The Way We Were_ A Novel - Marcia Willett [49]
‘It would have looked a bit obvious,’ agrees Tiggy, ‘and with you all going off on holiday so quickly it's not quite the same as us all sitting around staring at each other for two weeks.’
‘Actually, we both tend to feel a bit shy to begin with,’ admits Julia. ‘It sounds silly but it takes a little while to get back to normality after a long separation. I told you, Pete's often very wound up when he gets back from sea. You being there will make it easier.’
‘If you say so. I know it sounds crazy but I'm looking forward to it just as much as the rest of you. I've never done anything like this before. It's wonderful to be a part of a family. I've missed so much, I can see that now. You'll never know how much I used to envy you, when we were young and I used to stay with you sometimes in the holidays. It was an utterly different world.’
‘It was a madhouse, if that's what you mean,’ says Julia, but she's pleased.
Pete makes the whole thing very easy: the homecoming exceeds every expectation. The boat docks at two o'clock in the afternoon, the welcome party is ready and Charlie performs wonderfully: the sight of his father seems to spur him to even greater heights and he propels himself into Pete's arms shouting with excitement. Tiggy suspects that Julia has done more than rehearse Pete for the big welcome home scene; she's also explained Tiggy's reluctance to be present and her fears that she'll be de trop. She slips away as soon as the twins have rushed out into the hall, only reappearing when the family has had plenty of time to be reunited.
As soon as she comes into the sitting-room, Pete holds out his arms to her. ‘Tiggy! Great to see you.’ He hugs her warmly and she feels all the usual gratitude and relief at being so genuinely welcomed by someone on whom she has no claim. Before she can speak, however, the twins burst in upon the greeting, clamouring for his attention to look at some new piece of work. Pete winks at her. With his fine, curly fair hair and fresh, slightly freckled complexion, he looks like an older version of Andy. Tiggy smiles at him with affection.
‘I can't get over all this industry,’ he says. And old Charlie walking out like that. You know, I think that all this effort deserves some reward. Now where did I put those presents?’
There is an instant silence: the twins’ eyes follow his movements attentively and only Charlie, who can't remember previous returns from sea, continues to make his own particular Charlie-noises. Julia smiles at the twins’ strained expressions of expectation. Pete crouches down and opens his grip, pushing some items of clothing to one side.
Ah,’ he says. ‘Here we are. First one for Mummy. Could you give it to her, Liv? Be careful, it's heavy. And this is for Charlie. Here we are, old chap. Now this one,’ he hefts it in his hand, ‘yes, this one is for Andy. And here's yours, Liv.’ The children settle down at once to tear away the wrapping paper and Pete takes out one last parcel and hands it to Tiggy with a little grimace. ‘Hope I've got the colour right,’ he says.
She is truly surprised and deeply touched that he should have thought of her. The tissue paper falls away to reveal a long scarf in a dark, brilliant crimson silk threaded with silver and gold. She glances up with involuntary delight but he is looking at Julia, moving towards her, kissing her, as she holds her own present – a huge bottle of scent – in both hands and smiles back at him. Tiggy swallows down an odd constriction in her throat, winds the scarf about her neck and goes out into the kitchen to put the finishing touches to the welcome-home tea-party.
CHAPTER EIGHT
2004
Despite the sunshine it was too cold to sit outside. The wind whirled in the courtyard, whipping up fallen petals, and the air was chill. A fire burned in Em's tiny drawing-room that looked northwards over the delightful village green. The pale apple-green walls and glossy