like about the summer.”
“Well,
that sounds easy enough. Shall we do it now?”
“What
now!” said Hollie in disgust. “But the holidays have ages to go yet.”
“If
you get it done now, then you’ll have the rest of the time to do fun things,”
Anna insisted, holding out her hand. Giving a sigh, Hollie collected her books
and took her hand. Anna laughed and turned to Jason for support. “I’m sure
your daddy didn’t leave his homework until the last minute.”
“No,
I didn’t. But there again, I was a boarder and the school had strict rules,”
he smiled, rising to his feet.
“Martyn
tended to leave his homework until Sunday afternoon,” she said, thinking back.
“But Chris was very diligent and got his out of the way on Friday night.”
“What
are they studying at university?”
Anna
bristled with pride. “Chris is studying electronic engineering at Loughborough
and Martyn economics at Warwick.” She gave a giggle. “I think my elder son
has ambitions to become Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
“I’d
like to meet your boys one day. They sound like fine young men. Your husband
must have been very proud of them.”
“Yes,
he is…was,” said Anna, her cheeks flushing slightly as she saw Jason frowning.
Hollie
pulled on Anna’s hand. “Can we go and do this silly homework now?”
The following
week was a whirl of activity as they all adjusted to their new routine and it was
during that first week and afterwards that Anna would often accompany Jason and
Hollie to the hospital to visit Kiera. It was at one of these visits that she
met Fergus and Gaynor Macintosh, Kiera’s parents. They were constantly at the
hospital and although in their sixties were determined to be with their
daughter and see her through her illness. When Jason and Hollie arrived, they
would take the opportunity to catch up on some chores and allow Hollie to have
some time with her mother. Anna didn’t want to intrude and would often find a
seat and watch Jason and Hollie slowly walk round the hospital garden helping
Kiera along, their arms round her to steady her faltering footsteps.
It
was obvious her illness had rapidly taken a dramatic hold on her. The
medication was alleviating the pain but the progression of the tumour was
profound. Jason, who was still her husband and therefore legally her next of
kin, had had long discussions with her consultant. His prognosis was bleak and
he had to admit that all they could do was make the patient comfortable as
Kiera might have only a matter of weeks.
It was the
middle of August the day Anna received two contrasting phone calls. Jason had
left for a meeting in Birmingham early that morning and hoped to return later
that night.
The
first call came about lunchtime and was from Chris.
“We
got exactly the same results, Mum, even though we did different exams. Two As
and a B.” His voice at the end of the phone was excited and filled with
delight.
“That’s
wonderful, sweetheart. So, your places are confirmed?”
“Yes,
everything’s sorted. Grandma said she’ll help us pack all the stuff we’ll need
to take with us for living in halls.” He paused for a moment. “But we have
something to tell you and we don’t want you to be upset.”
“Why
should I be upset?” she laughed.
“Dad
was dead pleased, of course and he’s given us some money, so we’re off to Ibiza
for two weeks. We got a great last minute deal.”
“That’s
fantastic. You enjoy yourselves.”
“The
trouble is you wanted to celebrate our results, but we’re going on Sunday so
there’ll not be time and also we’ll be gone for your birthday.”
“Don’t
worry about that. I think I’d rather forget my birthday.” She grimaced.
“Thirty-eight is not exactly a birthday to celebrate.”
Chris
chuckled at the end of the line. “Can’t imagine being that old.”
“Cheeky
sod!”
Anna
smiled to
“Well,
that sounds easy enough. Shall we do it now?”
“What
now!” said Hollie in disgust. “But the holidays have ages to go yet.”
“If
you get it done now, then you’ll have the rest of the time to do fun things,”
Anna insisted, holding out her hand. Giving a sigh, Hollie collected her books
and took her hand. Anna laughed and turned to Jason for support. “I’m sure
your daddy didn’t leave his homework until the last minute.”
“No,
I didn’t. But there again, I was a boarder and the school had strict rules,”
he smiled, rising to his feet.
“Martyn
tended to leave his homework until Sunday afternoon,” she said, thinking back.
“But Chris was very diligent and got his out of the way on Friday night.”
“What
are they studying at university?”
Anna
bristled with pride. “Chris is studying electronic engineering at Loughborough
and Martyn economics at Warwick.” She gave a giggle. “I think my elder son
has ambitions to become Chancellor of the Exchequer.”
“I’d
like to meet your boys one day. They sound like fine young men. Your husband
must have been very proud of them.”
“Yes,
he is…was,” said Anna, her cheeks flushing slightly as she saw Jason frowning.
Hollie
pulled on Anna’s hand. “Can we go and do this silly homework now?”
The following
week was a whirl of activity as they all adjusted to their new routine and it was
during that first week and afterwards that Anna would often accompany Jason and
Hollie to the hospital to visit Kiera. It was at one of these visits that she
met Fergus and Gaynor Macintosh, Kiera’s parents. They were constantly at the
hospital and although in their sixties were determined to be with their
daughter and see her through her illness. When Jason and Hollie arrived, they
would take the opportunity to catch up on some chores and allow Hollie to have
some time with her mother. Anna didn’t want to intrude and would often find a
seat and watch Jason and Hollie slowly walk round the hospital garden helping
Kiera along, their arms round her to steady her faltering footsteps.
It
was obvious her illness had rapidly taken a dramatic hold on her. The
medication was alleviating the pain but the progression of the tumour was
profound. Jason, who was still her husband and therefore legally her next of
kin, had had long discussions with her consultant. His prognosis was bleak and
he had to admit that all they could do was make the patient comfortable as
Kiera might have only a matter of weeks.
It was the
middle of August the day Anna received two contrasting phone calls. Jason had
left for a meeting in Birmingham early that morning and hoped to return later
that night.
The
first call came about lunchtime and was from Chris.
“We
got exactly the same results, Mum, even though we did different exams. Two As
and a B.” His voice at the end of the phone was excited and filled with
delight.
“That’s
wonderful, sweetheart. So, your places are confirmed?”
“Yes,
everything’s sorted. Grandma said she’ll help us pack all the stuff we’ll need
to take with us for living in halls.” He paused for a moment. “But we have
something to tell you and we don’t want you to be upset.”
“Why
should I be upset?” she laughed.
“Dad
was dead pleased, of course and he’s given us some money, so we’re off to Ibiza
for two weeks. We got a great last minute deal.”
“That’s
fantastic. You enjoy yourselves.”
“The
trouble is you wanted to celebrate our results, but we’re going on Sunday so
there’ll not be time and also we’ll be gone for your birthday.”
“Don’t
worry about that. I think I’d rather forget my birthday.” She grimaced.
“Thirty-eight is not exactly a birthday to celebrate.”
Chris
chuckled at the end of the line. “Can’t imagine being that old.”
“Cheeky
sod!”
Anna
smiled to
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