A Family Holiday: A heartwarming summer romance for fans of Katie Fforde. Bella Osborne
you say it, I know I’m not a qualified nanny, but it works. The children and I get on really well. This isn’t just a job to me, I love these kids.’ There was no response from the other end of the line so Charlie continued. ‘Ruth, I don’t want to upset you or anyone else in the family, I want to do what I think Helen and Toby would have wanted and I honestly believe that they would have wanted the children to stay in their own home.’ She felt an unwelcome tear poke the back of her eyes. There was still no response. ‘Ruth, are you still there?’ There was silence. ‘Bloody phone!’ said Charlie as she switched it off.
The mood was decidedly un-picnic-y as they threw down the rugs, including a plastic-coated Winnie the Pooh one for Millie. The grass was damp but the rain was currently holding off. Millie was the only one who was disappointed about this as she had brought her umbrella in the hope of a downpour. George flopped down onto a rug, looking intensely bored already. Millie spotted the play area and started running.
‘Here you go!’ said Charlie as she threw the Frisbee towards Ted, who sidestepped it and wandered off after Millie. He walked with a slouch these days. Charlie wasn’t sure if he always had but it seemed more noticeable recently. And his ear buds were permanently attached to his ears. ‘Football?’ said Charlie, offering the ball up to George and Eleanor.
‘I’m going to take Wriggly for a walk,’ said Eleanor glumly.
‘Keep where I can see you, okay?’
‘I’ll go with her,’ said George, dragging himself up from the rug.
‘And then there were two,’ said Fleur.
‘At least they’re getting some fresh air,’ said Charlie, trying to ignore the distant rumble of London traffic.
Fleur’s phone beeped for the umpteenth time that morning. ‘It’s Knob,’ she said, ‘he’s dropping the charges.’
‘You were right,’ said Charlie, feeling relieved. ‘Anything else?’ she added, suspecting that the lovely Fleur wasn’t telling all. She settled herself down so she had a good view of the play area and of George and Eleanor, who were already quite a distance away.
‘He still loves me.’
‘Uh, huh, that explains kissing Sophie and dumping you at your own wedding reception.’
‘He says he didn’t know what to do for the best, what with all the money my parents had spent.’
‘Yes, I can see that that would concern Knob. You’re not thinking of taking him back are you?’ asked Charlie, dragging her eyes away from Millie, who was squealing happily as a nonchalant Ted tried to push her swing one-handed and without looking.
‘No… No! Honestly, it’s over. It’s just… don’t laugh,’ said Fleur, lying back on the rug, her auburn hair splaying out around her head like a giant halo.
‘Go on,’ said Charlie, scanning the park and spotting Wriggly trying to pull Eleanor’s arm off with his lead so that he could chase a pigeon.
‘There was so much to do before the wedding. There was this massive list of things that had to be perfect and I was busy every day sorting it all out. The caterers, the marquee, the church, the place names, the champagne, the honeymoon, it was a very long list. But now, I have nothing to do. There was this big full stop and I don’t know what to do now.’
‘But after the honeymoon, what had you planned to do?’ asked Charlie, feeling this was possibly the most ridiculous dilemma ever.
‘Be with Rob… the Knob,’ said Fleur, with a clear hesitation before she added the insult. Charlie feared that she was wavering and Fleur was as robust as a wet paper bag when it came to men.
‘Really? That was the rest of your life. You following him around while he pratted about with the Headless Hamsters.’
‘Rodents,’ corrected Fleur.
‘I know. Come on, Fleur, maybe this is the wake-up call you need. Do something with your life. You can do anything. You simply need to make it happen.’ And with Mummy and Daddy’s money and unwavering support behind you, you really could do anything you wanted, thought Charlie.
‘Do you ever think about when we were in foster care?’ asked Fleur.
Charlie turned away from her surveillance operation to look at Fleur. ‘Blimey, that was a long time ago, Fleur.’
‘I can’t remember any of it,’ said Fleur, her eyes filled with sadness.
Charlie turned back to watch George poking something in the grass with a stick. ‘Nobody can remember stuff from when they were that young. I was four and I only have vague memories and you were what? Eighteen months old?’
Fleur nodded. ‘It’s like a book with the first chapter missing.’
Charlie glanced over her shoulder and smiled indulgently. ‘Oh, Fleur, that’s very poetic but it’s a right load of crap!’
Fleur looked tense. ‘Don’t you want to know about your early life?’
‘Nope,’ said Charlie, with a shrug. ‘Why would you want to know about a time when people didn’t care enough to look after you properly?’
Fleur bit her lip. ‘It feels like I’ve got something missing.’
Charlie resisted the opportunity to make a joke. ‘Fleur, I think you’re looking for excuses. You have the most amazing family, who love you to bits. Knowing about the past might fill in a few blanks but that’s all it will do. It won’t suddenly unlock the key to your future.’ Fleur sighed and Charlie decided to leave things there.
Fleur and Charlie’s childhood experiences had been very different. Charlie had been like a pinball in the care system, bouncing from one place to another and from one misadventure to the next. It wasn’t an excuse, it was simply fact and, coupled with the usual teenaged angst, it had made for an explosive cocktail. Thanks to the kindness and unrelenting persistence of her last foster parents, Charlie had finally straightened herself out. The Van Bentons had also been a constant presence, letting Charlie and Fleur keep in touch after they adopted Fleur, as the girls had shared an early bond in their foster placement together. It was thanks to the Van Bentons that she had got this job. They were good friends with Helen and Toby and knowing the Cobley’s situation they had engineered a meeting and waxed lyrical about how well Charlie was doing, having achieved her level one in childcare. The Van Bentons had been incredibly good to her.
‘Maybe I should have gone to Borneo for the honeymoon on my own,’ mused Fleur, staring up at the branches of the tree above her.
‘Great, so that would have kept you occupied for two weeks. Still leaves the question of the next seventy or so years,’ said Charlie, losing sight of Millie and half getting to her feet before spotting Ted supporting Millie on the climbing equipment.
‘Pa is driving me potty as well, so a break from the parents would be a good thing.’
‘What’s your dad done?’
‘Nothing he hasn’t done before. He just takes over everything. He cancelled the honeymoon, sorted out the return of all the presents. He’s sorting out the divorce. He does everything and it drives me mad,’ said Fleur, waving her arms and from her prone position looking a little like a dying fly.
‘Eleanor washes her own hair now,’ said Charlie after a pause.
‘Random.’
‘I don’t remind her, because I know she can do it herself. Before, I used to have to remind her and before that I had to do it for her.’
‘Riveting,’ said Fleur. ‘Should I book a holiday?’
‘What I mean is, you need to show your parents that you can do things for yourself. Start by sorting out the divorce. Show them you’re not a little girl any more,’ said Charlie, taking a quick glance at Fleur, who was pouting.
‘Pa knows