Page 17 of The Sunrise Sisterhood

Clare headed straight to the downstairs bathroom, sorted herself and Ivy out, and then waited for him in the sunlit kitchen. Everywhere was spotless; he’d obviously managed to get hold of the cleaner eventually after calling her by mistake.

‘Right.’ He reappeared in shorts, his shirt partially buttoned up, and clapped his hands together. ‘Hot drink or cold? I’m going to have kombucha. Good for the gut.’

Dad and his fads. She couldn’t help admiring his quest for eternal youth, remembering his morning wheatgrass shot phase and the aloe vera one before that.

‘Normal tea, a splash of milk please.’ She tipped out a few toys to keep Ivy occupied while he made it.

‘How’s life at school?’ He dropped a teabag into a mug and filled it from his fancy boiling-water tap. ‘Enjoying being top dog?’

‘Oh yes,’ she said, unable to keep a note of pride out of her voice. ‘Youngest head teacher the school has ever had.’

‘I knew you’d thrive. A lot of people would have found it tough, being a single parent and holding down a big job. But not you. Never needed anyone’s help, have you?’

‘Nope.’ Just as well, really, she thought darkly, seeing as Mum had passed away and he’d been of very little use since walking out on them both. Determined not to ruin the mood, she changed the subject. ‘So where is everyone?’

‘Nilla is in Copenhagen with her mother.’ He stirred her tea and removed the bag before pouring himself a glass of kombucha from the fridge. ‘And Skye is … um … not here right now.’

He placed a mug in front of her and she blew on it, desperate for a sip. ‘Shame. I was hoping to introduce her to Ivy. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll see her soon.’

Mike choked on his kombucha. ‘Quite possibly.’

Before he could sit down, Ivy scooted closer to him and held her hands out to him. ‘Uh-uh!’

‘Oh look! She wants a cuddle with her grandad.’ Clare’s heart gave a lurch. How could he fail to be moved by that?

‘Being a grandad makes me feel ancient,’ he grumbled. ‘It makes me think of my own dad.’

‘For heaven’s sake. It’s time you stopped being in denial about it, your granddaughter is almost one!’ she said, irritably. ‘It was hard for me getting used to being a mother, especially without Mum around to help. She would have been completely head over heels in love with Ivy. But she’s gone. So Ivy needs you to step up; we need you. You’re the only family we’ve got.’

‘Sorry.’ Mike said sheepishly. He picked up Ivy and jiggled her up and down. ‘I’m just not used to babies.’

And who’s fault is that? Clare stopped herself from saying. She could count the occasions he’d made the effort to visit on one hand.

She checked the time, wondering whether to stay for another hour or so and feed Ivy here or get on the road now and feed her once they got to Salcombe.

Mike must have spotted the gesture because he handed Ivy straight over to her. ‘Well, no doubt you’re keen to get on with your journey. Don’t let me hold you up.’

‘You’re not holding us up,’ she said flatly. ‘But we’ll get out of your way as soon as I’ve drunk my tea.’

She waited for him to contradict her, but he took another swig of his kombucha and nodded. ‘Good idea.’

‘Fine,’ she muttered and gulped down her tea as quickly as she could.

Clare packed Ivy’s toys away while Mike rinsed her mug in the sink. She planned on taking the full nappy sack with her, but with a sudden burst of defiance, she quickly stuffed it in the kitchen bin. That’d teach him to say his darling granddaughter reeked.

‘Let me take a photo of the two of you together,’ said Clare, once they were back outside on the front porch.

‘Yes, do, I didn’t have any pictures of me with my grandparents,’ he said. ‘They were dead before I came along. At least, Ivy will have one of me to look back on when I’m gone.’

Clare snorted. ‘You’re not going anywhere. You’re in great shape.’

Mike puffed out his chest, looking pleased. ‘Do you think?’

‘For a grandad,’ she added with a smirk. ‘And, to be honest, I thought you might like to have the photo, to show Ivy off to your friends, rather than the other way round.’

Mike blinked. ‘I meant that as well.’

‘Course you did.’ She flashed him a knowing look, but he was too busy adjusting his hair and checking that his collar was smooth.