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‘As long as she doesn’t mind a few formerly wayward youths in her home, of course,’ Nolan said. ‘They’re all right really, they’ve just been through hard times like most people.’
‘No one escapes unscathed.’ Clover pushed her chair back. ‘Do you want something to eat? I made egg mayo so I can whip you up a sandwich if you’d like?’
‘That would be great, thanks Grams,’ he said. ‘I don’t suppose there’s any of your lemon drizzle cake left is there?’
‘For you, there certainly is,’ she said, flashing him a smile.
Well, this was nice, she thought, as she made his sandwich. Not only did she have her darling grandson there for lunch, but also a new friend. Clover was feeling very fortunate indeed.
Chapter 15
Brooke
Brooke wandered into the kitchen and looked out of the window at the garden. It was a lovely size, but it needed some attention, and she was looking forward to getting out there and doing something with it. There was room for a greenhouse in the one corner and a small shed, possibly a playhouse for Allegra, although her daughter was growing up so quickly that the latter might not get much use before Allegra was too old for it.
She’d just had Ethan Morris round to look at the work the house needed and he’d said he could do it no problem, would send her a quote and that he could make a start next week if she liked the numbers. He was a friendly man who told her he lived a few doors along with his wife, Lila, and their little boy, Reuben. He also mentioned that she should keep an eye out for their one cat, William Shakespaw, as he enjoyed visiting the neighbours and had a tendency to steal food if it was left unattended. That had made Brooke laugh because the idea of a cat that cat burgled people was simply too funny.
Brooke had worked all morning on a manuscript for a client and enjoyed the job. It was a story about a woman who finds herself on a solo holiday following her divorce and who comes toterms with the changes in life — physically and emotionally — as she’s got older. It was funny and emotional, the perfect mix as far as Brooke was concerned. She’d been so engrossed in it she’d only remembered that Ethan was calling around ten minutes before he arrived.
It had been three days since she’d made the bowl at Clover’s shop and she’d seen her new friend every day since then. Clover had told her to drop in for tea or coffee whenever she liked, and Brooke had taken her up on it. The thing with Clover was that Brooke knew she meant what she said. It wasn’t like with some people where they said something, but you couldn’t be sure that they were genuinely making the offer. It was far more real, and Brooke really appreciated that because since she’d lost Aidan, she’d struggled to read social clues and didn’t want to impose on anyone. Even the closest friends she’d had back in Rochdale hadn’t known what to say or do when Aidan had passed away and it had become awkward, so awkward that Brooke had found herself stepping away from them and letting the distance grow. And they hadn’t known what to do to help her either, because death was such a shitty thing to have to think about. No one wanted to consider their own mortality and losing someone their age was shocking and too close to home. So Brooke felt that by taking a step back from her friends, she’d given them the space they would have wanted and probably a great deal of relief along with it. But Clover was different. It might have been her age, her wisdom and experience or because she was just one of those amazing people we come across if we’re lucky, but she made Brooke feel she could be herself.
Over the past few days, when Brooke had gone to the Pottery Shack, she’d been able to sit quietly while Clover worked with clients or to talk about anything she liked, even if it was something as innocuous as how long to cook spaghetti to get it just right or whether to wear slippers with socks. It wasonly now, after spending time with Clover, that Brooke realised exactly how much she’d been craving that kind of acceptance in a friend. Clover had a way about her that allowed Brooke to grieve when she needed to grieve and to think about other things when she needed to give her mind and heart some space from her grief.
As for Clover’s grandson, Nolan, he was interesting. Brooke might be recently widowed, but she could still recognise an attractive man when one appeared in front of her, and Nolan was certainly handsome. She’d met him twice this week, the first time at Clover’s home and the second at The Pottery Shack, and he came across as friendly, kind and non-judgmental, all desirable qualities in a social worker, she thought. He worked mainly with disaffected teenagers, and she thought he must have the patience of a saint to do that. He reminded her of a Hollywood actor but she couldn’t remember which one. Not that it mattered, because she was a widow with a young child and he was a handsome man with a busy life. It would be a very long time before Brooke was ready for a relationship, dating or anything like that, and she suspected that a man like Nolan would definitely be romantically involved.
Brooke had planned on having some lunch and doing some more work after Ethan called but looking out of the window made her want to get some fresh air. She decided to get dressed and walk down to see Clover, then head back to the village to collect Allegra from school and maybe treat her to dinner at the café. She could work later on then when Allegra was in bed and it would keep her mind occupied. Getting back to the story was something she was quite looking forward to, as it was exactly the tonic she needed right now.
Chapter 16
Clover
It had been almost two weeks since Brooke had first come into Clover’s shop and in that time, Clover had become fond of the younger woman. Brooke was clearly trying to get on with her life but it was hard and Clover knew how that felt. Some people would feel uncomfortable being around someone dealing with so much pain, but Clover could empathise with what Brooke was going through. She also knew it would take time. There was no magic cure for grief, it took as long as it took to emerge from under the dark cloud and sometimes, that cloud would always be there, hovering on the horizon. Sometimes, it would go away only to reappear at certain times in life when the grief you thought you’d dealt with would take you by surprise and smack you in the face like a hammer, leaving you staggering in stunned agony until you cried it out of your system again. Each person's experience was unique, and there was no universal solution to assist them. However, Clover would make every effort to support Brooke. She had a feeling that the younger woman was starting to trust her and that would enable her to be there for Brooke.
There was a craft fair today at the village hall, and Clover had a stall selling her pottery and that of some of her students. Nolanhad taken the boxes to the village hall early that morning and set up for her, so all she needed to do was to get herself there. Brooke had offered to help her run the stall and Clover had been grateful. She also thought it would be a way for Brooke to start to integrate into village life. She was keen to introduce Brooke to as many of the villagers as possible and hoped that Brooke would make some more friends. Being surrounded by kind villagers who would offer friendship and support would be positive for Brooke because there was nothing worse than being lonely. It was like grief fed off loneliness and grew more powerful, more daunting and more all-consuming.
Clover pulled on her coat and hat then set off for the village hall at a brisk pace, keen to get her heart rate up and to reach the hall so she could get set up before people arrived.
Chapter 17
Brooke
Holding Allegra’s hand tight, Brooke entered the village hall. It was a short walk from their home and close to the primary school, a central location that was perfect for the heart of the community. Clover had told her that the villagers used the hall a lot for different things, including craft fairs, exercise classes, mindfulness sessions, concerts and more. The idea that there was a central place like this in the village, a so-called hub, made Brooke smile. She liked the thought of becoming a part of the village and being able to attend the events at the hall and hoped that was how things would go. Having Clover’s friendship had already improved her confidence and day by day she felt herself emerging from underneath the black cloud that had followed her for what felt like a lifetime. She wasn’t all the way out yet, not even close, but Clover’s kindness was offering her glimmers of respite, and within each glimmer, she felt hope burgeoning.
‘Are we going to buy anything, Mummy?’ Allegra asked.
‘Maybe,’ Brooke replied. ‘If we see something we like.’
‘I think we will.’ Allegra smiled up at her. ‘I like it here.’
‘I’m glad.’ Brooke leant over and kissed her daughter’s hair, her heart squeezing at Allegra’s happiness. At least, she thought, I’ve managed to get that right.
Tables filled the main room of the hall, each holding unique items. There was a felting stall with pictures of woodland and wildlife and a sign advertising felting classes; a stall of jewellery made with recycled silver and plastic; a stall of paintings of dogs and cats; a gluten-free baked goods stall laden with cakes and breads that looked delicious and one selling vegan jams, wines and sweets. She scanned the room until she spotted Clover on the far side of the hall. Her friend was talking to a tall man with broad shoulders and when he turned slightly and she saw his profile, Brooke realised that it was Nolan.
Her heart gave a little jump, and she pressed a hand to her chest, worried that it was the start of a burst of palpitations, but thankfully they didn’t come. She nodded in Clover’s direction. ‘Let’s go and say hello to Clover then we can browse the other stalls.’
‘Will your friend let me count the money?’ Allegra asked. ‘I’m getting good at counting.’
‘I know you are, sweetheart, I’m so proud of you, and we can ask Clover if that’s OK.’
