‘I expect he’s sound asleep, but I can check if you like.’
‘No, don’t disturb him. I’ll talk with him next time, ask him all about his trip.’
‘Scarlett’s nice.’ She was suddenly desperate to keep the conversation going on a bit longer and she didn’t really know why. Sometimes she just got a feeling when she spoke with Connie. Call it a sisterly bond, whatever, but now she didn’t want the call to end. ‘You’d like her. She’s talented too, can draw like nobody’s business. Even drew a picture of Kyle I’ve told him he has to get framed.’
‘It doesn’t sound as though the dad likes the idea of Kyle much.’
‘He’s not so bad, maybe he’ll come round.’
‘I see right through you! You like this man.’
‘I do not, I just sympathise with him, that’s all. He’s looking out for his daughter. Remember what Dad was like when either of us brought a boy home?’
‘Don’t remind me. It was like the Spanish Inquisition if a male acquaintance dared to knock on the door for either of us. Talking of boys and men, have you heard anything from Paul?’
‘No, why would I?’
‘It’s Christmas, I wondered if he’d changed his mind about ending things with you.’
She’d thought the same thing, but as time went on it became less and less likely. ‘He’s probably met someone else by now. I hope they’re very happy.’
‘Liar,’ Connie giggled. ‘You always were too good for him anyway. I really do have to go,’ she coughed.
‘You’d better rest up and I hope you’re better soon. Love you.’
‘Love you too, sis. And thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.’
For all that Amelia felt put upon over the years and had resented this trip a couple of times when she felt Kyle was a problem her sister wanted to wash her hands of, the emotion in Connie’s voice brought Amelia back down to earth. They’d talk about it more when she was home, but this wasn’t the sound of a woman who wanted to disown her son, only a woman who seemed stuck for which way to turn.
Amelia hung up and crept out of her room to the next door along, to Kyle’s room to check on him. She knew how happy he’d be that his mum still had that Christmas ornament. But he was sound asleep, snoring lightly as he lay on his front, one arm at a right angle on his pillow, the same way he’d slept as a toddler. And beside his bed was the picture Scarlett had drawn of him, a boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders yet with so much possibility.
She’d tell him about the ornament in the morning but for now she sent Connie three photographs she’d taken of him. One at the Christmas tree stall as he laughed with a customer, another of him chowing down on a triple burger they’d found in a diner, and a third of him with a wool hat on, his hair flicking out from the bottom, the same smile he’d always had. And he looked happy.
If she could, she’d get one of him with Scarlett and perhaps it would all help Connie to see that her son was just a little lost and needed help to find his way to a better place, like they all did from time to time.
Chapter Ten
Cleo
Amelia was due to come to the Garland Street markets any minute now, which meant Cleo could finally act on her advice and have some time with Ruby. She’d been putting it off, work and dread getting in the way, but today, Prue was bringing Ruby to meet her and they were going to have one-on-one time.
‘Business is going well here.’ Kaisha put out a few more men’s sweaters on the display tables in the chalet. She was helping out today along with Amelia and so Cleo wouldn’t have any need to worry. She could focus solely on Ruby. ‘Do you think you’ll do this again next year?’
Cleo put her gloves back on now she’d finished serving the customer who bought the bottle-green cashmere sweater that had been hanging at the open door of the chalet. Some days they wouldn’t put much stock on the doors if the weather was more brutal but today there didn’t seem any hint of rain or the snow they’d been treated to yesterday. ‘I think a store, the Inglenook Falls markets and a wedding to organise might just be enough for us all.’
‘I know you too well, you might not be able to resist it.’
‘True. And we are making more money here than in Inglenook Falls. It’s not a whole lot more, but I expect it will be a tidy sum by the time we finish. We get more exposure here too and I’m hoping it might draw people to Inglenook Falls and the Little Knitting Box. It’s been delightful to have a few of my old regulars from the store I had in the West Village stop by and say hello.’
‘I heard a woman asking about your workshops earlier. She wanted to bring a group of friends along.’
Cleo smiled. ‘There you go. Coming here has drummed up more business.’ Now she needed to make sure she didn’t take on too much and ignore her other commitments. Cleo never once thought she’d end up married with a blended family when she arrived in New York for the first time, and now she wouldn’t want it any other way, but her headache this morning was a sure sign things were getting to her. And she was always careful to stay on top of her emotions given the family history with depression. Recognising the signs that she was overdoing it was key and was difficult to do when she was so busy all the time.
Cleo waved to Amelia, who’d just said goodbye to her nephew before he made his way to Mitch’s stall. She did a quick handover before she spotted Prue’s blonde, immaculately styled bob approaching over the heads of a couple of teenagers. ‘Prue, good to see you. Hey, Ruby.’ She smiled down at Dylan’s eldest and her soon-to-be stepdaughter.
Ruby smiled but was soon talking to Kaisha, the trendy assistant at the Little Knitting Box who was almost a surrogate auntie in many respects. Ruby had often come to the store and sat out back waiting for Cleo and during those times Kaisha had taught her some basic knitting skills and they got on well.
‘Thanks for bringing her to the city, Prue.’ And you can go now, Cleo thought, although Prue was picking up garments already, which Cleo found surprising because these items didn’t come with a designer label. ‘That one would suit you.’ She had hold of a burgundy roll-neck sweater.
