‘Being a project manager is a proper job,’ I replied. ‘Keeps my mother happy.’
Olivia shook her head. ‘Do what makesyouhappy.’
‘What? Making life better one sandwich at a time?’ I said as a joke.
With a nod she said, ‘Exactly that.’
Her words echoed in my head as I caramelised the onions and savoured the sizzling sound and the sweet aroma they put into the air. Closing my eyes for a few seconds I remembered how Olivia would stand by me while I was cooking the sandwiches. She’d laugh and admit to drooling. I would giggle as she grabbed a sheet of kitchen roll to catch her slobber.
Once they were cooked, I placed the sandwiches on plates and called Grandpa. As I took them over to the kitchen table, I was sure I could smell a hint of vanilla.
His eyes grew wide and a huge smile stretched from ear to ear. ‘You’re spoiling me, Rachel.’
‘I’ve made sure the steak is at that melt-in-your mouth stage and I have cut it up small so don’t worry about your dentures.’
Watching him devouring his sandwich filled me with happiness.
After, he seemed preoccupied and quiet. ‘Are you okay, Grandpa?’
‘The Senior Christmas Tea Dance is on this afternoon at the church hall. His face lit up. ‘Dancing makes me happy. I haven’t done it in years.’
I thought back to Olivia’s notebook. If this was one of Grandpa’s happy pennies, then I had to help him. A worrying thought bloomed at the front of my mind as I recalled Aunty Karen’s list and how she said he wasn’t to do anything strenuous. Grandpa was eighty years old and even though he claimed he could still walk fast; he was slow, plus his bones creaked a lot. The most he was going to do at the Senior Tea Dance was sit on the sidelines and watch the dancing couples. ‘Let’s do it.’
‘I haven’t brought my smart suit. Karen made me take it out of my bag as she said I wouldn’t need anything like that. She didn’t see me sneaking in my fancy shoes, though.’
Leaning back in my chair I studied Grandpa. He was the same height as Frank and roughly the same build. If my brother-in-law did not have security cameras in the master bedroom, this plan of mine might work. ‘I have an idea. Come with me.’
CHAPTERFIFTEEN
Grandpa and I entered Frank and Maddie’s master bedroom in the east wing. We were in search of Frank’s wardrobe and, hopefully, a collection of suits.
The room, like every other in the manor house, was impressive. It was presided over by the biggest four-poster bed I had ever seen, made up with beautiful cream silk bedding. An elegant white sofa was positioned by a tall window, framed by two full-length linen curtains. On the back wall was an enormous dark wood wardrobe. There were a few arty photographs in elegant frames of Frank’s mother, who lived back in California. In her youth she had been a professional ballet dancer, so all the photos were of her inSwan LakeorThe Nutcracker.
There were no photos of anyone from our family which wasn’t a surprise: none of us are professional ballet dancers.
My heart pounded against my ribcage. I was invading Maddie and Frank’s privacy by being in their bedroom. I turned to look at Grandpa. He was my moral compass and would tell me if what I was planning was wrong. ‘I thought we could borrow one of Frank’s suits, but now we’re in here I feel like it is a bad idea.’
Grandpa beamed at me, and his twinkly blue eyes shone. ‘Rachel, you think too much. Frank won’t miss a suit and it will only be for a few hours.’
We opened the wardrobe and gasped in wonder at the array of suits. There were jackets and trousers in every shade of grey and blue and a variety of fabric textures. ‘Wow – Frank likes a suit,’ I murmured.
Grandpa beamed at me. ‘Those ladies at that Senior Tea Dance are in for a treat.’
I looked around the room. ‘I can’t see any cameras.’
Grandpa grinned. ‘If there was a camera in here, I would do a little dance for Frank.’
I stared at him in shock. ‘Is that your wild side at eighty coming out again?’
He chuckled. ‘Definitely.’
That’s when I wondered whether Grandpa was the right person to use as a moral compass.
With the help of several safety pins and one of Frank’s belts, I managed to get Grandpa in a posh grey, double-breasted suit.
‘Wow, you look good, Grandpa,’ I gushed, as he gave me a twirl. He went up to the full-length mirror and stared at himself. ‘It’s a shame your nana is not here to see me in such finery. She loved a decent suit on me.’
‘She would be very proud, Grandpa.’ I placed my hand on his shoulder as he went a little blurry. Wiping away a stray tear, I croaked, ‘She’s probably looking down on us.’
