Page 87 of Calling Frank O'Hare

He called Gavin who assured him she wasn’t there and there were no emergencies on his side of the family. He tried the old flat. Ellen had kept it on in case they changed their mind about Birmingham. That was the excuse she gave anyway. There was no answer there. So he rang Adrian’s, on the off chance that Stella might know something, but they were equally clueless. He’d run out of ideas. There was nothing else to do but wait for her to call.

She rang after he’d put Robyn to bed.

‘Where the hell are you?’

‘I’m at the flat in London.’ She said it as if it was obvious.

‘Why? I know there’s no emergency with your parents. I called Gavin.’

‘It was a work emergency. I got an assignment but I had to be here immediately. My old editor called me this morning. The columnist they’d engaged was taken ill.’

‘A work assignment? You left our daughter with a stranger for a work assignment?’

‘Edie is not a stranger. Robyn and I see her all the time. And I thought we agreed I’d go back to work when the house was finished.’

‘Yes, but you can’t just take off like that without any discussion.’

‘Well I did. The assignment’s in New York. I’ll be away for a couple of weeks. You’ll hardly know I’m gone.’

‘And how am I supposed to arrange childcare with no notice? You know I don’t have the kind of job I can take time off from.’

‘You’ll sort something out. Speak to Stella. And there’s always Edie.’

57

Madonna and child – 1997

Frank woke to the sound of baby gurgles. It was six forty-five. Not bad. Fifty minutes later than yesterday. Robyn must know the holidays had started. He switched off the baby monitor and dragged himself out of bed.

Robyn was sitting up in her cot. She greeted him with a big smile. She was crawling now, in a fashion, and into everything. Yesterday, she’d got her hand stuck in the video slot, the little monkey. So much for a child-friendly house.

‘Morning, Baba. How are you today?’ Frank lifted her out. ‘Wet, I see.’

‘Ba-ba-ba-ba.’

‘Yes, you clever girl. And who am I? I’m the dada, aren’t I?’

‘Da-da-da-da.’

Frank kissed his little girl. Even when she was bawling her head off, she never failed to cheer him up. ‘Come on sweetie, let’s get you cleaned up. You smell like a sewer.’

He gave her a quick wash and put on a clean nappy and pyjamas. Experience had taught him that the proper cleaning operation was best left until after breakfast, which could be a messy affair for both of them.

In the kitchen, he let Robyn crawl around on the floor while he made breakfast. They were currently experimenting with porridge, with mixed results. Some days Robyn loved it. Other days, Frank had more of it on his face and in his hair than his darling girl had in her stomach. But he was not one to be put off. Edie had suggested mashing some banana in it. She was a mine of useful information. Since Ellen had gone, Edie and Stella had been invaluable. They were his little support network, taking care of Robyn while he was at work until he could organise more formal childcare. In the new year, they were going to trial a couple of days at a nursery, with Edie and Stella taking up the slack when he couldn’t.

If he’d been honest with the parents, Ma would have been straight on the boat over. But he couldn’t tell them. He was too ashamed. So instead, he told them everything was rosy each time they called.

Ellen rang every week, always finishing with a promise to be home soon. She was in Europe now. The New York assignment had moved on to other things.

‘Da-da-da-da.’ Robyn had crawled into the breakfast room. Frank took in her porridge and found her standing, holding onto a chair. Edie had told him she’d pulled herself up the other day so it wasn’t the first time, but it was the first time he’d seen it. Ellen was missing all of this. But that was her choice. Frank was a modern man. He had no problem with working mothers whatsoever, whether through choice or necessity. He just had a problem with parents who deserted their children.

It was a sunny morning but cold with it, so Frank wrapped Robyn up before wheeling her round to Edie’s. It was Christmas Eve and Edie was taking her so that he could do some last minute Christmas shopping.

Edie opened her front door, dressed for the outside. ‘That looks like a young lady who’s ready for a walk in the park.’ The sun caught her eyes and Frank couldn’t help noticing how like sapphires they were. Quite arresting. She must have been a beauty in her day.

She called back into the house. ‘Are you coming with me?’ Her two dogs, some sort of terrier mix, skittered along the hallway. ‘I should think so too. You both need the exercise.’

‘I’ll walk part of the way with you. I’m taking the train into town,’ said Frank.

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