He has a hunch as to why Heather is no longer seeing the art teacher and he thinks – he hopes – it’s something to do with him. The feeling of her in his arms at the hospital has haunted him all these weeks. And that statement during their drunken walk to the bus station in St Andrews two months ago, when her palm fit so exquisitely into the dip in his chest:Look! It's a perfect fit,is still etched on his brain.
‘I can help,’ he says. The words have rushed out, unbidden.
Everyone turns to look at him.
‘You can?’ Heather’s eyes are drilling into his. Penetrating. Perhaps she’s wondering, as he is:What does this mean?
Brianna squeals and claps her hands.
‘Yes, Dad. You can. You know websites and marketing and risk and all that kind of stuff.’
She says it with the assuredness of someone with utter faith in their parent, as though Scott has some kind of omnipotent marketing capabilities. Which he doesn’t.
‘I can at least try,’ he says, hesitatingly. The first rule of business is not to overpromise.
Heather looks away from him and allows her eyes to fall back to the framed picture resting on her lap. ‘I’d really like that,’ she says in a whisper.
FRESHMAN PARENTS' ONLINE FORUM: ST ANDREWS UNIVERSITY
Happy Christmas everyone. Just wondering – has anyone else’s YP regressed to how they were circa age 14? Mine seems to think she’s come home to a hotel. Driving me mad!
Merry Christmas! Mine too! Thought she’d be more grateful after 10 weeks looking after herself.
Happy holidays. Yup. Same here. A pattern?
My DD is the opposite. She’s prepped all the family meals since she got back. I’ll miss her so much when she goes. Merry Christmas, all.
Lucky you. I’m already looking forward to the reduction in clutter (and attitude) around the house when mine goes back.
Chapter 18
HEATHER
Heathertakesapausein the present opening (the sprouts won’t peel themselves) to peruse social media and consider the implications of Scott-Bloody-Reynolds helping her set up a new business. It’s ages, if she’s honest, since she’s used his hyphenated name.
Can she trust him?
What would it mean if they were to get closer as a result?
She can’t help but admit she finds the idea of working with him exhilarating. Those biceps. But might she be committing the first cardinal sin of relationships; the thing she’s worked so hard to avoid since Dougie, then years later with Paul? She knows this already – men abandon you. They wait until the worst possibletime, then step back and leave you in the lurch. It’s bad enough when there’s a romantic relationship in play. She can’t imagine how devastating it would be if Scott were involved in her new professional endeavour. She’s forty-eight. She ought to know.
Is she being smart?
‘Mum?’ Georgia’s at the kitchen door, tinsel wrapped around her neck and a laptop mouse in her hand. ‘We’ve set up the MacBooks. Are you coming back to finish the presents? There’s still lots under the tree.’
Heather gathers up the kitchen waste, wipes her hands on her apron and submerges the peeled sprouts in cold water.
‘Coming,’ she says.
