Seven Days in Summer by Marcia Willett

Author:Marcia Willett [Willett, Marcia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781473540842
Publisher: Bantam Press UK
Published: 2017-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

LIV AND ANDY and the twins are nearly back at the Beach Hut when she gets Baz’s text.

‘He’s met up with El in Kingsbridge,’ she says, ‘and she’s invited him for lunch.’

‘Is there anything going on there?’ asks Andy, wondering if El has any connection with the as yet unidentified Maurice.

‘No, no.’ Liv shakes her head. ‘They’re just great old mates. El is a tutor at Bristol University and she and Baz share a passion for the theatre and classical music. She always comes down for this fortnight while he’s at the Beach Hut.’

Andy nods, still wondering who Maurice is, not wanting to ask and arouse Liv’s suspicions. Meanwhile there’s the question of Matt. Liv seems more cheerful, certainly, but Andy still has a little plan at the back of his mind regarding Matt.

‘Spoken to Matt?’ he asks casually.

He is pleased to see her face brighten a little.

‘We had a quick speak just before he started work this morning. Seems OK. Very tired, of course. He’s hoping to get down next Sunday.’

The twins come running back. They want to build a fort using the digger; they need to do it now.

‘Lunch first,’ says Liv firmly. ‘We’re late already and Uncle Andy has to go straight after lunch.’

There are shouts of dismay, of ‘pee, po, piddle, bum’ as they launch themselves at his knees and drag him on to the beach. He can’t help laughing at them, remembering his own childhood, though he tries to instil some kind of order. Jenks leaps round them barking as they tumble into a heap on the sand. Andy feels the weight of them, wriggling and struggling, as he attempts to seize their warm little bodies. Suddenly he wishes that these were his children and he hugs them, holding them closely.

‘You’ve got ten minutes while I get lunch ready,’ shouts Liv, ‘and then that’s it.’

Andy fends them off, rolls away, and stands up.

‘Come on, then,’ he says. ‘We’ve got ten minutes. What do you want to do? Quick. Don’t waste time. Build a fort or have a paddle?’

He watches them silently communing, just as he and Liv would have done, and he knows that they will choose to paddle. They can build a fort any time but they are not allowed into the sea unattended and they know that with Andy they can splash and roll about and get really wet.

‘Paddle,’ they shout as one child. ‘Come on. Let’s paddle,’ and they set off down the beach.

He kicks off his deckies and races after the twins over the smooth warm sand, feeling the cool embrace of the sea as he dashes into it. They rough and tumble, practising their swimming strokes, splashing Andy and trying to make him wet. He resists them, splashing back at them, grabbing their hands and pulling them along until he can hear Liv calling them.

Reluctantly, they allow themselves to be hauled out, to where Liv is waiting with towels to dry them off before they eat. He follows more

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