Saturdays at Noon by Marks Rachel

Author:Marks, Rachel [Marks, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781405940085
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2020-02-05T16:00:00+00:00

Emily

‘Come on, Alfie, it’s this way.’

I drag Alfie down the corridor until we get to Nan’s door. I don’t want her to have to get up, so I let myself in. Alfie shuffles along beside me, hiding behind my leg. Nan’s watching the Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em box set I bought her last Christmas and laughing like a drain.

When she hears the door click, she looks up. ‘Oh, Em, you really didn’t need to come. I’m fine. They make such a fuss here sometimes. It was only a little fall.’

‘Don’t be silly. It’s fine. Alfie here wanted to come and meet you anyway, didn’t you, buddy?’ I put my arm around his back and manoeuvre him out from behind me. ‘Come on, don’t be shy.’

On seeing Alfie, Nan’s face breaks into a wide smile. ‘Ah, so you’re Alfie! I’ve heard all about you. Would you like some chocolate?’

Alfie nods. It’s a sure-fire way to win him over.

Nan pats her chair. ‘Well, come and sit down and Emily will get you some chocolate buttons. They’re in the cupboard by the fridge, Em.’

Alfie walks towards Nan and, rather than choosing the sofa opposite, sits on her chair next to her.

Nan shuffles along to give him space and pulls him further back from the edge. ‘There you go, perfect. Shall we find you something to watch? What do you like to watch, young man?’

It’s like Alfie’s perfect afternoon. Chocolate and unlimited TV. Alfie takes the remote from Nan and starts typing in ‘Peter Rabbit’.

‘Wow. You’re better with this than me. Peter Rabbit? Do you like that? I used to read that to my little boy. I had a little boy like you once, you know.’

I hate the thought of my dad as a child, just starting out, so full of potential. It makes me so mad that he just threw it all away.

‘I’m six.’

‘Six? Well, you’re a big boy then, aren’t you?’

Alfie smiles proudly, then the Peter Rabbit theme tune starts to play and he jigs in his seat and sings along. Nan giggles and then turns to me. ‘Don’t just stand there gawping at us, Em. Get those chocolate buttons, will you?’

‘Oh, yeah. Sorry.’

Alfie shakes his head. ‘Silly Emily.’ And Nan laughs.

I grab the chocolate buttons from the cupboard, bring them through and hand them to Alfie. ‘What do you say, Alfie?’

He looks up at Nan. ‘Thank you.’

‘You’re very welcome.’ Nan taps Alfie’s hand.

Alfie starts counting the buttons out into three piles on the arm of the chair. Once he’s finished, he holds a handful out to Nan and one out to me. ‘Here you go.’

Nan looks at him like he’s just offered her a palmful of gold. ‘Oh, thank you, Alfie. No, they’re for you.’

‘Emily?’ I can tell by his face he hopes I’ll give the same response.

‘You keep them, buddy.’

‘What a lovely boy you are,’ Nan says.

‘No, he’s not. He’s a pain in the bum really, aren’t you, Alfie?’ I squeeze his shoulder.

‘No, I’m not. I’m awesome.’ He says ‘awesome’ in an American accent and tries to wink while making a clicking sound with his tongue.

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