After helping Aunty Bev with her luggage, we left it in the hall and went to the kitchen.
‘Dad, you look well,’ observed Aunty Bev, studying him under the bright lights. ‘Rachel has clearly been looking after you.’
Grandpa placed his arm around me. ‘She’s been brilliant.’
Aunty Bev turned and pulled me into a hug. ‘I love the shorter hair and I never doubted your ability to look after Dad.’ She surveyed the hallway, the kitchen and poked her head through the construction sheet. ‘Wow – Frank is getting the world’s biggest kitchen built.’
She came over to the kitchen table and sat down, adopting a serious expression. ‘Who else here is worried about Maddie?’
I stared at her in shock. Aunty Bev was worried about Maddie as well?
Grandpa raised his hand.
Aunty Bev glanced at me. ‘Rachel – what about you?’
‘Yes, I have been for a while. I thought I was the only one.’
‘There’s something not right with Maddie,’ explained Aunty Bev. ‘She’s not the same anymore. I made her tell me why she came home from California too. There’s something not right about her and Frank. This is the reason why I am here in Harp Brook. Sadly, it’s not to look after you two.’
Grandpa started clapping.
Aunty Bev grinned. ‘The rest of the family think we…’ She paused to point at the three of us. ‘…we are the problems, but we know what’s really going on. We know that my sister’s new villa in Tenerife was paid for by Frank…’
I gasped. ‘What? Frank paid for that?’
Aunty Bev nodded. ‘Oh yes, he did. That’s why my sister is ignoring what’s going on with Maddie. She’s scared her dream life will be taken away from her.’
Grandpa scratched his chin. ‘I have always said Janice was blinded by Frank’s money.’
Aunty Bev nodded. ‘I also think Maddie knows and this is keeping her from telling all of us what life is really like with Frank.’
An uncomfortable feeling passed over me as I thought about Frank using money to get Mum on his side, the secret of the west wing and the secret about Frank and Vanessa.
However, there were more pressing matters. I checked the time on my phone. The nativity scenery needed to be painted. ‘I need to go and help out at the primary school,’ I said. ‘Grandpa, you can stay here with Aunty Bev and introduce her to Layla.’
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
It was nearly seven in the evening, and I’d been painting on the school stage for a few hours. Painting the scenery had proved therapeutic as it had given me time away from the unfolding family drama. My painting brief was to make the sky come to life, create a stable background but leave it empty inside as the school has a crib and lots of eager children to play all the characters. Abi said that competition had been fierce for the animal roles which made me smile.
There was a knock at the hall doors. It was Ben. My heartbeat quickened despite my cautious mind replaying what Layla had told me about him. As I made my way across the hall I silently repeated,I don’t want to get my heart broken again and he’s a player.
I opened the doors, and he held up a plastic bag. ‘Blame Olivia if my food choices are wrong.’
He came inside, brushing past me with a smile. ‘I recall her telling me you love interesting sandwiches. She said that you would make the world’s best sandwiches, I think steak and onion were her favourites. Apparently, you used to say you were changing the world one sandwich at a time.’
I stared at him. Wow, he’d remembered what Olivia had told him about me. My heart went berserk. ‘Well, that’s true.’
He gestured at the stage scenery. ‘That’s great, the kids will love it.’
‘I hope so,’ I gushed, ‘I’ve not had much time.’
He grinned. ‘Well, I think you need a break from your artistic work. I have made us something which I am hoping will come up to your high sandwich standards.’ He laid out a picnic blanket on the edge of the stage. Out of the plastic bag he brought some tin foil wrapped packages. Whatever he’d made smelt amazing.
‘This is Ben’s Christmas club sandwich, which has turkey, maple bacon, cranberry chutney and spiced red cabbage in it. Plus, home-made potato wedges and a variety of dips. I also have an array of soft drinks as I didn’t know whether you’d want a drink.’ He arranged two plates and laid out his stacked sandwiches.
‘You made all this.’
He nodded. ‘I’m a foodie when I am not a builder.’
