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‘That’s a bit bloody cryptic, Matt. I thought you meant that she went for a different type of man, not that she wasn’t into men at all.’
‘Sorry. I was trying to be tactful, but obviously I was too tactful. Hang on, are you pissed off with me because I didn’t tell you straight?’
‘No, of course not!’ In truth, I’m delighted. At least we’ve found something to talk about this week.
We’ve decided to invite Nan and Grandad over for Sunday lunch at the flat the day after they get back, so Katie can tell them. They’ll probably be jetlagged and won’t have had a chance to restock the fridge, so it seems a nice thing to do to cook for them for a change. I phone them the day before to invite them and offer to drive over and pick them up. I won’t be able to get them both in the van, but I can leave it at their house and bring them over in Katie’s car, collecting the van when I take them home again. Katie and Bronwyn are going to cook and clear up.
They’ve obviously had a fantastic time on the cruise and, by the time they’ve finished telling us about everything they did, handing round photos and finishing each other’s sentences, we’ve long finished eating. Katie and Bronwyn have done a brilliant job, with beautiful roast lamb that they’d stuffed with rosemary and garlic, crispy roast potatoes, an array of vegetables all topped with the most delicious gravy that reminds me of Matt’s comments about the gravy matching the meat.
‘The secret,’ Bronwyn informs me when I ask, ‘is that I put white wine and Worcester sauce in it. Worcester sauce is a match made in heaven for lamb, because it cuts through the fattiness.’
‘If Matt doesn’t come back, maybe I should employ you as a chef,’ I tell her, trying to keep the sadness out of my voice. I obviously don’t quite manage it, though, because Nan gives me a sympathetic look and briefly covers my hand with hers.
‘So, what’s been going on here while we’ve been gone? I see from Daisy’s expression that we still don’t know when Matt’s coming back?’
‘I don’t even know if he’s coming back, Nan,’ I tell her, sadly. ‘It seems his mum has got him under her thumb and, every time he mentions coming home, she has a new crisis to make him stay. It’s hard, but I think I might have to start trying to move on. We don’t even speak that often any more.’
Nan pulls my head onto her shoulder and wraps her arm around me. ‘I’m sorry, Daisy love. I thought he was the one, I really did.’
‘So did I,’ I reply, as I start to cry again. Nan, bless her, does what she’s always done. She just sits and holds me, stroking my hair and murmuring words of comfort, while I soak the shoulder of her dress with my tears. It’s a routine we’ve had plenty of opportunity to practise over the years.
‘We do have some other news,’ I tell her, once I’ve pulled myself together a bit. ‘Katie?’
‘Umm.’ Katie blushes furiously. ‘Bronwyn and I are together. She’s my girlfriend.’
Nan beams. ‘Of course she is!’ she says. ‘We may not be in the prime of youth, your grandad and I, but we can spot a couple in love from a mile away. We picked up on you two the first time Bronwyn came for Sunday lunch, didn’t we?’
‘That we did,’ Grandad agrees.
‘We didn’t say anything, because we figured you’d tell us when you were ready,’ Nan continues.
‘Was I the only one who didn’t see it?’ I ask.
‘I think you’ve probably had other things on your mind. Grandad and I have suspected Katie was a lesbian for a long time – are you all right with that term, Katie?’
‘I’m getting used to it,’ Katie replies. ‘How come you worked it out when I didn’t have a clue?’
‘You never showed any interest in boys at all, ever. You never mentioned anyone at school, you didn’t even have any posters on your wall. Daisy was boy mad, especially before the accident. Who was that young man you were so keen on, Daisy?’
‘Stefan,’ I reply. I haven’t thought about him in years; he might be married with children now for all I know.
‘I remember your mum fretting about it. You were only fourteen, but you were very precocious, and she was convinced you were having sex with him. She was worried that you’d get pregnant but didn’t know what to say to you about it. You were pretty feisty even then, and she didn’t want to say the wrong thing and risk a hissy fit.’
‘I never actually had sex with him,’ I tell her.
‘Good, but that’s not the point. The point is that you were very keen on boys from the moment you hit puberty. Even when you were at your most unhappy after the accident, you still managed to pick up a boyfriend. Katie, on the other hand, has never shown a flicker of interest, even though she certainly would have had plenty of boys interested in her. You could put part of that down to the fact that she’s a very different character, but we did have our suspicions, especially after we watched this TV programme that said homosexuality was much more common in younger siblings. Anyway, I’m delighted for you both. Welcome to the family, Bronwyn dear.’
‘Thank you.’ Bronwyn smiles and blushes a little.
As the afternoon drags on, Nan and Grandad start to flag, so I offer to drive them home. Bronwyn and Katie disappear into the kitchen to clear up while I’m gone. As I’m driving back after dropping them off, I reflect on the conversation. I knew Nan and Grandad would be fine about Katie and Bronwyn, but I’m still bothered that I seem to have stopped noticing what’s going on with my sister. I definitely need to do better.
32
‘Daisy, can I borrow you?’ Penny has stuck her head round the kitchen door. ‘Ron and Agnes want a quick word.’
‘Give me five minutes to get these omelettes out, and I’ll be with you,’ I tell her. I’m still worked off my feet, but Katie has decided to stay on with me until she goes back to school after Christmas, and she and Bronwyn are continuing to cook for me in the evenings and clear up, so I’m managing to get more sleep.
I finish off the omelettes, send them out, and check that there’s nothing that can’t be left for five minutes before I go out into the café. I’m extra vigilant, because I know I’m tired and more likely to make mistakes; the last thing I need right now is to burn the place to the ground because I forgot to turn something off. The leek and potato soup for today’s lunchtime special is ready for me to reheat, but I’ve got another fifteen minutes before I need to light the burner under it, and I’m currently up to date with the breakfast orders. I wash my hands, carefully remove the hairnet, and head out to see what Ron and Agnes want.
