Page 81

Five years later

“I’ve got to go, Dad. I’m being pulled.” Elda struggled to keep the phone to her ear.

“Right-oh. I just wanted to check you’re coming on Wednesday for the gallery. Shall I make up the beds for the three of you?”

“Yes, please, that would be great. Charlie will work from yours for the day. It’ll be the last one for a while though.”

“I guessed that. You’ll need to slow down and get some rest.”

“Chance will be a fine thing.”

“And will Mister want his tea as usual?”

“Yeah, but he’s gone off peas this week. So you might need to play it by ear.” Elda climbed on the wooden frame and pushed her hips into the steel slide. The curved, metal edge was cold against her warm skin.

“Where are you, Elda? You sound like you’re in a tunnel.”

“I’m at the park, chasing your grandson around. I’d better go. See you Wednesday.”

“You will do. Bye, love.”

Elda put the phone in her pocket and looked up towards the sky. She saw nothing but blue. The air touched her skin, and she released her breath, enjoying the moment to herself. “Is anyone down there?” she shouted down the pipe, sending her voice rumbling through the tunnel.

“Come down, come down.”

She shuffled forward and pushed off with her palms. Her jeans caught at the slide’s metal seams, and in the middle, her weight slowed her down, but she made it to the bottom with laughing tears streaming down her face.

She popped into the light, and Elijah screeched with joy as she caught his soft, stocky frame between her arms. He wriggled out of her reach, and Elda was stuck at the bottom of the slide, her quads no longer strong enough to force her pregnant frame to full height.

“Mama caught me.” He bounced off Charlie and ran in circles around the park.

Charlie pulled Elda to her feet. They locked lips and Elda melted underneath the embrace, forgetting their hosts.

“Come on, you two. We’ve got lunch to eat.” Chloe spread a rug across the warm grass. She and Jacob bumped heads and emptied a picnic basket.

Elda set after Elijah and he rushed at her, giggling with joy as she raised him to her chest and planted kisses along his downy hairline.

“Chloe, will you grab Eli?” Charlie put her hand across her eyes to block out the sun. “Elda shouldn’t be carrying him; he’s too heavy for her.”

Chloe bounced towards the pair with her long limbs outstretched. She scooped the two-year-old into her arms and blew raspberries into his jumper.

“Chloe, I’m fine!” Elda said as she reached the picnic rug. “Charlie worries about me too much. She’s turning into her mum.”

“You shouldn’t have been going down that slide either. You need to take it easy.” Charlie rested her hand on Elda’s bump and kissed her cheek.

“I’ve done this before, Charlie. I’m listening to my body, and it’s telling me to move.” Elda grabbed a sandwich. “And eat.”

They each took a space, and Jacob handed out plastic plates and overfilled glasses.

“Ice cream?” Elijah pulled at Charlie’s jeans.

“We’ll have ice cream after our sandwiches, Eli.” Charlie sat him down behind a plate of crisps. “What time will Sam finish work? I want to see him before we go.”

“He’s on shift ’til four. Then he’ll be home. Mum’s making him sausage and mash,” Chloe said.

“We’ll see him and your mum, then, when we drop you off,” Elda said.

“If he doesn’t stay late. He loves a bit of overtime.” Jacob shoved a handful of crisps in his mouth and created a volcano of crumbs.