stick my head in the fridge on the pretence of searching for snacks first, however.





It was hard to put my finger on how it felt, curled up on the sofa, Joan snuggled under a blanket, her head resting in the crook of my arm while Nesbit snoozed on my feet. Sam was sprawled sideways in the armchair, one leg dangling over an arm as the flickering screen lit up his face. Was it contentment? Too gentle perhaps for joy. And then I realised, as the doggy brothers made their way across the wilderness in search of their beloved owners.

This felt like I was home.





25





One of the reasons that I wanted to wait until Thursday before travelling to Chester was the inaugural meeting of the Wednesday Business Builders. Yasmin, Trev and Jaxx had booked a table at the library from twelve until two. They’d put a poster up on the library noticeboard, and Jaxx had gone all out on social media, promising a one-to-one networking opportunity with the man who’d introduced Nomato to the UK.