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Nova stared at me like she was trawling her mind for answers, but there was still no recognition coming through yet.
“When I was a kid, my grandad lived next door to you and your parents,” I said.“I came with my mum and dad to stay with him for two Christmases.When we came back the third year, Grandad said you’d gone to live in Exeter.”
For a moment, I was swept back to the day I found out my Christmas holiday friend had moved away.I was eleven, and even though Nova was two years younger than me, I’d got used to spending the festive season with her.She would come into my grandad’s house and my mum would set up art projects for us to play with, or I’d go into her house and we’d bake cookies with her mum.We’d all gone ice skating in Plymouth together once, and both Christmases, we’d created some traditions I’d expected to carry on for at least a few more years.
Her eyes widened, and her hands flew up to cover her mouth.“You?That little boy I played with during the Christmas holidays was you?”
I nodded.“I wasn’t sure you’d remember.You must have only been eight the last time we saw each other.”
“Oh my God.”She burst out laughing, her smile wide.The memories must have helped soften her towards me, and she leaned forward and rested her hand on my leg.“Of course I remember!The first Christmas after we moved, I begged Mum and Dad to bring me back to Dawlish to see you, but we couldn’t because we were going on holiday, and then after that, we heard your grandad had died.”A frown crossed her face for a moment, and the mood dipped.
The death of my grandfather on my dad’s side was the first I’d experienced, and it symbolised an end to the innocence of childhood.My paternal grandmother had died when I was too young to remember her, although my grandad and my dad told me all about her.
“Nobody ever called you Donovan,” she said.“You were Donnie back then.Mum said you were probably called Donald!Donnie seemed better.”She giggled.
I winced.“Yeah.Nobody calls me Donnie anymore.I refused to answer to it when I started secondary school.”
“How crazy is it that I’ve managed to live next door to both sets of your grandparents,” Nova said, shaking her head as she leaned back against the sofa and picked up her drink.
I shrugged.“Small town.Everyone knows each other in a small town.”
She must have detected the hint of distaste in my words as her smile faded a little.“Yeah.I suppose so.”
I could almost see her struggling over whether to ask any questions, and she picked off a couple of marshmallows from her drink and popped them into her mouth.
“What made you move back to Dawlish?”I asked, trying not to sound like I was judging her for remaining local.
A hint must have slipped into my tone, as she licked her lower lip before answering as if she were considering biting it to keep her true thoughts from spilling out.“I love this town.The seaside, the people.I still work in Exeter, but Dawlish will always be home.”
“What do you do?”
“I teach at a primary school.”
That explained her modest dress sense from earlier.“Are your parents still in Exeter?”
“Yeah.”She let out a small laugh.“My mum isn’t going to believe I’ve met you again.”A contemplative look crossed her face before she smiled again.“Your parents still live in Italy, right?”
“Yeah.Tuscany.It’s beautiful over there.I’ll go and visit them for a week or two after I leave here.”Even though I’d spent my teenage years there, it never fully felt like home.Probably because I’d spent parts of my childhood in several different places.A long-term ex of mine cited that as my reason for being unwilling to commit to her.My ‘unstable’ childhood.It wasn’t really unstable, though; just a bit shaky until my parents chose a place to put down some roots.
“Your parents were lovely,” Nova said, smiling.“Your mum was always so much fun.”
“She hasn’t changed much.”
After taking another sip of her drink, Nova said, “I’m sad I didn’t know the connection sooner.At your grandad’s funeral, I sat way back so as not to intrude, and the wake was family only, so I didn’t meet them.And, of course, knowing someone was with June, I kept out of the way so they could grieve together.I don’t think I even saw them while they were here.”
“Yeah.My mum took Grandad’s death really hard.They wanted to stay for longer, but Dad had to get back home for work.”
Nova nodded.“Your nan said she wished they’d been able to stay, but she understood.She has friends here, which helps, though.”
“And you, apparently.”I offered her a smile.“Thanks for taking care of her.I appreciate it.”
“It’s what we do around here.”She paused, gazing at me for a moment.“It’s not my place, but could I offer a piece of advice?”
A pit of dread opened up in my stomach.We may have had some kind of childhood connection, and I’d conceded she was a decent person, but I wasn’t sure I wanted advice from an almost stranger.Still, I wasn’t totally sure I knew what the hell I was doing or how to talk to my nan after so long, so I nodded.
“When you go back to your nan, be honest with her,” Nova said.“If you have things you want to tell her, do it.She loves you very much, so be real with her.”Pausing, she grinned, sitting up straighter.“Come with us to the Christmas market on Sunday.”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been to a Christmas market.Must have been at least five years ago, when I was in Germany.
