Least Said (12 page)

‘You
have
absolutely
nothing
to
thank
me
for,’
she
insisted.
‘After
all,
you’ve
done
the
same
for
me
in
the
past
-
and
would
do
it
again
in
a
heartbeat.
It’s
what
friends
are
for.’

We
smiled
happily
at
each
other,
and
then
I
caught
sight
of
the
clock
and
shrieked,
‘Look
at
the
time.
I
have
to
go
and
pick
Will
up
from
school.
Do
you
want
to
come?’

‘Try
and
stop
me,’
Tina
said.

We
took
the
car
as
the
time
was
getting
on.
Usually
though,
unless
it
was
raining,
I
preferred
to
walk,
and
we
often
took
a
detour
on
the
way
home
through
the
local
park
so
that
William
could
enjoy
the
swings.
Today
he
would
be
enjoying
the
company
of
his
Auntie
Tina
and
I
knew
how
thrilled
he
would
be
to
find
her
waiting
with
me.

‘And
how
is
my
adorable
God-child?’
she
asked.
‘I
have
to
ask
even
when
I
know
the
answer
is
going
to
be
completely
gorgeous.’

‘Well,
I
would
say
that,
wouldn’t
I?’
I
grinned
ruefully,
and
then
added,
‘but
he
truly
is.
I
never
knew
a
lovelier
child
–
except,
perhaps
for
Leanne,
because
she’s
gorgeous,
too.
How
is
she
these
days?’

‘Completely
gorgeous,’
Tina
laughed.

‘I
can’t
believe
she’s
what
–
twenty-five
now?
Where
did
the
years
go?
No
sign
of
her
settling
down
yet,
then?’

‘No,’
she
shook
her
head,
‘she
just
loves
working
with
her
Dad
at
the
literary
agency.
He’s
happy
to
give
her
lots
of
responsibility,
so
she
has
her
own
stable
of
authors
now
and
is
dealing
almost
exclusively
with
chick-lit
and
romantic
comedy.
She
seems
to
have
an
eye
for
a
potential
best-seller
and
is
doing
really
well
according
to
Calum.’

I
was
impressed
and
yet
I
wasn’t,
because
Leanne
has
studied
hard
to
get
a
first
in
her
degree
and
then
had
started
as
a
gofer
at
Calum’s
literary
agency.
I
was
sure
he
wouldn’t
have
made
it
easy
for
her
–
and
I
was
also
sure
she
wouldn’t
have
wanted
him
to.

Jade
and
Lucy
were
looking
out
for
me
at
the
school
gates,
and
they
both
waved
and
tried
to
hide
their
natural
curiosity
when
they
saw
I
had
someone
with
me.

There
was
just
time
for
a
quick
introduction
before
the
bell
rang
and
the
next
minute
Will
came
hurtling
across
the
playground
towards
us.
His
eyes
grew
huge
with
excitement
when
he
was
close
enough
to
see
who
was
with
me.

‘Auntie
Teeeeeena,’
he
shrieked,
leaping
into
her
waiting
arms
and
shrieking
some
more
when
she
twirled
him
round
until
his
small
body
was
flying
horizontally.
‘You
haven’t
been
to
see
us
for
ages
,’
he
said
the
minute
she
put
him
down,
his
tone
accusing.

‘William,’
I
admonished
sharply,
‘don’t
be
so
rude.’

‘Well,
she
hasn’t,’
he
pouted
and
then
redeemed
himself
slightly
by
adding,
‘and
I’ve
missed
her.’

‘Aw,’
Tina
crouched
down
in
front
of
him
and
pulled
him
back
into
her
arms,
‘I’ve
missed
you,
too,
Will
–
loads.’

‘Have
you?’
he
obviously
wasn’t
going
to
be
appeased
easily,
and
wanted
a
bit
more
in
the
way
of
confirmation.

Tina
laughed
and
assured
Will,
‘Yes,
I
truly
have
and,
as
it’s
naughty
of
me
to
have
stayed
away
so
long,
I’ve
brought
you
a
present
to
say
sorry.’

‘A
present,’
he
trilled,
and
throwing
his
arms
around
Tina’s
neck,
he
demanded,
‘Where
is
it?’

‘Oh,
William,’
it
was
all
I
could
do
not
to
hold
my
head
in
my
hands
in
despair
at
such
a
lack
of
manners.

‘What?’
he
stared
at
me
innocently,
‘I
was
only
asking.’

Tina
stood,
holding
my
son
in
her
arms.
‘He’s
right,
he
was,’
she
laughed
and
told
the
impatient
child,
‘It’s
in
Uncle
Calum’s
car,
but
he’ll
be
joining
us
very
soon
–
and
might
even
be
there
when
we
get
home.
I’m
sorry,
Will.
I
should
have
brought
it
with
me.’

‘That’s
all
right,’
he
assured
her
and,
apparently
mollified
by
the
thought
of
the
impending
present,
he
wrapped
his
little
arms
around
Tina’s
neck
and
planted
a
kiss
on
her
cheek.