The Lost Sister by Kathleen McGurl (i can read book club .TXT) 📕

Chapter 31

Harriet

Sally arrived early on the day of Harriet’s house-warming party, to help prepare food and arrange the furniture. There weren’t too many coming – Charlie would bring Jerome later, Sheila was coming, and Harriet had asked a few of her new neighbours. And of course, Matthew and Robert. ‘My guests of honour,’ she said to Sally, as they arranged bowls of olives and crisps on side tables.

‘I’m looking forward to meeting Uncle Matthew again. It’s been too long. And to think one day Jerome will get to meet his auntie – his life-saver.’ Sally took a deep breath. Harriet knew that her daughter found herself feeling overwhelmed every time she thought about what Davina had done.

It had been an emotional moment, when Harriet had gone round to see Sally and Charlie, and told them about Davina’s last phone call. Jerome had been in bed, and Harriet had sat in the living room with Sally and Charlie as she told them the news. They’d listened in astonished silence, and as she told them about Davina’s donation of bone marrow tears had begun to stream down Sally’s cheeks. She’d made no attempt to stop them.

‘And Davina said she’d like to meet us all. Start again, she said. I don’t know when, but she said soon. Her new man, James, has been a good influence it seems. It’s he who’s encouraged her to be more in touch with us.’

‘She’s still my sister,’ Sally whispered. ‘She stepped forward when we needed her. I’d like to see her, and be able to say thank you in person. I’d love to see her again.’

Charlie put his arm around Sally. ‘It’s quite a thing she’s done. We’re amazingly grateful. I want to thank her too.’

‘And say sorry for … that day,’ Sally said.

Harriet reached a hand out to her daughter. ‘She said she forgives us for that. She’s sorry too, for all the occasions she missed.’

Sally smiled. ‘We’ve grown up at last, haven’t we?’

Harriet had not heard again from Davina, so there was no news as to when she was planning to visit. But it was enough to have that ahead of them.

And now, there was the party to prepare for. It was to be an afternoon and early evening affair – Jerome wouldn’t be able to stay late and he’d said he most definitely wanted to be at Nanna’s new house party. Thankfully he was well enough, though Harriet had decided to keep the spare bedroom free and ready for him in case he needed to rest. Guests had been asked to arrive from three o’clock, and it was Sheila who arrived first, a bottle of champagne clutched in her hand.

‘Now then, before anything else, you and I are going to have a glass of this beauty together. You’ve taken an enormous step moving here, and I know how hard it has been for you to do this without John, and with everything else that’s been going on.’ She went through to the kitchen, found the champagne flutes and opened the bottle with a flourish, pouring three glasses. ‘Sally, you have one too. You deserve it, love. And we’ve a lot to celebrate, eh girls?’

‘We certainly have,’ Harriet said, and took a glass. She clinked it against Sheila’s and Sally’s, but before she could take a sip the doorbell rang and she was busy ushering in her new neighbours, making introductions, passing round drinks. Sheila took up position in the kitchen as chief barmaid, while Harriet stayed near the door as a stream of visitors arrived – neighbours from both sides and from across the street.

Charlie came with Jerome, who was holding an enormous bunch of flowers. ‘For you, Nanna. I wanted to buy you a Lego model of a house but Dad said you’d like these more.’ He shrugged, as if to show he’d never understand adults.

‘Oh my, they are absolutely beautiful,’ she exclaimed, kissing both Charlie and Jerome. ‘I’ll put them in a vase of water so they last a long time.’ She bent down to whisper to Jerome. ‘I’d have quite liked the Lego too, but how about you show me which model it was, and I buy it for you instead? We could build it together.’ His face lit up with a grin as he nodded frantically.

Another batch of neighbours arrived, bringing a couple of children of Jerome’s age. They were instantly awed by his bald head, and the three of them happily went off to play in the garden. Charlie watched with Harriet as Jerome ran after the others, giggling. ‘It’s amazing to see him like this. So much better. He’ll be tired later, and he won’t be able to keep it up, but look at him, playing, having fun, like any other child.’

‘It’s lovely to see,’ she agreed.

Robert arrived next, filling the small house with his larger-than-life presence, his good humour, and his guffawing laugh. He enveloped Harriet in a huge bear-hug, clearly delighted to meet her in the flesh. She felt as though she’d known him for years as they’d had several video calls over WhatsApp since first getting in touch with each other.

‘It’s so lovely to have you here!’ she told him. ‘I expect it’ll be difficult to have a proper chat today but as you’re staying in Southampton for a few days we’ll have plenty of chances. I can easily drive over.’

‘Hey, I’ve hired a car so I can drive over to you too! I want to explore the whole area – the New Forest, the beaches, everything. It’s real beautiful over here.’

‘I’d love to be your guide for some of it.’ Harriet took his arm and led him around, introducing him to Sally and Charlie, and then Sheila, who immediately wanted to know every detail of his Atlantic crossing on the QM2.

‘We just had a short cruise on that ship,’ she told him, ‘to Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, and Guernsey. I’d love to sail to New York. Just like the old days before trans-continental flights.’

‘It was