her time, and we were all used to her hanging around with us. She had done since she was small.
It was good to see her with some kids her own age. Apart from that girl Lara, I hardly ever saw her with one. You’d forget how young she was, half the time. Liza said she was like that, a bit solitary. I sometimes wondered whether she was talking about Hannah or herself.
Kathleen handed me a cup of tea, and I took it, hoping she couldn’t smell the beer on my breath. It didn’t seem right, somehow, at a child’s party. And I was very fond of that kid.
‘Your boat’s a bit prettier now.’ Kathleen grinned.
‘I suppose you know Liza helped me repaint her name.’
‘That temper of yours’ll get you into trouble.’ She tutted. ‘Old enough to know better, I’d say.’
‘Is this you telling me off, Kathleen?’
‘You’re not that drunk, then.’
‘One,’ I protested. ‘Just one. Okay, maybe two.’
She glanced at her watch. ‘And it’s just after midday. Well, good for you.’
You’ve got to hand it to the Shark Lady. She tells it as she sees it. Always has, always will. Not like Liza. She looks at you as if there’s a whole other conversation going on in her head, and when you ask her what she’s thinking (like a woman! That’s what she reduces you to!) she’ll shrug as if nothing’s going on at all.
‘Hi, Greg.’ Hannah ran past, beaming. I remember that feeling – when you’re a kid and it’s your birthday and for one day everyone makes you feel like the most special person in the world. She paused just long enough to clock the little parcel under my arm. She’s an angel, that girl, but she’s not stupid.
‘Oh, this is for your aunt Kathleen,’ I said.
She stopped right in front of me, mischief in her eyes. ‘How come it’s got kids’ wrapping paper?’ she said.
‘It has?’
‘It’s for me,’ she ventured.
‘Are you saying your aunt Kathleen’s too old for this paper?’ I put on my best innocent face.
It had never worked with Suzanne either. She stared at it, trying to work out what it might be. She’s not the kind of kid to snatch. She’s cautious – thinks before she acts. I couldn’t bear making her wait any longer, so I handed it over. I have to admit, I was quite excited myself.
She ripped it open, flanked by her friends. They were all growing up, I noticed, losing the skinny little legs and the chubby cheeks. In a couple you could already see the women they would become. I had to fight my sadness at the thought that some would end up like Suzanne. Dissatisfied, nagging . . . faithless.
‘It’s a key,’ she said, puzzled, as she held it aloft. ‘I don’t get it.’
‘A key?’ I said, making myself look confused. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Greg . . .’
‘You sure you don’t recognise it?’
She shook her head.
‘It’s the key to my lock-up.’
She frowned, still not getting it.
‘The one by the jetty. Darn – I must have left your present in there. You and your mates might want to scoot down and check.’
They were gone before I could say another word, feet kicking up in the sand, all squeals and sneakers. Kathleen gazed at me quizzically, but I said nothing. Sometimes you just want to savour the moment and, these days, I get precious few to savour.
Within minutes they were sprinting back up the path. ‘Is it the boat? Is it the little boat?’ Her cheeks were flushed, her hair mussed round her face. I lost my breath. She was so much like her mother.
‘Did you check the name?’ I said.
‘ Hannah’s Glory ,’ she told her aunt Kathleen breathlessly. ‘It’s a blue dinghy and it’s called Hannah’s Glory . Is it really for me?’
‘Sure is, Princess,’ I said. That smile nixed my crappy morning. She threw her little arms round me, and I hugged her right back, unable to stop myself beaming.
‘Can we take it out? Can I take it out, Auntie K?’
‘Not right now, sweetheart. You’ve got your cake to cut. But I’m sure you
It was good to see her with some kids her own age. Apart from that girl Lara, I hardly ever saw her with one. You’d forget how young she was, half the time. Liza said she was like that, a bit solitary. I sometimes wondered whether she was talking about Hannah or herself.
Kathleen handed me a cup of tea, and I took it, hoping she couldn’t smell the beer on my breath. It didn’t seem right, somehow, at a child’s party. And I was very fond of that kid.
‘Your boat’s a bit prettier now.’ Kathleen grinned.
‘I suppose you know Liza helped me repaint her name.’
‘That temper of yours’ll get you into trouble.’ She tutted. ‘Old enough to know better, I’d say.’
‘Is this you telling me off, Kathleen?’
‘You’re not that drunk, then.’
‘One,’ I protested. ‘Just one. Okay, maybe two.’
She glanced at her watch. ‘And it’s just after midday. Well, good for you.’
You’ve got to hand it to the Shark Lady. She tells it as she sees it. Always has, always will. Not like Liza. She looks at you as if there’s a whole other conversation going on in her head, and when you ask her what she’s thinking (like a woman! That’s what she reduces you to!) she’ll shrug as if nothing’s going on at all.
‘Hi, Greg.’ Hannah ran past, beaming. I remember that feeling – when you’re a kid and it’s your birthday and for one day everyone makes you feel like the most special person in the world. She paused just long enough to clock the little parcel under my arm. She’s an angel, that girl, but she’s not stupid.
‘Oh, this is for your aunt Kathleen,’ I said.
She stopped right in front of me, mischief in her eyes. ‘How come it’s got kids’ wrapping paper?’ she said.
‘It has?’
‘It’s for me,’ she ventured.
‘Are you saying your aunt Kathleen’s too old for this paper?’ I put on my best innocent face.
It had never worked with Suzanne either. She stared at it, trying to work out what it might be. She’s not the kind of kid to snatch. She’s cautious – thinks before she acts. I couldn’t bear making her wait any longer, so I handed it over. I have to admit, I was quite excited myself.
She ripped it open, flanked by her friends. They were all growing up, I noticed, losing the skinny little legs and the chubby cheeks. In a couple you could already see the women they would become. I had to fight my sadness at the thought that some would end up like Suzanne. Dissatisfied, nagging . . . faithless.
‘It’s a key,’ she said, puzzled, as she held it aloft. ‘I don’t get it.’
‘A key?’ I said, making myself look confused. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Greg . . .’
‘You sure you don’t recognise it?’
She shook her head.
‘It’s the key to my lock-up.’
She frowned, still not getting it.
‘The one by the jetty. Darn – I must have left your present in there. You and your mates might want to scoot down and check.’
They were gone before I could say another word, feet kicking up in the sand, all squeals and sneakers. Kathleen gazed at me quizzically, but I said nothing. Sometimes you just want to savour the moment and, these days, I get precious few to savour.
Within minutes they were sprinting back up the path. ‘Is it the boat? Is it the little boat?’ Her cheeks were flushed, her hair mussed round her face. I lost my breath. She was so much like her mother.
‘Did you check the name?’ I said.
‘ Hannah’s Glory ,’ she told her aunt Kathleen breathlessly. ‘It’s a blue dinghy and it’s called Hannah’s Glory . Is it really for me?’
‘Sure is, Princess,’ I said. That smile nixed my crappy morning. She threw her little arms round me, and I hugged her right back, unable to stop myself beaming.
‘Can we take it out? Can I take it out, Auntie K?’
‘Not right now, sweetheart. You’ve got your cake to cut. But I’m sure you
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