Footsteps In Ashbridge Episode 01
Through the sitting-room window, Lou could see that Harry still had his feet up.
She went in and resolved to keep her temper.
But when she took the shopping through, she could see that the washing she’d asked Harry to take in was still on the line.
He came into the kitchen.
“Sorry, love. I just thought I’d read one more chapter and when I looked up two hours had passed.”
He did look contrite.
“I only asked you to do that one thing,” Lou replied. “I know it’s the school holidays and I’m off work, but I’m back next week.
“A hand would be appreciated now you’re not away all the time.”
To be fair, since he was made redundant Harry had taken on the cooking.
But the washing was dripping wet and she didn’t feel like being fair.
He didn’t reply as he opened the back door.
“Mum, was my top washed – the pink one?”
April came in, yawning as if it was time to go to bed and not two p.m.
Lou took a deep breath.
April had dark circles under her eyes and her shoulders drooped.
Getting short with her wasn’t going to help.
She inclined her head towards the garden where Harry had grabbed the clothes off the line and was hastening inside.
“Washed twice!” she exclaimed, trying to make a joke of it. “Once in the machine, once in the rain.
“If you hang it up over the bath it should be dry enough to iron before you go out. If you’re going out?”
April had – until recently – been a party girl.
But she shrugged.
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“Go on,” Lou said. “I saw some of your old school friends when I was out.
“They said they’d be in the Grapevine from eight and they’d love to see you.”
She was pleased to see a spark of interest in April.
“It’s had a change of management since you’ve been away,” Lou added. “It does lovely food and great cocktails, apparently.”
“Maybe I will.” April fished her top out of the basket.
“There’s no chance of running into Matt,” she added. “I’ve seen photos of him – and her – taken yesterday in Barcelona.”
That was a step in the right direction, Lou thought.
For the last 10 weeks, neither she nor Harry had dared to mention Matt.
She willed Harry not to say anything, however much he might want to.
He waited until April had gone upstairs again.
“Matt’s still inter-railing, then?” he whispered.
Lou nodded.
“I met his mum in the supermarket. He extended the trip that he and April were going to take.
“They’re in Spain for another ten days, then going up to Edinburgh for a week before term starts.”
“Sounds like he’s avoiding the possibility of seeing April,” Harry remarked. “Did his mum apologise or anything?
“I mean, did you tell her the state April’s been in?”
Lou shook her head.
“It’s between April and Matt – it’s nothing to do with their parents, is it? Breaking up is part of growing up. They’re only nineteen.
“If Matt hadn’t fallen for that girl it could have been April breaking his heart.”
Lou could see that Harry wasn’t convinced.
Matt would always be a villain in his eyes.
“So,” she said, changing the subject, “anything up on the job front today?”
“Nothing,” he mumbled.
Lou actually bit her tongue.
“Did you have any plans for the rest of the day?” she asked, trying not to sound sarcastic.
Harry brightened.
“I’m going to take my books back.”
He had always been a voracious reader, but since redundancy five months ago he was making his way through the library.
Some days he was there for hours – reading, presumably, although to Lou’s mind the library wasn’t the quiet haven of her childhood.
As a large building in the centre of town it was a hub for all kinds of events.
“I’ll come with you,” she told him. “I want to talk to Duncan before term starts.”
Was it her imagination or did Harry seem not best pleased at that?
He had a moment of looking like a rabbit in the headlights before he glanced out of the window.
“The rain’s easing off. Shall we go now?” he asked.
To be continued…