No going back - 41. Epilogue: Normal Families?

“Well?”

“Paperwork through, money in the bank.”

“I’m the same.”

Mhairi gave a very unladylike giggle, “My bank account’s never looked so healthy.”

“What are your plans? Any ideas?”

“Well, we’ve anticipated a bit, what with my holiday and Joe’s course. But I’ve told him he can have some to treat himself. I figured he deserved it.”

“Good idea.”

“And we’ve had another furious row with Nathan. Joe’s not speaking to him, and neither am I.”

“About the money?”

“Yeah. When Joe let slip about it, oh nothing untoward, he just mentioned it, Nathan started to pre,ssure me. I gave him what for and went on holiday.”

“But…”

“Whilst I was away, Nathan had a go at Joe, and Joe rounded on his Dad”, she sighed, “The two are not speaking. Nathan was spouting all sorts of rubbish about it being his due.”

“Envy more like.”

She pulled a face, “It gets worse. Joe made some comment about Nathan’s less than Biblical activities with underage girls and how it was illegal too.”

“Fucking hell. Look, he did mention the matter to me, but as a sort of general enquiry. I didn’t realise he was going to say things to his Dad.”

Mhairi shrugged, “When it comes to his Dad and personal stuff, Joe plays it close to his chest. You know what, I’m pleased he chatted to you about it. What did you say?”

“That it required someone to come forward and have concrete proof, and that the Brethren would almost certainly support Nathan against any accuser.”

“Say that again. I decided long ago we’d be on a hiding to nothing and that it was better for my sanity to put it all behind me.”

“Not to mention the press.”

“You mean, them digging up stuff about Joe and I if it all came out.”

“Not nice. You see it happening…”

Mhairi sighed, “Kids don’t see it that way, though.”

“I’d hoped my little chat might have calmed him down.”

She rolled her eyes, “Some hope. I can’t force Joe to talk to his Dad and frankly”, she shrugged, “I don’t want to. As far as I’m concerned, Nathan’s got to earn it.”

“It’s a shame really, Nathan’s attitude is doing the opposite, driving Joe away.”

“Mmm. My way or nothing.”

“Mum and Dad all over again, isn’t it.”

“Except Dad, to give him his due, would never have been envious of the money.”

“Quite the opposite.”

They paused and both took another sip of their coffees, then Mhairi shook herself, “Anyway, on a slightly more upbeat note, I’ve made an appointment with those financial people. And I’m taking Joe with me. He’s old enough and we need to plan. Decide what to do about the house.”

“The house?”

“Pay it off or what”, I nodded, “and plan for Joe’s college. Whatever he does.”

“He’s still keen on acting?”

She wrinkled her nose, “See how it goes. There’s the writing as well. And no telling whether he’s any good or not. He wants to do a proper drama course, whilst I’d be happier if he did English or something, at a university where there were opportunities for him to act. See if folk want him. We’ll see.”

“But you’re not ruling it out.”

She blinked, “How can I? You were right, I need to give him his chance. We never got ours, but that’s no reason to take things out on him. And what about you?”

“I’ve made an appointment too. Lots to discuss. The big news, I suppose, is that Colin’s going to move in. Eventually.”

She smiled, “Congratulations. What’s with the eventually.”

“We both enjoyed it when he was around more whilst Joe was staying, but we don’t want to jump in hastily.”

“And make a pigs ear of things.”

I nodded, “So, he’ll have more stuff at the house and will stay more often. Oh, and we’ve ordered a shed.”

She stared at me, “A shed? Are you getting handy in your old age?”

“Not a bit. It’s for Colin. He’s always had a shed, well at his Mum’s he did, and it will be a place for him to be himself.”

“Away from you?”

“That’s about it.”

“Good idea. A growlery.”

“What?”

She gave a wry smile, “It’s what one of the girls at work calls the place her husband disappears to when he’s in a temper and wants to be alone. “

I shook my head, “Well, a neat image, though I don’t think Colin growls.”

“Just concentrates furiously.”

“Something like that. We’ve talked about getting married. Once we get the rings sorted, then we’ll be engaged.”

Mhairi grinned, “Perfect. And when’s the wedding?”

“We’ll get there, but I’m beginning to suspect that the ceremony, such as it is, will be quite a small affair.”

“Not a bad thing, really. Just the two of you, slipping away like.”

I shrugged, “May well be. But we’d like close family involved so probably register office and something afterwards with a dozen or so folk.”

“Colin’s family?”

“Bit up in the air. His sister-in-law is supportive and we’re going for dinner there with his Mother.”

“And the brother?”

I rolled my eyes, “Will be absent. All a work in progress. So, one or two invited to the wedding.”

Mhairi grinned, “Unless there’s another bust-up?”

I nodded, “Got it. But Colin’s going to be busy with his business because I’ll be giving him a loan.”

Mhairi smiled, “Sounds as if things are moving.”

“Yeah, he’s busy sorting out an assistant and, it seems, training up Bruno.”

“The young guy working on your house?”

“That’s it. Well, Bruno is adept at wielding a mean spreadsheet and managed planning jobs well enough when we were away. So, he’s going to be doing more too. And Colin’s looking at proper premises.”

“Wow. That’s a lot. So, no wonder he’s going to be busy.”

“All positive, thankfully.”

“Anything more from Sandra?”

“Not really, she’s pulling the exhibition together and will be doing research later this year, so don’t expect anything major before then.”

“You know, the exhibition might draw something out, you know local folk with connections that we don’t know about.”

I shrugged, “Can but hope, but I think it will all take work.”

Mhairi smiled, “Story of our lives. So, do you regret it?”

“What?”

“Coming back?”

“Not a bit. If I hadn’t come back here, we wouldn’t have developed anything like the same relationship, I’d have never got to know Joe properly, and a lot of the stuff about grandad would probably have got left.”

“And you wouldn’t have met Colin”, she smiled.

“So, no. No regrets. Are you and Joe still on for tonight? Colin’s taken the afternoon off to prepare a celebratory meal. And I’ve got some bubbly.”

She smiled, “To celebrate?”

“To celebrate.”

There was another celebration meal in the offing too. Our much-delayed dinner with Annalisa, the twins and Colin’s Mum. Colin was understandably a bit nervous, but also determined. He had had a couple of cautious email exchanges with his Mother which had been borderline friendly, though she was still likely to drop comments about the difficulty of getting used to him settling down with another man. But Miles had been notably absent from the dialogue, thank God. Whatever Annalisa had said to him, had had an effect, at least pro tem. But there had also been an excited video chat with the twins, who were both over the moon that we were visiting, and it was hard to remain suspicious in the face of such enthusiasm.

Colin had found a couple of silly presents for the twins whilst I had bought Annalisa some chocolates as a thank-you. We were trying to regard it as a normal family event, but as Colin commented, neither of us had a normal family, did we?