In one hand, she held a walking stick, posed like Neptune with his fork. She wore a pale blue dress, tailored to the knee, like something the late queen would have worn. Her legs were clad in thick coffee-coloured tights, bumpy bony shins met patent black shoes, low heeled, adorned with a silver buckle. Everything about her oozed elegance and poise – from the simple strings of pearls at her neck and wrist, the liver-spotted skin on her arms, the wiry fingers that wound around the walking stick and clutched a handkerchief in her lap, to the glint of her wedding ring.
Honey suffered a momentary panic because she suddenly realised she didn’t know Grandma Pins’ name and she couldn’t exactly address her as that so whispered, ‘Levi, what do I call her? You’ve never told me her name and always say Grandma Pins, but I can’t say that!’
Levi put his arm around her shoulder and replied just in time because the guest was moving away, ‘Ellie, that’s what everyone calls her, short for Eleonora, but she hates that name… come on. Our turn.’
When his great-grandmother’s eyes met Levi’s her whole face lit up and she reached out with both arms in his direction. ‘And here he is. My very special boy.’
Honey stayed put and watched as Levi scrunched his knees and body in a very uncomfortable looking pose so he could hug the birthday girl. The second he was released, an inquisitive face peered around his body and sought Honey.
‘And this must be Honey. Come here and give me a hug. I’ve been so looking forward to seeing you.’ Obeying the hands that beckoned, Honey also stooped and found herself encased by birdlike limbs that had the strength of an ox. And as their cheeks touched, Honey’s brushing against peach-soft skin as she inhaled lily of the valley, tears pricked her eyes. What the hell was wrong with her?
Once the embrace was over, Honey found she couldn’t escape, not that she wanted to, because Grandma Pins kept a tight grip of Honey’s hand as she gave Levi instructions.
‘Darling boy, bring over those two chairs, that’s it, yes, put them there so I can see you both.’ Levi shot off and returned with the goods and placed them to one side of his grandma. ‘Lovely, now we can have a nice chat. I’ve already heard so much about you, Honey but I want you to tell me everything. I believe you have a delightful café. Do you have photographs? I’d love to see it.’
‘Of course, just hold on, and thank you for inviting me by the way. Levi’s told me lots about you, too.’ With one hand, Honey tried to flip open the clasp of her handbag to retrieve her phone and the gift she’d brought but not had chance to give.
‘Oh don’t listen to him, it’ll all be fibs.’
Honey stifled a giggle, maybe it was nerves or just a bubble of happiness had escaped, but whatever it was she knew one thing. That Levi was special, and so was his family. Especially the extraordinary, oddly familiar woman sitting by her side.
CHAPTER50
In between interruptions from birthday guests wanting to say hello, Honey had filled in the gaps of her life story that Levi had missed or didn’t know. To be honest, Grandma Pins – she’d insisted Honey call her that – was probably the most inquisitive and talkative person Honey had ever met and hands down beat her in the chatterbox stakes. And she really needed a drink because it was so warm.
The heating must’ve been on full blast and Honey dreaded to think what Mike and Zoë’s bills must be like. It seemed that all of Levi’s grandparents had an extra-sensory-laser-guided ability to detect when his mum had dared turn down the dial, so she’d given up and grew orchids in the conservatory instead. Two birds, one stone.
Levi must also have been waning under intense questioning and suffering from heatstroke, because he suddenly suggested he bring them some refreshments. Relieved, and unable to bear the heat any longer, Honey unwound her scarf as Levi took a drinks order from his Grandmother.
No sooner had the words port and lemon left her lips, Grandma Pins turned back to Honey to continue the conversation and as she did, seemed to freeze. Her eyes homed in on Honey’s neck and after a few seconds, she pointed and asked, ‘That locket. Where did you get it?’
Honey’s fingers immediately went to the engraved silver necklace that rested at the base of her throat. ‘It belonged to my grandad Ernie. He gave it to me recently. Why?’
‘And may I ask where he got it, because I once owned something similar. In fact, I’d be very surprised if there were two identical lockets in existence. Mine was commissioned especially for my eighteenth birthday with my initials engraved on the front.’
Grandma Pins had spoken calmly, yet the air pulsed with electricity or was that the blood pounding in Honey’s ears? She chanced a look at Levi whose eyes were wide. His thoughts perhaps, following a similar track to hers.
It couldn’t be. This isn’t possible. It can’t be hers.
Honey could hear the tremor in her own voice as she answered, ‘It was wrapped inside his baby blanket, on the day he was born. His mother put it there.’
It was at this point she knew. Honey could feel it in her bones and hear so clearly the voice that had been telling her for weeks to keep looking.
‘He was born on the twenty-second of December 1940.’
Grandma Pins didn’t react apart from asking, ‘May I see inside?’
Honey nodded and with trembling fingers undid the clasp and passed the locket over and as she did, noticed that Grandma Pins hand had begun to shake, too. Once it was in her palm she clicked opened the catch like she’d done it a hundred times before. She didn’t look at first. Instead she closed her eyes as though gathering strength and then opened them and looked down.
She didn’t cry. Instead she smiled and said, ‘Robert, my darling Robert,’ and when she looked up asked Honey, ‘So my baby boy didn’t die? He lived. And he still lives?’
Even though her lips were wobbling, and she could hardly see through the tears, Honey managed, ‘Yes, he lived and still lives. And more than anything in the world he would love to meet you.’
When his grandma slumped in the chair, still conscious but looking like her bones had turned to mush, the colour drained from her face, Levi leapt forward and knelt by her side. ‘Grandma, are you okay… shall I fetch you some brandy, or water? Grandma…’
The rest of the guests had stopped what they were doing, a hush had fallen. Tom Jones and the clanking of cutlery as forks hit plates was the only background noise. Honey was shaking from head to toe, wiping away tears as she watched and waited.
Within seconds the crumpled body in the squishy chair revived. ‘No, no. I’m okay. But I… I don’t understand. How can he be alive?’
