Family For Beginners

Izzy saw Clare glance at her father and knew instinctively that she was wondering about sleeping arrangements. Izzy had been wondering that, too. Were Flora and her father sleeping together? She didn’t know. If they were, then they’d been discreet about it. But here things would be different. There was no work, or rushing around. The whole idea was to spend time together.

Her stomach ached.

“I’ve put Molly and Izzy in the turret as usual.” Clare was brisk and matter-of-fact. “Flora has the lake room, and Jack you’re next door. Hope that works.”

“I know the lake room. I’ll take you.” Molly grabbed Flora’s hand and they vanished from the room.

Izzy sat at the scrubbed kitchen table, looking at the stack of freshly baked golden scones and the thick, crusty sandwiches. The flight, the jet lag and the thought of this trip had left her stomach churning, but now she realized how hungry she was and also how tired. Not just from the journey but from life. The last year had been interminable. She was physically and mentally exhausted. She fought the impulse to put her head on the table and sob.

Her dad was asking about Todd, and Clare was answering.

Izzy was terrified she was going to break down. And then she felt a hand on her arm. It was Aiden.

“We bought a couple of paddleboards.” He pushed the sandwiches toward her. “Do you want to try them out? It’s fun.”

The change of subject snapped her out of her panic. “Thanks. I’d like that.”

“Turns out the lake is perfect for it.” He talked, pretty much about nothing really, not expecting her to respond and she wondered if he’d noticed her moment of near panic.

Molly reemerged with Flora, who had changed into a clean T-shirt, this time in a pretty shade of blue. She wore a pair of yellow shorts and her wild hair was held back by a red scrunchie.

She reminded Izzy of a bunch of spring flowers.

Izzy watched as she hovered in the doorway, her gaze flickering nervously to the people in the room. It was the first time she’d realized that this must be difficult for Flora, too.

Her pang of sympathy lasted less than a second. Her situation was way more serious than Flora’s.

She smiled at her sister and patted the chair next to her. “Come and eat something, Molly.”

Molly grabbed Flora’s hand. “I want to sit next to Flora.”

Izzy gritted her teeth. “There are two chairs, so you’re good. Flora can sit here, too.”

Molly dragged Flora to the table, and helped herself to a sandwich. “Aunt Clare makes the best cakes, but we can’t eat a cake until we’ve eaten the other stuff but that’s fine because it all tastes good. Different from sandwiches at home. Try it.” She passed the plate to Flora who gave a grateful smile and took one.

Izzy saw Clare glance curiously at Flora and then Molly.

Aiden grabbed a can of diet cola from the fridge and handed it to her, ignoring his mother’s disapproving frown.

The gesture somehow made her feel better. It made her feel that someone, at least, knew a little about her.

She ate several sandwiches and then a scone. She wished she and Aiden weren’t surrounded by people. The conversation between them was stilted, awkward, stuttering like a car that wouldn’t start.

It was always like this when they met after a long break. A little tense, each of them was trying to find the familiar parts of the other so they could reconnect.

Was he thinking about last summer, too? Was he thinking about that conversation they’d had while lying on the grass by the lake?

Maybe he was, because he took another sandwich and glanced at her. “You have to stick to British time, even though you’re tired, so the best thing is to be active. Do you want to take the kayaks out this afternoon?”

Did he mean all of them or just her?

Either way the answer was a yes. Doing something that required concentration might at least stop her thinking. Anything to get away from her life for five minutes.

“Sounds good. I brought a bathing suit and a wet suit.”

“Cool. We can use the boathouse to change.” He took a slug of his drink. “That okay with you, Mum?”

Clare handed Flora a mug of tea. “As long as you wear life jackets. You know the rules.”