Page 22 of The Inn on Bluebell Lane

Gwen managed a light laugh. “I know they don’t, Josh, they’re far too big, aren’t they? I meant the stop where they’ll get off the bus. I suppose it’s the one on the way back home.” She smiled, trying to imbue him with some confidence in her abilities. She did know where the bus stop was, after all. She’d lived in this village for forty years. “Right, shall we set off?”

She navigated the crowded schoolyard, Ava clinging to her hand, Josh sloping along behind, seeming morose. She tried to ask them both more about their days, but Josh didn’t seem to want to talk, and Ava was more intent on pulling on her hand rather hard as she skipped ahead. Gwen felt rather exhausted by it all already, along with thinking about Matthew’s condition and the state of the house… and that voicemail.

She hadn’t even been back yet to see how bad the damage to the house was, never mind John’s assurances that he’d “seen worse.” At best, there was a hole in the ceiling, and Ellie and Matthew’s room was now off limits. And at worst…

She didn’t even want to think about that.

The bus from the comprehensive was pulling up to the concrete shelter across from the village green as Gwen approached with Josh and Ava. The children spilled out from the doors in a flurry of coats, bags, and boisterous chatter, but, with a lurch of alarm, Gwen didn’t see either Jess or Ben. They had made it onto the bus, hadn’t they? What would she do if they hadn’t?

Then, finally, when most of the children had already started to wander off, Jess got off the bus, holding her backpack in one hand, her blazer tied around her waist, her skirt rolled up at the waistband several inches. She glowered as soon as she saw her grandmother, and Gwen faltered mid-step.

“Hello, Jess,” she managed as brightly as she could as she made herself move forward. “How was your first day?”

“What are you doing here?” Jess demanded in a sullen tone.

“Your mum had something important to do,” Gwen said yet again. She wished she’d thought of a better response than the one she’d first blurted, but no matter now. “I’ll explain when we get home.”

“Explain?” Jess looked suspicious, her eyebrows drawn together in a scowl.

Ben came loping off the bus, glancing at them all in almost comical surprise. His hair was a rumpled mess, he had mud all over his school shirt, and his arms were full of both blazer and bag, his tie stuffed into his pocket. Gwen couldn’t help but smile at him; he reminded her of Matthew at the same age.

“Hey, Granny,” he greeted her cheerfully, and she was gratified by his friendly response.

“You had a good day, Ben?” she asked with a smile. The tie fell from his pocket, and she stooped to pick it up. “You look as if you did.”

“Yeah, it was pretty good. Everyone here plays soccer. Not like at home.”

“Your dad used to be football mad,” Gwen returned. “Or soccer, as you said. I’m glad you had a good day.”

“Can we please go?” Jess demanded, and Gwen turned to her granddaughter with a small, apologetic smile. Ben might have had a good day, but Jess clearly hadn’t.

“Yes, sorry, sorry,” Gwen told her. “Let’s head back. We can get something to eat…” Not Welsh cakes, though, she reminded herself, or anything with raisins.

Jess stalked ahead, and with Ava still clinging to her hand and Josh lagging behind, Gwen struggled to keep up.

“Ow, stop it, Ben,” Josh yelped, and Gwen looked behind her to see Ben ruffling his little brother’s hair. Josh ducked away, irritated and already tearful, and Ben laughed. He seemed in high spirits, Gwen thought, but Josh did not appreciate the teasing. Before Gwen could even think to intervene, Josh had shoved Ben in the shoulder and Ben had shoved him back, hard enough to make Josh stumble and fall onto his knees. Josh started to cry, seeming furious with himself for doing so, while Ben called him a baby.

Meanwhile, Jess had disappeared around the corner, and Ava was hopping from foot to foot.

“Granny, I need to pee.”

Gwen’s head pounded as she gazed at them all in dismay. Why did everything feel so difficult? How did Ellie manage it?

“Come on, Ava,” she said finally. “We’re very nearly home. I’m sure a big girl like you can hold it for a bit.”

“I can’t.”

“Ben and Josh, stay away from each other, please, if you can’t manage to be civil,” Gwen instructed in as commanding a tone as she could manage. Ben followed Jess toward home as Gwen reached out a hand to Josh, who took it as he stood up. “There now, that’s not so bad.” She glanced at his slightly scraped knees. “I don’t think you’ll need a plaster.”

“I don’t like it when he messes up my hair,” Josh said on a sniff. “He knows that.”

“I’m sure he does,” Gwen agreed. “Brothers and sisters always know how to wind each other up, don’t they? Your dad and your Aunt Sarah were just the same.”

Josh cocked his head, a gratifying gleam of interest lighting his brown eyes. “They were?”

“They certainly were. I could tell you some stories.”

“What stories?”