‘That’s so rude,’ said Lily, aghast.
‘I know. It was awful and Mum cried, and Jess couldn’t understand what the fuss was about. Needless to say she never went back there.’ He closed his eyes and shook his head.
‘But she was at your sister’s wedding,’ she said. ‘I saw her in the background of a picture, looking unhappy by the way.’
‘Yes, do you know why?’
‘Because she was invited?’ she said.
‘No, because she turned up at the church. She wasn’t invited. We weren’t even going out. She turned up, all dressed up, and I think she was expecting to then come to the wedding dinner with me.’
‘Oh my God,’ said Lily in shock.
‘And she tried to get into the family pictures. When that one was taken of me and my sisters, I had just asked her to step out, as she’d joined in uninvited.’
‘That’s so embarrassing,’ said Lily. ‘And sort of sad.’
Nick nodded. ‘I know, it’s awful and weird. But in all honesty I haven’t taken anyone home to meet Mum and Dad since university, I promise. I had a lovely girlfriend then, but she went to live in Australia and is now married to an Aussie, and it’s all lovely and good for them. Jess and I were together for six months, then I realised she wasn’t right for me and I broke it off.’
‘Which she wasn’t happy with.’ The waiter brought them some bread and Lily picked some up and broke it into pieces and put it on her plate.
‘No, ' Nick sighed. 'I'm sorry Lily,' He said but she waved her hand at him.
‘No, I shouldn't have mentioned her, now let’s order and talk about anything else but her, okay?’ she said firmly.
Nick smiled. ‘Yes. That sounds perfect.’
21
Nick and Lily slipped into a routine with him coming over once a week to see Gran for dinner and rehearsing and ignoring Jessica’s glares and snide asides. They went on little drives or did the grocery shopping together and mostly Nick was at Pippin Cottage.
‘You’re so kind to be here so much. I just can’t leave Gran for long periods,’ she said to Nick as they sat outside one day after he had visited Gran, and they drank tea in the garden together while Gran napped in her chair.
‘It’s fine, but I will admit I should have discharged her two weeks ago,’ Nick said. ‘I just come and check on her and then get to see you.’
Lily made a face. ‘Oh no, I hope you don’t get into trouble.’
‘She’s ninety-seven; she needs someone to check on her anyway. I just wrote in my notes that the granddaughter is very unreliable and skittish and Mrs Baxter needs a regular welfare visitor.’
Lily flicked a tea towel at him as Mr Mistoffelees jumped onto his lap, looking for attention.
‘Oh finally he’s decided to like me,’ said Nick as he scratched behind the cat’s ears.
Lily watched him, with his mug of tea and the cat, and wondered why she ever thought this life seemed so terrible.
Later that night, when she was talking to Nigel on one of their FaceTime calls, she told him about spending her days with Nick.
It was so wholesome she wondered if she wasn’t living a fantasy, she told Nigel.
‘He sounds perfect. Shame he’s not in London.’
‘I know. I have kind of hedged around it but he’s not interested. He loves the country; in fact, I think this cottage and the way Gran lives is his secret fantasy life,’ she half joked.
‘Is it yours?’ Nigel asked. She was about to laugh until she realised he was serious.
‘Maybe when I was small,’ she said. ‘Life is very easy here, but it could get boring. Sometimes I love it and sometimes, it’s just routine, looking after Gran.’
‘But if you could have both? Doing shows and living in the country?’
