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Back Reluctantly Home Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  55. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

There was a silence at the other end of the line, and Pip’s heart sank. She had got it wrong. That much was clear. He didn’t want to see Evelyn. Perhaps they hadn’t been as close as Evelyn had suggested, or it was all too long ago. She waited, but it was fairly obvious that Ted was just working out how to turn her down.

Ted sucked his teeth. ‘Well, the thing is . . .’ he began.

‘It doesn’t matter,’ interrupted Pip. ‘Forget it. I’m sorry to have troubled you.’

‘Hold your horses!’ said Ted. ‘Have I said I don’t want to come? Trouble is, it’s my old mum. She’s ninety-seven and as blind as a bat. She’s still living at home, though. We both are, as it goes. But I can’t leave her. I mean, it’s okay just popping out to the shops. But to come all the way up there to Suffolk – that’s a no-go, I’m afraid. Shame though. I’d love to see Evie again. How’s about she comes down here?’

‘I’m not sure . . .’ began Pip. ‘She’s been a bit, well, she’s only recently started going out and . . .’

‘She’s never got that agoraphobia. A mate of mine had that. Shocking condition. Poor Evelyn.’

Pip smiled as she tried to get a word in edgeways. Ted seemed to be exactly as the diary had described him. ‘No, not agoraphobia as such. But things had got a bit on top of her. She’s getting better now, but I’m not sure she’s ready for a long trip.’

There was another silence whilst Ted thought. ‘Well, you come up with a way of getting her down here and I’ll be there like a shot. I can’t believe we let things drift like we have. We were best buddies, back in the day. You send her my very best regards, won’t you? Right, got to go now. Mum’s calling. Nice to talk to you. What did you say your name was? Pip Appleby. What a fabulous name! Your parents must have been super-smart to come up with that. Cheerio.’

And then he was gone.

What a breath of fresh air he was, Pip thought. He was exactly what Evelyn needed.

50

50

Pip and Evelyn stood in the middle of Liverpool Street station as what felt like the whole of London bustled around them. Evelyn couldn’t believe there were so many people. They swarmed everywhere, popping up out of tunnels and shops and disappearing over bridges. She could barely see any space that didn’t have people in it. Had London been as busy as this when she had lived here? It was hard to recall, but she supposed it must have been similar. She had just grown unaccustomed to crowds. It was exhilarating, though, to be in the presence of so much humanity, and she stood open-mouthed in wonder.