Even though she made herself think about it, she knew she couldn’t do that. But nor could she do something that would make her son so unhappy.
Before she could change her mind she rang William.
‘I can’t do this,’ she said, the moment he answered.
There was a tiny pause. ‘Can you hold that thought?’ he said. ‘I’m coming to see you.’
‘Could you do that?’ Suddenly Gilly yearned for the comfort of his arms around her.
‘Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be with you in half an hour.’
Gilly was thinking about lunch when William arrived. She couldn’t decide between soup or salad or a sandwich and had half made all three, unable to focus because she was so preoccupied with Martin and his feelings about her living with William. She’d always put her children first and felt that was right. But Martin wasn’t a child any more; was she crazy to put his needs above her own?
She got out her phone, tempted to ring Helena and ask her what she thought but realised it wasn’t fair on her. Helena and Martin didn’t always get on that well and she couldn’t risk making that worse. Then her phone buzzed in her hand. It was a text from William. Nearly there.
Delighted, she put down her phone and ran upstairs to check her make-up and to decide if she was wearing the right thing. She ran down again when she heard his car, and was in his arms before he had a chance to get to the door. She felt her tension and anxiety begin to melt away as he held her and she knew she was in the best place in the whole world.
She let him go reluctantly. ‘Can I make you lunch?’
‘Have you reached a point of no return with lunch? I’d like to take you out.’ He smiled a little questioningly. ‘I’d like to take you gliding.’
‘Oh, I’d love to go!’ she said. ‘And no. I can just fling everything back into the fridge. Although I’d better find a jumper.’
‘You go and find a jumper and I’ll fling everything back in the fridge.’
As she went back up the stairs she felt elated, knowing for certain that she wanted him in her life and her home forever. He was already well established in her heart.
William did a good job magicking away Gilly’s abortive attempts at lunch. Sebastian had never learned where anything went in all the years they were married. She knew it would be very different with William.
‘You look lovely!’ said William and even Gilly, who never realised when she was being complimented, couldn’t mistake the light of love and desire in his eyes. ‘Phone!’ He handed it to her. ‘Now let’s go gliding before we get distracted.’
Gilly was still nervous about gliding but once they were up in the clouds she really did feel she’d left her problems and concerns on the ground. It was another beautiful day, and William had been able to borrow a two-seater glider at short notice. Apparently everyone needed accountants and William did the accounts for most of the gliding club. A couple of phone calls and he had acquired one for the afternoon. He’d told her all this on the way to the club, not letting her tell him he couldn’t move in. They both knew the situation but William felt Gilly could make the decision better with a clear head. ‘Gliding is the perfect head-clearer,’ he said.
And so it proved. By the time Gilly had come back down to earth she had decided that William should move in. But there was still a place in her heart that hurt for her son.
‘I wonder if Martin will come to our party,’ said Gilly while William was driving her home.
‘We’ll ask him – and his wife and daughter, of course – and just see.’
William’s calm manner added to the calm she had gathered while swooping over the landscape.
‘I really hope they do decide to come,’ she said, sounding positive, feeling less so. ‘But we’ll still have fun if they don’t.’
Helena was having tea with Jago the following day when she saw an unknown number calling her. She nearly didn’t answer it but then decided to risk it.
‘Helena? William – your mother’s friend.’
‘Of course!’ said Helena, relieved he wasn’t likely to sell her anything.
‘I wonder if I could ask your help. Could we meet for a drink this evening? I could meet you anywhere that suits you.’
After they had arranged where to meet, she turned to Jago. ‘That was William. He says he wants my help.’
‘Ah,’ said Jago. ‘I wonder if I know what it is.’
‘Then tell me! I can’t think.’
‘I imagine it’s to do with your brother being unhappy about your mother wanting to live with William in your old home.’
Now Helena understood. ‘Ah. He wants me to try to talk him round.’
‘I expect so. William won’t want Gilly being unhappy about Martin. In theory, he’s a grown-up and should just suck it up. But your mum is very maternal. She won’t want to do anything that makes him unhappy.’
‘You’re absolutely right. But this is her time. She should have a chance of happiness!’
Jago shrugged. ‘She’s very caring.’
‘Too caring,’ said Helena, determined to insist that William did move in if that was what her mother wanted.
Sitting in a wine bar a few hours later, Helena really understood why her mother loved William. He was kind, a good listener but not too full on. He was a slow burn rather than instant conflagration and he obviously cared about Gilly very much.
‘I know that however much she says she’ll put up with Martin being unhappy, she will be miserable,’ William said. ‘However unreasonable Martin is being she’s still affected by it. I’d love to start organising this party with her knowing she has the blessing of both her children.’
‘She does hate it if we fall out and I know she’ll be miserable if she thinks Martin is unhappy about anything she does.’
‘Exactly.’
‘And you want me to try to talk Martin round?’
He had a very endearing smile. ‘Do you think you can?’
Helena shrugged. ‘I’ll certainly try. I think you’re absolutely right about Mum. This should be a very happy time for her. I know she likes you, William. She should be allowed to enjoy that and stop being a mum all the time.’
‘Thank you for being so understanding. You see far more of Gilly than Martin does. Don’t you mind about it?’
Helena shook her head. ‘I was with Mum during the divorce. And before that, I saw how vile my dad could be to her. Martin never saw it. I think maybe Dad behaved a bit better when he was around. Whatever, Martin and Dad are quite close. I don’t really have much to do with my dad.’
‘Are you sad about that?’
‘I’m sad my dad wasn’t different but I seem to manage OK without one.’
‘I won’t ever be a father to you,’ said William. ‘But if you ever need help with anything – anything you need advice about – I’d be more than happy to give it a go.’
‘That’s very kind.’
‘Only please don’t ask me anything that involves being fatherly. But I’m good on tax, not too bad on cars, and can find my way round a computer if I have to.’