Ash nearly snorted her tea out of her nose. ‘You’ve been talking to Mary haven’t you? Look, I appreciate the effort, but this isn’t really making me feel better, Nan.’
‘I’m just talking sense and you know it. In the long run itwillhelp you. It’s like alcohol on a wound. Clean it out with a good dose of facts. It’ll smart but it’ll heal up cleanly.’
Ashleigh nodded and munched her biscuit. She didn’t feel that hungry. It still felt like she was just going through the motions, but she could at least manage the motions. Nan was right. She’d offered hugs when they were needed, but never platitudes, never empty words to make Ashleigh believe the world was a better place than it was. And that brutal honesty was something Ashleigh could always rely on.
‘I’m sorry if I’ve seemed ungrateful. You’ve always been here for me. You gave me a home and security and I’ve been able to really be myself here. I realise that now. You never made me feel like I had to put on a brave or happy face when I wasn’t feeling that way, and that’s a gift Nan – it really is. Even if maybe it made you think I didn’t want to be here.’
‘Of course you didn’t want to be here. You wanted to be with your parents. That’s natural.’
‘Idowant to be here with you now though.’
‘I’m glad.’ Nan snapped the lid back on the tin of biscuits. ‘Now, are we going to get this beautiful wedding dress you designed made or are we going to sit around being soppy all afternoon?’
‘Wedding dress.’ Ashleigh got up and dusted the crumbs off her jumper.
‘Good choice.’ And then Nan, who barely came up to her shoulder, came over and hugged her hard. She was small but her arms were firm and steady. No frailty in this old lady – not yet anyway. ‘I love you, Ashleigh.’
‘I love you too, Nan.’ Ash’s heart throbbed as she squeezed back. Her chest wasn’t a gaping hole after all.
