They took turns driving and swapped after stopping for lunch at a service station café. Lou had never owned a car, but she had a licence and she was glad she could do her share of the driving.
It passed quickly, her and Karen chatting in the front and Jack playing games in the back and dozing sporadically. He’d always been a good sleeper.
‘So this is it – home,’ Lou said as they pulled up outside the little cottage. She was relieved to feel a tug of affection at the sight of the place. Itwashome. It felt right already, calling it that, and a feeling of peace washed over her as her concerns melted away.
They unpacked the van together, Jack running in and out eagerly with the smaller items Lou gave him to carry, keen to be helpful. When they’d brought everything into the house, Lou set to sorting it out straight away, starting with Jack’s bedroom. Shewanted him to feel comfortable and at home here from the get-go. Karen helped her heft his mattress upstairs and she made the bed up with his favourite Spider-Man duvet set. She hung his posters on the walls and the sticky glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling, put his capybara night light on the bedside table and arranged everything so it was almost an exact replica of his bedroom in their Dublin flat, bar the view out the window.
She and Karen worked until everything was put away, then Lou made them all a spaghetti Bolognese. She’d sorted out the utilities in the intervening weeks and was relieved to find the oven and hob were still in working order. They ate around the little kitchen table and Lou opened a bottle of wine to toast their new beginning, Jack enthusiastically joining in, crashing his tumbler of water against their glasses.
‘Mmm, this is amazing!’ Karen groaned. ‘I’m really going to miss cadging dinner at your place.’
‘It’s just spag Bol,’ Lou said. ‘But tomorrow I’m treating you to lunch at Coast.’
‘There’s no need for that.’
‘It’s the least I can do after you driving down here and all your help with the house. And it’s not outlandishly expensive. Anyway, I want to eat there and it’s more fun for me if you come.’
‘And for me!’ Jack said through a mouthful of spaghetti.
Karen smiled fondly at him. ‘Okay then. That’s unanimous. Far be it from me to be a spoilsport.’
‘Never. Are you sure I can’t persuade you to move here?’
‘Well, this Bolognese is making a very good argument at the moment.’ Karen grinned. ‘Seriously, Lou, you’re such an amazing cook. You should do something with that.’
Lou shrugged. ‘Like what? You know what crazy hours chefs work. There’s no way I could make it work with Jack.’ She’d put the dream of a cooking career aside long ago and it was painfulto be reminded of it. ‘I’m happy just cooking for the people I love.’ She smiled down at Jack.
‘Well, as long as I’m one of that number,’ Karen said.
‘Always.’
