it,’ he said, with that little twinkle in his eye. ‘Those bags look heavy.’
He had stubble this morning. She wondered fleetingly what it might feel like rubbing against her chin, or elsewhere. Enough of that, Lou Winter, she reprimanded herself. Still it was an interesting thought that left behind quite a quivery sensation in its wake.
She quickly got out the money from her back packet. It was embarrassingly warm, nearly steaming as it hit the cold air, and she hoped he wouldn’t notice, but of course he did.
‘Hot off the press, is it?’ he said to her horror. She felt her cheeks heating up too, but attempted to laugh it off.
‘Yes. Be careful, the ink’s not quite dry yet.’
He grinned. Stubble and grins. Lou went even hotter.
‘Anyway, thanks. Just give us a ring when you want it picked up. Come on, Clooney, we’ve got kids to take to the park.’
A bucket of water hit Lou’s heart and extinguished the smiley feelings that were hopping about in there. Of course someone like him would be married with children, she said to herself. Why should that be such a shock to her? Anyway, what was any of it to do with her? What difference did it make? Why was she suddenly upset to learn that he was married with children? Lou didn’t know. Her head was all over the place this morning. It was as if someone had stuck a big wooden spoon in it and was stirring around.
When Tom’s wagon drove off Lou rolled up her sleeves to start, but the sight of that faithful old stool on the heap of rubbish brought a sudden rush of tears to her eyes.
Chapter 12
Lou kissed her mum on the cheek. Despite his grumbles, Phil was there behind her with an extravagant show of affection for his mother-in-law, encouraged by the warm, meaty smell coming from the steamy kitchen.
‘You’ve had your hair done,’ said Renee, looking at it from a few angles.
‘Birthday treat from the people at work. Do you like it?’ said Lou, preparing herself.
‘It’s a bit orange,’ Renee replied.
Renee had bought Lou a jumper for her birthday. It was a very nice plain black top, slash neck with three-quarter sleeves and four pearl buttons off centre.
‘Mum, that is really lovely,’ said Lou. ‘Thank you.’
‘It wasn’t a cheap one,’ reiterated Renee.
‘Mum, I know. It’s classy, I like it.’
‘It’s very slimming, is black,’ said Renee. ‘I didn’t know whether to get you a size smaller to give you some encouragement.’
Lou gulped her sherry. Her mother meant well, she told herself.
Renee Casserly served up a very nice pork lunch. Lounoticed her portion was considerably smaller than Phil’s but she didn’t comment. It was, after all, very pleasant just to be sitting there whilst someone else did the cooking. She had been too cross last night to enjoy that particular pleasure in the Chinese restaurant.
Just after the washing up had been done, the phone rang.
‘Hello,’ said Renee, wincing as it rang again in her ear. She would never get the hang of these newfangled cordless things where you had to press a button to be connected.
‘Oh hello, lovey.’ Sunshine flooded her voice. Lou could name that caller in one. ‘How many degrees? Ooh, that is warm, isn’t it? It’s very cool here, but sunny and dry…Ooh, smashing…Yes, I’m very well, thank you…Yes, I’ve packed it. I just have to get it to the post office.’
Aha, thought Lou, listening and filling in the gaps. The preliminaries dealt with, Victorianna had got down to the real business in hand. When’s my hamper coming, Mummy dahling?
‘…Tuesday, I hope. Elouise is here if you want to have a quick word…’
The life savings Lou would have put on the answer to that one being a yes were safe.
‘Oh, I see. Well, never mind, another time if you’re rushing…She sends her love.’
No, I bloody well don’t, Lou thought loudly.
‘Bye bye, dear…Yes, I love you too.’ Renee put the phone down looking as if she’d just had a private
He had stubble this morning. She wondered fleetingly what it might feel like rubbing against her chin, or elsewhere. Enough of that, Lou Winter, she reprimanded herself. Still it was an interesting thought that left behind quite a quivery sensation in its wake.
She quickly got out the money from her back packet. It was embarrassingly warm, nearly steaming as it hit the cold air, and she hoped he wouldn’t notice, but of course he did.
‘Hot off the press, is it?’ he said to her horror. She felt her cheeks heating up too, but attempted to laugh it off.
‘Yes. Be careful, the ink’s not quite dry yet.’
He grinned. Stubble and grins. Lou went even hotter.
‘Anyway, thanks. Just give us a ring when you want it picked up. Come on, Clooney, we’ve got kids to take to the park.’
A bucket of water hit Lou’s heart and extinguished the smiley feelings that were hopping about in there. Of course someone like him would be married with children, she said to herself. Why should that be such a shock to her? Anyway, what was any of it to do with her? What difference did it make? Why was she suddenly upset to learn that he was married with children? Lou didn’t know. Her head was all over the place this morning. It was as if someone had stuck a big wooden spoon in it and was stirring around.
When Tom’s wagon drove off Lou rolled up her sleeves to start, but the sight of that faithful old stool on the heap of rubbish brought a sudden rush of tears to her eyes.
Chapter 12
Lou kissed her mum on the cheek. Despite his grumbles, Phil was there behind her with an extravagant show of affection for his mother-in-law, encouraged by the warm, meaty smell coming from the steamy kitchen.
‘You’ve had your hair done,’ said Renee, looking at it from a few angles.
‘Birthday treat from the people at work. Do you like it?’ said Lou, preparing herself.
‘It’s a bit orange,’ Renee replied.
Renee had bought Lou a jumper for her birthday. It was a very nice plain black top, slash neck with three-quarter sleeves and four pearl buttons off centre.
‘Mum, that is really lovely,’ said Lou. ‘Thank you.’
‘It wasn’t a cheap one,’ reiterated Renee.
‘Mum, I know. It’s classy, I like it.’
‘It’s very slimming, is black,’ said Renee. ‘I didn’t know whether to get you a size smaller to give you some encouragement.’
Lou gulped her sherry. Her mother meant well, she told herself.
Renee Casserly served up a very nice pork lunch. Lounoticed her portion was considerably smaller than Phil’s but she didn’t comment. It was, after all, very pleasant just to be sitting there whilst someone else did the cooking. She had been too cross last night to enjoy that particular pleasure in the Chinese restaurant.
Just after the washing up had been done, the phone rang.
‘Hello,’ said Renee, wincing as it rang again in her ear. She would never get the hang of these newfangled cordless things where you had to press a button to be connected.
‘Oh hello, lovey.’ Sunshine flooded her voice. Lou could name that caller in one. ‘How many degrees? Ooh, that is warm, isn’t it? It’s very cool here, but sunny and dry…Ooh, smashing…Yes, I’m very well, thank you…Yes, I’ve packed it. I just have to get it to the post office.’
Aha, thought Lou, listening and filling in the gaps. The preliminaries dealt with, Victorianna had got down to the real business in hand. When’s my hamper coming, Mummy dahling?
‘…Tuesday, I hope. Elouise is here if you want to have a quick word…’
The life savings Lou would have put on the answer to that one being a yes were safe.
‘Oh, I see. Well, never mind, another time if you’re rushing…She sends her love.’
No, I bloody well don’t, Lou thought loudly.
‘Bye bye, dear…Yes, I love you too.’ Renee put the phone down looking as if she’d just had a private
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