The Library of Lost and Found(67)

Zelda stood in the hallway, a little unsteady. She traced a finger along the floral wallpaper and held it there, as if propping herself up.

“Are you okay?” Martha asked.

Zelda nodded and looked around. “It feels so strange being back here. Like it’s not quite real.”

Martha understood what she meant. She felt the same way, too. “I’ve set up the main bedroom for you. Would you like to take a look?”

“That’s Betty’s room, isn’t it?”

Martha bit the inside of her cheek. She’d not considered how her nana might feel, staying in her own daughter’s room. “You can take my bed instead, if you like? My niece and nephew, Will and Rose, are staying over, too. They’ll sleep on inflatable mattresses on the floor downstairs.”

“I’ll look and decide later, thank you.” Zelda walked into the dining room, as if she was barefoot and treading on tacks. She pulled out the wooden chair and sat down, looking out of the window at the bay. The daylight highlighted the creases on her cheeks and the fine hairs around her mouth. “Do Will and Rose know who I am?”

Martha shook her head. “I thought you should meet Lilian first, so I’ve told the kids that you’re a friend, for now. Please don’t say anything otherwise.”

“I’ll try my best.”

Gina remained in the hallway and Martha headed back to speak to her.

“Ezmerelda’s been quiet for most of the journey here,” Gina said in a hushed tone. “If you can believe that.”

Martha glanced over at her grandmother. She didn’t seem her usual vivacious self. She was still looking out of the window, her expression contemplative. “Perhaps we should take her cases upstairs and give her a few moments alone.”

She and Gina each carried a suitcase upstairs and set them down next to the bed in her parents’ old bedroom. It was now clean and aired, and Martha had made the bed with fresh white linen. She’d left the window open and a breeze lifted the curtains and let them fall again.

“Your house looks very different to how it appeared the other day,” Gina said.

Her approval suddenly felt really important to Martha. Gina was Zelda’s carer, her guardian. “I’ve tidied up the best I can. I’m afraid I let things slide after my parents died,” she said. The waxwork-like figures of Thomas and Betty in their final days flashed in her mind but she wouldn’t let them stay. “I’m going to look at decorating next, but the amount of choice is so confusing.”

“I went out to look at printed wallpapers a couple of weeks ago, and there were hundreds of patterns to choose from,” Gina agreed. “It was most difficult. I ended up walking away, empty-handed.”

The two women smiled at each other, glad they’d found something in common other than Zelda.

“I’ll help Zelda all I can,” Martha said. “It means a lot to me for her to stay here.”

Gina gave a short nod. She seemed to measure up her next words. “It’s special for her, too. Though I am concerned that being here will stir up memories.”

“We could head down to the beach this afternoon, rather than stay around the house. My niece and nephew are down there, so we can say hello.”

Gina gave a short laugh. “I think you’ll find that Ezmerelda has other plans for you.”

“Plans?” Martha’s throat tightened.

“She said something about a football match. She watches them on the TV.”

“Oh.”

“I hoped she would relax more over the coming months and take things easier.” Gina adjusted her handbag on her shoulder. “I suppose that is not her style. She will stay with you overnight and then I will drive back to collect her at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. Do you still have the postcard with my rules written on the back?”

Martha nodded. “I love the illustration of the Scottie dog.”

“I like to draw sometimes,” Gina said. “Please try to adhere to as many of the rules as possible. I know you’ll take care of her, and you have my number if you should need it.”

After they made their way downstairs, Gina walked over to Zelda and bent her head. She said something, then planted a kiss on her lips. Even though she whispered, Martha overheard her.

“I will miss you.”

“I doubt it.” Zelda grinned up at her. “I’ll be okay, though. See you soon.”

Martha felt a prickle of embarrassment, like she had intruded on a private moment. There was a chemistry between Zelda and Gina that she hadn’t noticed before, and Zelda’s melancholy seemed to evaporate like a puddle on a hot day.

“Don’t do anything adventurous,” Gina said as she moved away.

“I promise I won’t,” Zelda said before she winked at Martha.





26


Football

“Let me get this right,” Martha said as she counted on her fingertips. “You want to do a Read and Run, at Sandshift football ground, this afternoon? And you want me to accompany you?”

“Yes.” Zelda nodded firmly.

“But I have the kids to look after…”

“They can join us. They’ll love it.”

Martha’s heart thumped wildly. What on earth would Lilian think if she knew Will and Rose were accompanying their great-grandmother to a football match?”