A Perfect Cornish Summer, page 23
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chloe took more than a few calming breaths as Drew drove away from the flat and out of Bristol. Soon after they were heading far away from the suburbs and onto the M5. After rehearsing what she was going to say to Fraser, Chloe called him, but his mobile went straight to answerphone. She tried Hannah again, got her answerphone, so followed it up with a text and a WhatsApp, which was delivered but not marked as being read. She was past caring about harassing Hannah. This was an emergency.
She leaned back against the headrest and stared out at the flat Somerset fields. The green grass flew by but all she could think of was a variety of scenarios involving Hannah and Ruby, none of them particularly pleasant. She could be back with Jordan or in a hotel or a grim B&B. Chloe had no idea if Hannah had any money to spend on a safe, clean place to stay with Ruby. Why had she left at all if Jordan had paid the rent or she had the means?
Fraser called as they’d crossed the border from Devon north of Launceston. Predictably he was worried and it all came out in an angry rant against Jordan.
‘What’s he done to her? I’ll kill him if he’s done anything. God, why has this happened while I’m in bloody Austria!’
‘Calm down,’ Chloe pleaded. ‘You shouting won’t get us anywhere and it isn’t helping.’
‘Are you driving?’ he asked out of the blue.
‘No, I’m with a friend.’
‘Who?’
‘Does it matter?’ Chloe snapped back, annoyed – she wanted to focus on Hannah.
‘I suppose not … I suppose everyone knows our private business now.’
‘Oh, Fraser, don’t be ridiculous. Everyone back in Surrey knows about Hannah and Jordan – including bloody Antonia. If I want to talk to my friends about my family, I will do.’
Fraser didn’t reply immediately. ‘I’m sorry, I’m worried. I want to know where my daughter and granddaughter are. I can phone Jordan’s father and see if he knows.’
‘If you think it will help but for God’s sake, keep calm.’
‘Yeah.’ The phone clicked off.
Chloe sank back against the headrest. ‘Arghh.’
Drew let her simmer down for a few seconds. ‘Try not to worry,’ he said. ‘Hannah sounds like someone who can take care of herself. If she’s anything like her mother, she’ll be fine. She probably just needs a bit of time to work out how to approach you before she contacts you or her dad.’
‘I hope so … but where on earth can she have gone?’
‘Grandparents?’ he asked.
‘My mum and dad live in Wales. I doubt she’s gone there, but I’ll call them … though it will only make them worry too and my dad’s health isn’t great. Fraser’s parents are dead, unfortunately.’
She toyed with her phone, uncertain whether to alarm her elderly parents. ‘I think I’ll give it more time. Mum would have let me know anyway if Hannah had turned up …’ That was one avenue closed, Chloe decided. ‘There are a couple of her friends from uni and school who I could Facebook message. I don’t want to resort to it, but I’m getting desperate.’
Chloe was still dallying with the idea while hoping and praying for a call from Hannah herself, when they were a few miles from home. She was ever aware that tomorrow was the day before the festival. Hannah and Ruby were her number one priority, and she’d hoped that she would at least know they were OK, so she could help out with the preparations. Poor Sam having to manage without her deputy at such a crucial moment.
Porthmellow appeared on the road signs when her phone went again and Sam’s name flashed up on the screen.
‘Hi Chloe.’
‘Sam. Is everything OK?’
‘Fine, but I have some news for you about Hannah.’
‘What?’ Chloe cried out, causing Drew to glance at her in alarm.
‘Don’t worry. She’s absolutely fine.’
‘How do you know? Where is she?’
‘Here in Porthmellow,’ Sam said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. ‘I just met her and Ruby in the Harbour Café. She’s been trying to call you.’
A few minutes later, Chloe phoned the Harbour Café number and the owner answered and passed her on to Hannah.
‘Hannah?’
‘Mum? I’ve been trying to get you. I had no signal and then my battery ran out so I came to this café. You know that place that used to have the chocolate eclairs that you and Dad used to like, but it looks a lot different.’ Hannah lowered her voice. ‘It’s gone all trendy with artisan coffee and vegan brownies …’ She giggled nervously. ‘Who’d have thought Porthmellow would turn hipster-ish?’
Chloe didn’t know whether to laugh or to weep with relief. This was the Hannah she used to know. The one she’d known until a couple of years previously when she’d met Jordan.
‘I’ve been to Bristol to the flat,’ Chloe said.
‘I know. Sam told me … and I’ve been here. We’ve been going in opposite directions. I should have called, but I didn’t know what to say after everything that’s gone on between us. In the end I thought it would just be better to see you face to face so I drove down here and found the Crow’s Nest, but you weren’t in and your neighbour wasn’t sure when you’d be back … I was petrified you’d gone on holiday or something then I realised you wouldn’t because you’ve been organising this festival.’
She listened, astonished that Hannah had known about the Crow’s Nest and the festival. Her emails and messages hadn’t fallen on deaf ears. Hannah had been interested …
‘But why are you in the café?’
‘Ruby needed feeding and changing and I asked if I could charge my phone. Then your friend Sam walked in and I heard them mention your name … and I said who I was. They were so nice. Sam offered me her phone, but the woman who owns the café let me use the landline. That was when Sam mentioned you’d gone to Bristol to find me. She seems really nice.’
‘She is.’ Chloe thanked her lucky stars for her friends and that she’d finally told them the truth about her situation. ‘Hannah, I’m almost in Porthmellow now. Will you be OK to wait at the café? It closes at five.’
‘Not tonight. They’re open until nine because they’re having a music event, but they said I can stay until that starts at seven. The harbour is heaving with workmen setting everything up for the food festival. Mum, it’s huge. I can’t believe you’re involved.’
‘Yes. I’m involved.’ Or should be, thought Chloe, reminding herself to text Sam after she’d spoken to Hannah. ‘Is Ruby OK? Do you have everything you need for her?’ she asked.
‘My car’s rammed with stuff but your marshals wouldn’t let me onto the harbour car park so I’m ages away on some field. I’ve got everything I need for Ruby for the night but I had to leave loads of stuff with a friend in Bristol.’ There was a pause. ‘Mum, I couldn’t stand it any longer with him and I threw him out. I’m so sorry. I know I can’t expect to just come running home after what’s happened but I didn’t know who else to turn to and anyway …’ There was a telltale break in her daughter’s voice. ‘I wanted to see you.’
Chloe’s heart almost stopped. She was so relieved to hear her daughter say those words, yet angry and upset at the hurt she’d gone through. ‘I want to see you too. I said I’d always be here for you and Ruby and I meant it. I’ll be there in forty minutes or so.’ She heard a faint wail. ‘Is that Ruby?’ she asked, her skin tingling with excitement at hearing her.
‘Yes. She’s hungry and tired. It’s been a long day. I need to take her out of the buggy. Mum, I have to go and change her. I’ll stay here. I’ll see you soon.’ Hannah’s voice wobbled. ‘I can’t wait.’
The phone clicked off. And that was it. Hannah speaking almost as if nothing had happened. After all the days, weeks and months – years – of worrying and longing and waiting, in less than an hour, Chloe would see her daughter and meet her baby granddaughter.
The car stopped at some traffic lights. Drew glanced at her. ‘That was Hannah in Porthmellow? Is she OK?’
‘I don’t know … tired … stressed but very Hannah. She remembered that we used to go in the Harbour Café for chocolate eclairs. She said it had gone hipster-ish. You’d almost think the past two years had never happened.’
‘Maybe for now she wants to pretend they haven’t. It’ll all come out soon enough, I expect.’
‘Yes … plus there’s Jordan to deal with. I don’t know whether he’ll try to get back with her. I need to let Fraser know. He’s bound to want to come to see her. Oh God, I hope he doesn’t turn up like a bull at a gate. I’m glad I can spend some time with Hannah first, before he weighs in. He does love her, but he’s never been one for subtlety.’
Drew touched her hand. ‘I’m sure Hannah knows that. We’ll be there soon and you can calm the situation down and prepare her.’
‘Yes. You’re right.’ She was grateful for his sense of perspective.
‘And hold little Ruby, of course,’ he added, before putting the car into gear and pulling away.
Chloe had to blink hard to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. ‘I can’t believe it. I almost can’t handle being this happy after all the tension and worry, even if it’s a result of Hannah splitting up with Jordan. I’m happy, but I’m hurt and sad for Hannah. None of it seems right or fair.’
‘Who said life is fair? You know it’s not, so bloody well make the most of the good bits. I’m sure it won’t be plain sailing over the next few months, but for today, I’d take what’s been handed to you.’
Chloe texted Sam and thanked her for her call. Although every mile felt like ten, eventually they were driving down the hairpin bend into Porthmellow and the harbour came into view. The tide was in and water glinted in the early evening sun with tiny wavelets rippling the surface. Out to sea, white horses romped over the ocean, and the swell was bigger than she’d expected. The quaysides were a hive of activity with dozens of people fixing up generators and services.
The quayside was already closed to non-festival traffic and Drew had to stop at a barrier, but he was eventually waved through by a woman in a hi-vis vest as soon as she recognised his car.
He stopped on the harbour car park, which was full of vans and trucks, and turned to Chloe, a gentle smile on his face. ‘Will you be OK?’ he asked.
‘Yes.’ She held out her hand and smiled ruefully. ‘I’m shaking. Even though I’m going to meet my own daughter.’
‘That’s understandable.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘I’m going back home now, and then down the harbour to make sure things are going OK, but you know where I am if you need me. You only have to call.’
‘Thanks, Drew. You’ve done so much already.’
‘I’m glad it’s worked out, even in a way you didn’t expect.’
She leaned over and kissed him. She meant to kiss his cheek but somehow, their mouths met. It was a light and gentle kiss, somewhere between friends and lovers.
‘That wasn’t meant to happen,’ she said.
‘The best things never are. Go, now. If you want me, I’m here for you.’
She collected her bags and the presents and walked towards the café. Hammering and the bursts of drilling rang out from all sides as workers put the finishing touches to the Chef’s Theatre marquee and larger stalls. The smaller gazebo type stalls and mobile vans wouldn’t move in until very early on Saturday morning. Chloe thought that was a good thing, judging by the way the wind was gusting. She assumed the construction teams knew what they were doing. There were shouts and laughter as tradesmen worked, music blaring out from their radios.
It was strange and unfamiliar and added to her sense of disorientation. She tried not to hurry, or break into a run, even though suddenly, it seemed incredibly urgent to get to the café.
What if Hannah had changed her mind? What if they weren’t there after all?
She stopped. A group of workmen had moved away and revealed Hannah standing outside the café with the buggy. She was holding Ruby’s arms as Ruby made an attempt to toddle towards a seagull.
Ruby tottered on the cobbles, yelling loudly and straining to get to the gull.
‘No. You can’t stroke it. They’re not furry!’
Ruby’s wails as she tried to reach the gull cut through the building work and thumping radios. Ruby had on a pair of little red dungarees. Chloe recognised them. They were once Hannah’s. Hannah had kept them, then …
Chloe held her hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh.
‘Mum!’
Hannah had spotted her and was waving her over. Chloe hurried forward and Hannah burst into tears. Chloe joined her, ignoring the workmen who must have been staring at them.
‘Ruby kept trying to get down off my lap and move between the tables. She’s almost ready to take a few steps on her own so I brought her outside … Oh God, I’m so sorry about everything, Mum.’
‘Me too,’ said Chloe, fighting back a sob.
Hannah picked up Ruby who squirmed in her arms. ‘There’s so much to say. So much I want to tell you.’
‘We both have, but not now. It can wait, my love.’
‘I want to hug you but I can’t …’ Tears ran down Hannah’s face. ‘Shit. I must be all snotty.’
Chloe was laughing and crying at the same time. ‘Here you are.’ She pulled a tissue from a packet in her bag.
‘Th-thanks. Can you hold Ruby, please, while I sort myself out?’
‘Try stopping me.’
Hannah passed the wriggling Ruby to Chloe who almost burst with joy and relief. Ruby stared at her, taken aback by being passed to someone new. She reached out and tugged Chloe’s hair.
‘Ow. She’s not happy, being bundled off to a strange woman.’
Hannah’s tearful face turned to a smile. ‘She’ll get used to it.’
‘You’re staying for a while, then?’ Chloe asked, holding Ruby’s chubby fingers in her hand. Ruby was transfixed by her, brown eyes wide and hands clutching at Chloe’s hair.
‘Yes,’ said Hannah. ‘If you’ll have us.’
Chloe wondered if it was possible to faint from happiness. Nothing could ever match the joy of having her family back with her. Not all the riches on earth. ‘Oh, I think I might be able to find room for you.’ She kissed Hannah’s cheek and Ruby’s forehead. ‘Come on, you must be knackered. I know I am. Let’s go home.’
Chapter Twenty-Nine
That evening, the Crow’s Nest rang with unfamiliar sounds. Squeals of laughter pierced the normal quiet as Ruby splashed in the bath. Chloe had resisted the urge to go in and see if Hannah needed help. Of course Hannah didn’t need help: she’d managed for a year now.
Once Ruby had been bathed and put to bed in the cot next to the bed in the spare room, Hannah and Chloe shared a takeout pizza and a bottle of wine. They’d spent the evening talking until they were hoarse, and there had been more than a few tears.
Once he’d heard Hannah was with her, Fraser had said he’d come straight down to Cornwall as soon as he landed back in the UK. He was relieved and delighted, naturally, but she was secretly glad he was stuck in Austria until Saturday. She needed this time alone with Hannah and Ruby. If that was selfish, she didn’t really care. Hannah needed some space herself, and dealing with one parent after so much time apart was probably more than enough.
After dinner, they finished the wine in the sitting room.
‘Did Jordan stop you from visiting us?’ Chloe asked, feeling a little more confident about asking difficult questions. She had to get to know her daughter all over again and vice versa.
‘Not physically … but he made it clear he’d rather I didn’t come home. At first I thought he was different from the other guys I’d met at uni. Cheeky, anarchic, funny … and even when I found out that he was loaded, I believed him when he said he wasn’t interested in the money or any of the “Surrey mafia” as he called them.’ Hannah screwed up her nose, as she often did when she felt awkward or embarrassed. ‘Sorry.’
‘You know what, Hannah? When I first married your father and moved to Surrey, that’s how I felt myself. It’s not easy being different. Welsh, I mean …’
Hannah giggled. Chloe hadn’t heard her do that in a very long time.
‘Anyway, it took a lot of fitting in,’ Chloe continued. ‘Not that I ever really did. I felt far more at home in London, and curiously, more at home here. I might be different, with my heritage and city ways, but Porthmellow is a quirky place that draws in an eclectic bunch from all over. It’s not perfect, but by and large, people are accepting of difference in others. Or they’ll come right out and say what they think, rather than smiling on the surface while they’re planning how to ignore you.’
Hannah groaned. ‘I know it was hard for you. I hadn’t realised how hard.’
‘I could say the same about you and Jordan.’
‘Yeah … I can’t believe how controlling he became. He wanted me to cut off ties with my old friends and family, and somehow I got sucked in to that, especially when Ruby came along. She demanded most of my time and I hadn’t realised how much of it I was spending in the flat, looking after her – while he was off drinking in trendy bars or making trips back home, saying he wanted to sort out his trust fund so he could be “properly independent”. I was so stupid …’ She firmed up her voice. ‘But I don’t want to play a victim, Mum. I could have made the decision to come and see you and to leave him.’
‘But you did leave him.’
‘I was going to, I swear, but it took me a long while to screw up the courage. I planned to get away for weeks before I actually did but I didn’t know how to do it. I felt I’d gone so far down a road away from you and Dad that I didn’t know how to get back. I’ve hurt you so much.’
‘We’ve all done things we shouldn’t. Your father and I didn’t handle the divorce well and we’re both sorry for spying on you. That was wrong.’
‘I was angry that you didn’t trust me to make my own choices. Looks like you were right,’ she said, closing her eyes.
