Families and Friendships

by Margaret Thornton

  Debbie had felt more apprehensive about meeting Kevin again. She decided she would behave as though they were just good mates. She would try not to think about them having been rather more than that for a time, or bear him any ill will for having dumped her. If she was honest, she wasn’t all that bothered any more. She was enjoying school now she was in the sixth form. As Fiona had told her, it wasn’t like ordinary school. They were allowed a lot more freedom, and being able to drop subjects that she was not too keen on, and at which she didn’t excel – History and French, in Debbie’s case – made studying more pleasant.

  Several of the girls she had been with since the age of eleven were still at school, although some were studying different subjects. There were some new students, too; both boys and girls as the sixth form had a good reputation. As Debbie was studying Science subjects rather than the Arts, then boys outnumbered the girls in her groups. There was a lad called Mike whom she rather liked the look of, and on further acquaintance he was easy to talk to. She and Ryan Gregson were often in the same groups because he had decided that science was his forte, and he had an idea he would like to work in a laboratory. He was still friendly with Shirley, who had decided – for the moment at least – to go ahead with her idea of becoming an Infant teacher.

  There was very little pairing off so far with the boys and girls. A crowd of them sometimes went out together on a Saturday night, to a coffee bar or the cinema, or to a ‘hop’ at a local church Youth Club.

  When Debbie first returned to Sunnyhill, Kevin was not there. His father told her that he had gone camping up in Scotland for a fortnight, with two of his mates, travelling from one campsite to another in the car that belonged, jointly, to his mates, Rick and Pete, who were brothers.

  So she didn’t see him again until the end of September. He greeted her in a friendly way, making a joke of her little escapade. ‘Hi there, Debbie,’ he said. ‘Good to see you again. You got back safe and sound then?’ Of course he had known about it. She had found out that her mother had rung Kevin before contacting anyone else, to see if he knew of her whereabouts.

  ‘Yes …’ She smiled at him. ‘It was all rather traumatic, but it worked out well in the end.’

  ‘Your mum was in a real old tizzy,’ he told her. ‘I sort of guessed where you might have gone, but I didn’t know for sure, did I? That why I told her to ask Shirley. Anyway … did you find out what you wanted to know?’ He sounded quite sympathetic and interested.

  ‘Yes … I did. I found my birth mother; she’s a really nice person. I’m satisfied, now that I know, Kevin. I was a bit of a chump, but nobody seems to be thinking too badly of me for what I did; my mum and dad I mean, most of all. I didn’t really stop to think what it might do to them, how hurt they might be. But they seemed to understand. And I’m getting on much better with my mum now.’ She wasn’t sure why she was telling Kevin all this, but he seemed genuinely concerned. She smiled at him. ‘So it’s all OK again now.’

  ‘Good; I’m pleased about that,’ he answered. ‘I know how much it had been on your mind.’ To her surprise he added, ‘Perhaps we could go out sometime, Debbie, and have a good chat?’ He felt that she had changed quite a lot, and it was for the better. She seemed to be a much nicer person now. He wasn’t sure that he wanted to take up with her again, as a regular girlfriend … but time would tell.

  ‘Yes, why not?’ she replied. ‘That would be nice …’ But she didn’t, in truth, feel like getting too friendly with any one person at that moment. She knew that there would be lots of challenges and interesting times ahead.

  Twenty

  Debbie found out that the half-term holiday was at the very end of October. She hoped it would be possible for her to visit Fiona and Simon at the end of the second weekend, from the Friday till the Sunday.

  She phoned Fiona to tell her the dates, and she answered that of course it would be all right; they would love to see her again. Debbie, however, thought she heard just a little hesitation in Fiona’s voice. ‘Are you sure?’ she asked. ‘Do say if it’s not convenient.’

  ‘Yes it is,’ said Fiona. ‘We have a concert at church, though, that weekend. We’ve got a brass band from the next village performing on the Saturday night. It’ll be quite a big occasion for us. I was wondering if it would be … your cup of tea?’

  ‘Ooh yes, it would, actually,’ replied Debbie. ‘My dad loves brass bands. He’s got a lot of records, and I listen to them with him. Yes, that’ll be great. I shall love it!’

  ‘That’s settled then. We’ll sort out details nearer the time. As I said before, Simon will pick you up at Northallerton.’

  They chatted for a little while, then Fiona sent her regards to Vera and Stanley, and put the phone down, thoughtfully …

  She hadn’t wanted to say no to Debbie, but that was the weekend that Greg was coming to stay. She knew what Simon would say: that it would be too much for her, she had to take care and not overdo things. Sure enough, that was what he said when she told him, but she made little of his objections. She knew thought wasn’t really objecting; he was just concerned about her well-being.

  ‘I’ll be fine, darling,’ she assured him. ‘Greg’s no trouble, and Debbie won’t be, either. And we have two spare bedrooms.’

  ‘Not for much longer,’ he reminded her.

  ‘No, but we have at the moment, and it’s rather nice idea, when you come to think of it. Debbie and Greg will be able to meet. They’ve heard of one another, and they would have to get to know one another sometime. If we waited any longer before seeing Debbie I might be feeling too tired. I’m keeping very well, Simon, as you know. It’ll be a busy weekend, but you’ll be there to help me. And Josh is preaching that Sunday, isn’t he? There’s just one slight problem, though … I said you’d meet Debbie on the Friday, but what about the return journey on the Sunday; driving her to catch the train at Northallerton?’

  ‘Mmm, yes, I see. Never mind, we’ll think of something. I’m sure we’ll be able to find somebody to help out with a lift for Debbie.’

  The week before the concert another problem arose. Greg rang up to see if he could bring his brother Graham with him. He was quite a devotee of brass band music, much more so than Greg. He played the French horn, having learnt at school and performed in school concerts, and Greg knew it would be a real treat for him.

  Once again, Fiona didn’t see it as a problem. ‘By all means, Greg,’ she answered. ‘It’ll be good to meet your brother. So long as you’re not thinking of bringing your sister along as well,’ she said with a laugh. ‘That might be rather more tricky, but we’d love to meet her sometime.’

  ‘No; Grace has other plans that weekend. It really is very good of you, Fiona. I promise we won’t be any trouble.’

  ‘By heck! You’re a glutton for punishment!’ Simon told her. ‘Three visitors now! Are you quite sure you’ll be able to manage?’

  ‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘Casserole dishes; that’s the answer. Easy to prepare, and a lot to go round. And you must let Josh take some of the workload from you at church.’

  ‘He already does,’ said Simon. ‘That young man has been an answer to a prayer, sure enough.’

  Yet another complication arose when Simon was asked to conduct a funeral on the first of November, the Friday that Debbie was due to arrive. Bill Heathcote was a long-standing member of St Peter’s who had been ill for some time, so his death was not unexpected. The service was to be held at two o’clock on Friday afternoon, followed by the burial at the cemetery just outside the town.

  ‘I shall have to be there,’ Simon told his wife. ‘This is one task that I can’t allocate to Josh. Bill has been a stalwart member of the church, and his wife is a keen member of the Mothers’ Union.’ He couldn’t help but comment, ‘It never rains but it pours! Never mind, though, we’ll think of something.’

  Josh expressed a wish to help at the funeral service, too. He had visited the elderly man both at home and in hospital, and had become friendly with
him, and with his wife. The liking was reciprocated. Mary Heathcote had said how much her husband looked forward to the young curate’s visits. Josh was proving to be an excellent sick visitor, always ready with a cheery word as well as sympathy and understanding.

  Fiona had had an idea that Josh might be prevailed upon to meet Debbie, but she hadn’t voiced it, and she soon saw that it was impractical. Many of the members of the congregation would want to be at the service as well … so what were they going to do about Debbie?

  Simon was preoccupied, his head full of church matters, which was only as it should be. Then she thought about Greg. It depended on what time he and his brother intended to arrive in Aberthwaite. If they came in the morning she could provide them with lunch and then, perhaps, they could make the journey to Northallerton to meet Debbie from the train? It wasn’t all that far, and she knew that Greg loved driving around in his new mini car. Would it be an awful cheek to ask him? she wondered.

  She mentioned it to Simon, and he said he thought that Greg would agree, but that it was up to her to make the arrangements. She must be the one to ring Greg and ask him. They had not had one wrong word about the situation that had arisen – the three visitors, the work involved with the concert, then, on top of it all, the funeral. She knew, though, that Simon felt she was partly responsible for the confusion, because she had agreed to entertain three guests at the same time, therefore she must be the one to sort it out.

  She rang Greg at his flat and, as she had guessed, he had agreed at once, and eagerly, too, to do as she requested.

  ‘Great!’ he exclaimed. ‘Of course I’ll go and meet Debbie. I’ve been looking forward to it ever since you told me about her turning up. Let’s see … what is she? My stepsister?’

  Fiona laughed. ‘Yes, I think so. I haven’t really worked it out.’

  ‘I’ve already got a half-brother, and two half-sisters, haven’t I? Curiouser and curiouser!’

  ‘And two more on the way,’ Fiona reminded him. ‘Half-brothers or half-sisters, or one of each! We don’t know.’

  ‘And how are you, Fiona?’ he asked. ‘Are you sure you will be able to cope with such an influx of visitors. You didn’t tell me that Debbie would be there when I asked if I could invite Graham, did you?’

  ‘No, that’s true. I just liked the idea of both sides of the family getting together. To be honest, I think Simon’s just the teeniest bit cross with me, although he hasn’t said so.’

  ‘Oh dear! We can’t have that. You two never fall out, do you?’

  ‘No, not really. We don’t always see eye to eye about everything, but we manage to sort it out in the end.’

  ‘I can understand how he feels,’ said Greg. ‘You’ve taken a lot on, but Graham and I will help, I promise.’

  ‘I’m thinking of some nice, easy-to-prepare meals,’ Fiona went on, before Greg interrupted.

  ‘I’ve just thought of something. Could you get a babysitter for Friday evening?’

  ‘Er … yes, I think so. There are some girls in the Youth Club. We’ve asked one of them on the rare occasions that we want to go out …’

  ‘And do you know of a good restaurant in Aberthwaite, or nearby?’

  ‘I’m sure we could find one …’

  ‘Well then, we’ll all have a meal out on the Friday night; you and Simon, Graham and me, and Debbie. My treat, of course. What do you think?’

  ‘I think that would be lovely,’ said Fiona. She knew that Greg meant it wholeheartedly. It would be his way of saying thank you. And how nice it would be to dress up and go out for a change, even if she did feel the size of a whale. ‘Thank you very much, Greg. It will be a great treat for us. Simon has that funeral in the afternoon, so it’s just what he needs. Funerals always make him feel sad.’

  ‘Will you make the booking then? Wherever you and Simon would like to go?’

  Fiona agreed that she would, then they went on to talk about Debbie’s arrival. Greg said that Graham was staying with him on Thursday night, and they would set off from Manchester early on the Friday morning. Then, after lunch, Greg, with his brother, would drive to Northallerton and wait for Debbie in the station car park.

  ‘I’d better ask her what she will be wearing,’ said Fiona, ‘then you’ll be able to spot her.’

  ‘No need,’ answered Greg. ‘Just tell her to look out for a red mini car and two handsome young men!’

  ‘Of course!’ laughed Fiona. ‘Why didn’t I think of that? OK, I’ll ring Debbie and tell her what we’ve sorted out. She’ll be delighted, I’m sure. And I know you’ll like her. Thanks for your help, Greg. We’ll look forward to seeing you and Graham on Friday … Bye for now.’

  ‘Wow! It’s all go, isn’t it?’ Simon remarked when Fiona told him of the plans she had made. ‘I’m sorry if I’ve been a bit irritable with you just lately, darling.’

  ‘You haven’t, Simon,’ she assured him.

  ‘Well, rather preoccupied and offhand, maybe. It all seems to be happening at once, and it’s you that I’m worried about, of course. Most of the work involved – at home, at any rate – will fall on you.’

  ‘I’m OK, honestly,’ she answered him. ‘I got a good report at the clinic last time. There’s nothing to worry about. Anyway, it’ll be lovely – for all of us – to see Debbie again and to meet Graham for the first time. Families and friendships such as these are so important, aren’t they?’

  ‘Yes, and the family’s spreading wider and wider,’ agreed Simon. ‘It’s very good of Greg to suggest an evening out. Have you any idea as to a venue?’

  ‘I’ve heard good reports of that new Italian place – Giovanni’s – in the market square,’ said Fiona. ‘Joan and Henry have been and she was very impressed. They serve more traditional food – you know; steak and fish and chicken – as well as a wide variety of Italian food.’

  ‘Good, then it should suit us all,’ said Simon. ‘I’ll make the booking, so you don’t have to worry about that. Five of us, aren’t there? It’ll help me to forget the sadness of the afternoon. Well, not exactly forget, but you know what I mean, don’t you. Funerals always make me sad. I’ve never really got over the feeling. I know we talk about eternal life – and I believe it – but it’s not much consolation to the grieving friends and family at the time.’

  Fiona reflected that it was what made Simon such a good parish priest, to give him his full title. He cared so much about all his parishioners.

  Greg and his brother arrived at mid-morning on the Friday. It was Fiona, holding Stella by the hand, who greeted them; she had heard the car pull up and stop on the driveway. Simon was in his study, preparing for the afternoon with a period of calm reflection, as she knew he did before a funeral.

  Greg jumped from the driving seat and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. By no means a tight hug because of her size. She was well aware of that, although Greg made no comment. She knew, though, that she was much larger than the last time he had seen her. He stooped down then to give Stella a hug. She said, ‘Hello, Greg,’ in a quiet voice, appearing shy at the sight of a stranger with him.

  ‘And this is my little brother, Graham,’ he joked. Graham was not little at all, being taller than Greg by a few inches. He had a look of his brother, but not all that much. He couldn’t, of course, look anything like Simon, as Greg did. Greg resembled his birth father with regard to features, but he had brown eyes and dark hair, whereas Simon was fairish. Graham, too, had brown eyes and dark hair with no hint of a wave, but his face was less rounded than his brother’s, with a more pronounced nose. He was, though, a good- looking lad, in a different way.

  Fiona realized at once that he was quieter, however, than his somewhat extrovert brother, unless he was just overawed by the situation. He shook hands with Fiona, smiling pleasantly; a smile that lit up his eyes and quite transformed his face. He said he was pleased to meet her and how kind she was to let him come with Greg.

  Simon appeared then and greeted them both, helping to take their trave
l bags out of the small boot.

  ‘Gosh!’ said Graham, though a little diffidently. ‘I can see the resemblance. So that’s where you get your handsome looks from, bro!’

  ‘You’re not so bad yourself,’ Greg told him, giving him a playful shove. ‘Fiona has told Debbie to look out for two handsome young men, haven’t you, Fiona? She won’t be able to believe her luck!’

  ‘I might have said something of the sort,’ laughed Fiona. ‘Come along in, and you can help Graham to make himself at home, like you always do.’

  Greg had, indeed, become very much part of the family since the day he had first arrived on their doorstep. And, of course, he and Stella had become firm friends.

  They had an early lunch, an easily prepared meal of cottage pie, so that the two young men would have ample time to drive north to meet another member of the family. Debbie was due to arrive at the station at half past two. They set off soon after one o’ clock to give them time to spare.

  ‘And so that you don’t need to drive like Stirling Moss!’ Graham told his brother.

  ‘No, I won’t, I promise,’ Greg assured Fiona. ‘I’ll drive very steadily, and I’ll take great care of my stepsister!’

  Debbie was excited about her forthcoming visit to Aberthwaite, especially so, since she had been told she would meet Greg. And not only Greg but his brother Graham as well. She felt rather nervous, though. It had started by her wanting to find out about her birth mother, and then going to find her. Now, though, it was leading to a whole new wealth of experiences. She had a delightful little half-sister, and there were two more babies on the way. Now she was to meet a young man who was … a stepbrother? And another young man who was linked to this family whose tentacles seemed to be spreading even wider.