“Ooh, yes please. This one’s cold.”
“Can you believe it’s race day already?” Hannah waited for an answer and when one didn’t come she paused in her actions. She turned to her aunt, concerned. “Is everything all right?”
“I’m just thinking.” Dorothy sighed. “About how after today, it’ll be time for me to go back to Norfolk.”
Having not previously joined the dots, Hannah supposed that made sense. Dorothy’s stay had sort of come to a natural end. However, suddenly feeling as miserable as Dorothy looked, Hannah wished it hadn’t. In those last few weeks, Hannah had enjoyed Dorothy’s company more than she could have anticipated. Her aunt might not have been a guest for long in the bigger scheme of things, but Hannah knew not having her around would take some getting used to. “You don’t have to go just yet, do you?”
“I’ll have to at some point.”
“Not necessarily,” Hannah replied.
Hannah might not have wanted to think about Gabe, but she couldn’t help but consider his living arrangements. Gabe and Roger, just like Hannah and Dorothy, were two different generations and they seemed to make things work. It wasn’t as if Hannah didn’t have the room for Dorothy to stay for as long as she liked. Of course there was Beth and Archie to consider, but Hannah was sure they’d love Dorothy as much as she did.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you’re welcome to stay longer. Who knows, you might decide not to go back to Norfolk at all.”
For the first time since landing, Dorothy appeared lost for words.
“Don’t make any decisions now,” Hannah said. “Take your time. Think about what you want.”
Hannah’s mobile rang. Pulling it from her dressing gown pocket her eyes widened in surprise. “It’s Beth and Archie.” France might be an hour ahead, but it was early on the other side of the channel too. “Seems like we’re not the only ones who couldn’t sleep.”
“You take the call, I’ll make the tea,” Dorothy said.
As Hannah moved to leave the room, she felt her aunt take hold of her arm.
“And thank you,” Dorothy said. “That was very kind what you said just then.”
Despite appreciating the sentiment, Hannah saw no need for gratitude. “I’m only saying it like it is.”
Leaving her aunt on kettle duty, Hannah made her way into the lounge. Propping up her phone, she clicked to answer. As Beth and Archie appeared on the screen, Hannah settled down ready to chat.
“Hi, Mum,” Beth and Archie said.
Hannah frowned. “Where are you?” Clearly not at the villa they’d rented, she took in their surroundings. With lots of French chatter taking place, people passed by with cups of coffee, glasses of juice, muffins and pain au chocolat.
“On our way to Paris,” Beth said, excited.
Hannah swooned in envy. She readily envisaged the early-morning swirling mists of the River Seine and could see herself strolling along Paris’s wide tree-lined avenues, admiring lavish formal gardens. In her imagination she sat under sparkling sunshine on the café terraces of Boulevard Saint-Germain. Hannah would have given anything to ride the lift to the top of the Eiffel Tower where she could soak up the breathtaking Parisian cityscape with its criss-crossing boulevards and historic monuments, cathedral, and basilicas. “I’m so jealous of you right now, you wouldn’t believe.”
Archie laughed. “Dad said it would be a waste if we didn’t go. Seeing as we’re in France anyway.”
Hannah didn’t often agree with Carl but on that occasion, she most definitely did.
“We were actually ringing to wish you good luck,” Beth said. “For the race.”
“Aw, you remembered.”
“According to Dad, we’re going to be on the road for a while, so we might not get the chance later.”
“Franceisa big country,” Hannah said.
“And of course, once we get to Paris we’ll be too busy,” Beth said. “I mean there’s the Musée du Louvre, the Champs-Élysées, the Arc de Triomphe…” She sighed. “We’ve got so much to see.”
“As long as we don’t have to go on a Seine river cruise.” Archie grimaced. “After being on that catamaran, I’m done with boats.”
Hannah tried and failed to keep a straight face. She still hadn’t got over them being seasick on calm waters. “Make sure you think of me, struggling to run and breathe at the same time, while you’re both admiring the Mona Lisa or wandering around the Notre Dame.”
