The Missing Pieces of Us by Eva Glyn

Author:Eva Glyn [Glyn, Eva]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008453282
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Surprisingly – and thankfully – the hostel looks like a converted office block, hidden down a side street near the railway station. Most uninviting, despite Ed’s cheery wave as we clamber from the car. Megsy leaps up in greeting, little terrier ears pricked. I crouch to stroke her and she snuggles into me, making snuffling noises.

Ed laughs. “She’s well taken with you, Izzie. Now don’t you go luring her home. I’d miss her too much.”

“She is adorable, but no, I won’t steal her. If I took her home she’d only be in an empty house all day.” I stroke the top of her head.

“Robin could take her to work with him, Mum.”

“Now that’d be a turn up, Robin and Megsy after all these years,” Ed winks.

Robin doesn’t laugh. He clears his throat. “I meant to ask you about Meg. How is she?”

Ed puts his hand on Robin’s arm. “Not with us anymore. Breast cancer. About six months ago. That’s when I got the dog.”

Robin is hiding behind his beard again. “I’m sorry, Ed,” he says, without a hint of emotion. “That must have been tough.”

“Well, when you’ve been in and out of someone’s life since your first day at school it leaves a gap. But you know Meg, she wouldn’t want me to waste too much time grieving. I’ve still got her board in the shop, up on the wall. It’s the best reminder – that and the dog. I needed something to shout at.”

Robin nods. “Come on,” he says, “let’s take a look at this hostel.”

It does nothing to reassure me when the receptionist has long braided hair and is wearing a hoodie. But he stands to greet us pleasantly enough, although I am conscious of him eyeing Claire up and down. She is beautiful as she smiles at him, and for the first time I wonder why she doesn’t have a boyfriend. Perhaps she does. Perhaps she is hiding someone from me because she thinks I won’t approve. Perhaps she is hiding someone like him.

My head starts to thump again but I have to get through this. I have to send the panic back to the corner of the bedroom in the rented apartment where it belongs. I reach for Robin’s hand. His fingers brush mine then he seems to sense how I am feeling so he wraps an arm around me, saying nothing.

Ed disappears into an office and comes back with a woman in a long, brightly coloured skirt. I cannot decide if her generous proportions are due to pregnancy or simply the way she is. I search her face for clues but there are none. She is of indeterminate age, although a few wisps of grey run through her hair.

“Hello,” she says, her slow voice like clotted cream. “I’m Martha. Ed says you want to look around.”

“Yes please. Claire would like to come here with some friends in the summer, but I have my reservations.” I sound so uptight I hate myself. Robin squeezes my shoulder.

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