Page 91 of The Best of Times

Aron obeyed and took her hand. “None of it matters right now.”

“Did your mother upset you?”

“The opposite. In fact, she comforted me.”

Granny’s jaw fell open. “She…comforted you? Why on earth did you need that in the first place?”

Aron sighed. Once again he buckled under Granny’s brand of interrogation. The Professor would tell her soon enough so he wasn’t betraying any confidences.

Why should I care, anyway?

“Paul came round to tell me he’s flying to Sydney tomorrow.”

The outrage on her face almost made him convulse with laughter. Or maybe that was just nerves. He hadn’t had the opportunity to digest that he would be walking out in front of the whole neighbourhood in mere moments.

“The bloody coward,” Granny exclaimed. “Oh, honestly. I could slap his face.”

“Now, now, he’s been through a lot. I can understand it. I might now like his decision but I do understand.”

“Well I certainly don’t.”

“I hope you aren’t going to have a go at him,” Aron said. “If he doesn’t want to be with me, nothing can change that. Promise me you won’t say anything.”

Granny didn’t look too convinced.

“Granny.”

“Fine. I promise. I suppose it would be bad form to have an argument with my new stepson on my actual wedding day.I can’t guarantee I will hold my tongue after we get back from honeymoon though. Nobody rejects my grandson and gets away with it.”

Aron would be back in New York by then. Paul would have to defend himself. In fact, he found sick pleasure in the fact that Paul had a dressing down, Beatrice Wimpole style, in his future.

“And your mother comforted you?”

Aron nodded. “She saw us both go upstairs. Then Paul legging it out. I suppose she put two and two together.”

Granny took a moment to digest this information.

“Do you think I’ve been wrong about her all along?”

Aron raised an eyebrow. “You? Wrong?”

“Oh goodness, the day must be getting to me,” she replied. “Pay no heed to whatever I say. I’m under the influence of romance. Now shall we get to it? I don’t want to keep the Professor waiting too long. He’s already a bag of nerves.”

“Are you ready?”

“I’m ready.”

“And are you ready?”

They both stared down at Parkin who looked adorable with a tiny bow tie. A concession to the tux that Anais had not stopped going on about.

He yapped in response.

“I think he is,” Granny said, tickling him behind the ears.

They walked down the stairs. When they got to the front door, Granny stayed him.

“Everything will change once we walk out of that door,” she said. “All except for my love for all of my family and especially you. I loved your grandfather, of course I did. With the Professor, it is totally different. Remember what I said. Don’t leave things as long as I did. Grab life with both hands, my darling, and hold on for dear life.”