Carol had leaned across the table to grab Steve’s hand. ‘Could we?’ she said, her eyebrows (nowadays a little more mobile) were drawn into a beseeching look.
Steve looked back at his wife, his expression as adoring as always. ‘I know how important that place is to you,’ he said quietly. ‘And it might be nice to fund somethinggoodfor achange.’ He turned to Ben. ‘It doesn’t help all the other local libraries in the area though – or beyond. What Hattie’s saying is that this is a national issue and it probably needs addressing by people at the very top.’
‘Absolutely,’ said Ben. ‘I could definitely raise it at PMQs. To be honest there’s been a lot of talk about this at a high level already this week. I think it relates to that protest. The picture, you know, that old woman standing on top of the police car. Made its way onto the Cabinet WhatsApp group a few days ago apparently.’
‘Oh! That’s my mother,’ I said. ‘The woman on the car.’
The Right Honourable Ben Wythenshawe looked briefly stumped. ‘Well,’ he said finally. ‘I don’t want to give false promises but it’s just possible we could bring about some significant change here. Your mother currently has the full attention of the British government. Which is quite something.’
‘It is,’ I said proudly. ‘And it’s no more than I’d expect from her, to be honest. She is a formidable woman.’
‘Seems to be a family trait,’ said Carol, smiling.
I thought about my mum, her self-belief and absolute determination to live her best life after Dad died, and I thought about Layla, her resilience during her first term at university, her courage in returning for the second term, and her strength in dealing with her injury. And I thought about myself, the fact that I had made it through those first few difficult months when Layla left home, forcing myself back out into the world, forging a new career path, and making countless new friends along the way.
Formidable women, each of us.
‘Thanks, Carol,’ I said. ‘I think you’re probably right.’
October
Chapter Forty-One
‘Morning, darling! David’s finally got the date through for his hip and wondered whether you’d be okay to cover the library while he’s off?’ Mum’s voice blasted through the car speaker with minimal preamble.
‘Uhm, I’m driving at the moment, Mum. I can’t check my diary but send me the dates and I’m sure it’ll be fine. Everyone at the library knows how much he needs to get that hip sorted so I’m sure Malia, Colin and Ren will rally round as well.’
‘It’s next spring,’ she said briskly. ‘March fourteenth. I’m trying to persuade him that Costa Rica would be the ideal place to recuperate and that we could begin our tour of South America as soon as he’s mobile. My Granny-Riot campaign manager, Astrid, has suggested we look at how they’re tackling poverty in the favelas, so we’re hoping to take in Brazil on the way home as well.’
‘And you can’t let your followers down,’ I said, smiling.
‘Quite. There’s 1.2 million of them now of course. Astrid says it’s all about accessible content and “keeping it real” – now that I’m a global brand and whatnot.’
I laughed. She really was priceless, my mother.
‘Anyway, to return to the more prosaic matter of David’s hip. Now that Nathan’s moved in permanently, we don’t have to worry about the house, or Pilot – but he’s adamant he’ll be needed back at work within weeks or the whole place will fall apart.’
‘Oh, well, I’ll try and reassure him that we can manage,’ I said, indicating left into the IKEA car park. ‘Don’t bully him, Mum – let him make this decision himself. I know you think he shouldbe looking at retirement and globetrotting the world with you, but the library is a huge part of who he is.’
‘Yes darling. Ido know. I’ve spent every waking moment with the man for the past four months, and many sleeping ones too. You don’t need to tell me how wedded he is to the place.’
‘Eww. Promise me you won’t talk about sleeping with David in earshot of me again, Mum. He’s still my boss.’
She tutted loudly down the phone. ‘Honestly, you are ridiculous, Harriet. The fact that I’m in a relationship with a wonderful man who also happens to be a skilled and attentive lover should be a source of happiness…’
‘Mum!’ I shouted. ‘Enough!’
Layla laughed from the seat next to me. ‘I’mvery happy for you, Granmerry,’ she said.
My mother’s voice immediately softened. ‘Layla! How lovely. Where are you two off to then? A nice jaunt?’
‘We’re just picking up some last bits for Layla’s student house, Mum,’ I said, waiting patiently for the driver in front to straighten up into their space.
‘And you’re not going to get all tearful and emotional this time, Harriet?’ she said sternly.
‘I can’t promise that,’ I said, glancing sideways at my daughter. ‘I’ve told Layla I’ll still probably be weeping in forty years’ time when packing her off to a retirement home.’
‘She’s fine, Granmerry,’ Layla said, leaning into the speaker. ‘Don’t believe a word of it. She’s so busy with everything going on at the library and her new master’s degree she’ll barely notice I’ve gone.’
