“Four? About Will’s age, I suppose?” Helen asked, looking back and forth between her brother and father.
“Three,” Josh corrected. “Will is five—all grown up in comparison.”
“You see? I was a baby, really. You should try to forgive me, Da,” Helen said.
“It was a lovely tweed coat,” Nathan quipped back.
“I remember we had to cancel the rest of our outing.” Josh shook his head. “I was very angry about that and you cried the whole way home. It was a horrible day.”
“Thank you for your understanding, dear brother,” Helen bit out. Natalie laughed aloud.
Will, who was curled up in my lap, sat up. “What’s that? That tall thing there?”
“That’s Big Ben, Will. A grand old clock that’s been ticking since 1859.” Nathan added, “Which is quite a bit older than me.”
Will looked at Nathan with wide blue eyes. “Is that very old?”
Helen smiled. “It is. Ancient, actually.”
Josh chuckled.
The speaker crackled and the tour guide began imparting information about Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster. While Natalie and Helen squeezed together under the thick blanket Nathan had brought with him, I made sure Will was covered under Josh’s jacket.
The sun setting over the Thames was an amazing sight. Fingers of red and gold seemed to be retreating toward the river’s edge, going to bed for the night.
“Quite a day,” Nathan said, smiling at us. It had been a wonderful day.
Tea had been delightful. No stuffy tea-rooms, no polished silver or china cups had been required. Our tea had been served in the park from a thermos into small Styrofoam cups. He’d been thoughtful enough to bring hot chocolate for Will, too. Will was an instant fan of the older Mr. Wiley.
“I’m afraid Helen and I live in a somewhat snug flat. Though it’s a bit roomier now that Josh has left us, it’s still a tight fit. We’d be in a miserable bind attempting tea there.”
But the park had been wonderful. We’d all played hide and seek and thoroughly enjoyed our time together.
After tea, we decided to explore the borough of Southwark. This was where Nathan lived and worked and Josh had grown up. Once we’d explored a bit, we’d headed back to the city proper and boarded a red double-decker bus. Conversation had been constant, pausing only long enough for our tour guide to reveal the factoids of each sight.
“Josh tells me you’re looking for a new place to call home?” Nathan asked.
I nodded. “There’s no rush, but yes, I’m looking.”
“We’ve a cottage sitting empty. It’s delightful, really, with a little garden and paths for long romps through that part of the country. It might be a good temporary fix for you and the children. Ever thought about an international move?”
All eyes turned on me. “Um, no. It never crossed my mind.” Josh looked at my hands, clasped in his.
“Why not?” Natalie asked.
I stared at her. “I wouldn’t know where to start, Nat. I know the schools are different and there are citizenship issues and—”
“You do have to wear uniforms to school, Nat,” Helen added mournfully. Josh and Nathan burst out laughing.
“What kind of uniform?” Will asked.
“Something plain. Mine was blue pants, white shirt, and striped ties. I had a blue jacket and a blue sweater vest when it was cold,” Josh said softly, running a hand through Will’s hair.
“Oh, I was hoping it would be more like a policeman’s uniform or a soldier’s uniform or…” Will faded off as he rested his cheek against my chest again.
As we drove closer to the hotel, Josh leaned closer to murmur, “Your mum mentioned heading to Brighton for a few days, to visit some friends?”
“Girlfriends from Dad’s military days,” I said. “She should.”