Page 38 of The Little Provence Book Shop
‘What’s that?’
‘They’rereallyfriendly around here.’
Then they were both laughing. And Lili, running towards them, laughed too.
Adeline looked at her brother. ‘I will think about what you said,’ she told him.
And he nodded. The subject closed.
18
The next morning, they walked Lili to school together, each holding a hand. The air was cool, but with the promise of sun later; the clouds glowed golden and once in a while, a ray would emerge through the whiteness and flood the road with light.
The little girl chattered and skipped and swung herself on their arms, making the most of every moment and excited for Kevin to see where she went to school. Once they’d dropped her off and watched her race into the playground, delighted to show them how fast she could run, they turned to each other and smiled.
‘It’s a shame you can’t stay a bit longer,’ Adeline said.
‘I know,’ he agreed. ‘It’s actually been really nice.’
‘Well, don’t sound so surprised!’
He grinned. ‘Well, you rushed off so quickly, and hadn’t seemed to think things through. I had no idea how you’d be living. I imagined you in some derelict farmhouse somewhere.’
She laughed.
‘But this place… well, it’s a community.’
‘It is,’ she said, pleased.
They began to walk back towards the house. Monique had told her she needn’t come in for a couple of hours this morning, to give her a chance to see Kevin off properly, and she’d accepted gratefully.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said out of nowhere as they passed the patisserie.
Adeline, looking through the glass, saw André serving a customer. She gave him a nod and he smiled back. ‘What for?’ she asked, feeling a shiver of pleasure that things were clearly OK with André now.
Kevin kicked a stone, suddenly boyish in his stance. ‘I had this idea that I’d come here, give you the DNA test – you know, a way of finding out your roots. And I guess, rescue you from it all. Bring you back to London.’ He laughed, lightly, and shook his head. ‘I’d been so worried about you, especially with you not answering emails. I just imagined you were in a state.’
‘Oh, Kev,’ she wrapped an arm around his back.
‘What?’
‘I’m sorry. For worrying you. It was selfish.’
‘It’s OK,’ he said, giving her a quick squeeze in return. ‘I get it. Although don’t do that again, will you?’
‘Promise.’
‘Pinky promise?’ he joked and she laughed, remembering little promises they’d made as children not to tell their parents about hidden sweet stashes or midnight feasts, or the fact that one or the other of them had got in trouble at school.
‘Pinky promise,’ she agreed.
He was silent for a moment, then continued. ‘What I’m trying to say is… I was wrong. You’re obviouslynotin a state. And you’ve made a nice life for yourself here – already. Lili seems happy. You seem pretty happy?’ He looked at her face as if for confirmation.
She shrugged. ‘I’m OK.’ She made a face. ‘At least I think so.’
He laughed. ‘Welcome to the club.’
The silence resumed, but it was companiable and they reached her front door. Just inside, Kevin’s suitcase was waiting, leaning against the wall and reminding them how limited their time now was.
