Page 4 of Just the Beginning

It felt like too much, but the sooner Anya got things sorted, the better. ‘If you’re sure you don’t mind?’

‘Not a bit of it. It’ll be our pleasure, won’t it, Ron?’ Amy called to her husband.

‘What’s that?’

‘I was just saying to Anya we’d be happy to have Freya every morning for the coming week, to help her out.’

Ron’s face lit up like he’d been offered a treat, not been roped into a full-time babysitting gig. ‘Sounds good to me.’ He glanced down at Freya. ‘How about you, chicken? You want to spend lots of time with me and Ma next week?’

‘Yes please!’ Freya jumped up and down.

Ron beamed down at her. ‘Well, looks like that’s sorted. Now then, why don’t we sample some of these lovely-looking cakes before your mummy takes you home?’

They returned home later than she’d been expecting, but Ma and Pa had been so lovely and time had quite run away with them all. Even after the gorgeous spread Ma had laid on for them, Anya hadn’t been able to leave without a large Tupperware box full of cake. Worried about leaving the unpacking for so long, Anya walked as quickly as she could. Freya skipped along at her side, chattering away a mile a minute.

Ryan greeted them at the front door with a smile that widened considerably when Anya handed him the box. ‘What have we got here?’

‘Your mum and Freya have had a busy day baking lots of treats.’

‘That sounds like the perfect excuse to put the kettle on.’

Anya smiled as she shook her head. ‘You go ahead; we’re already full of tea and cake. I’m sorry we took so long. I think I’ll just get Freya ready for bed and sort the rest out in the morning.’

Ryan waved them through the house towards the back patio doors. ‘Don’t worry about it. We’ve moved all the boxes out the way and Helen and Chloe are just adding the last touches. I think you’ll like what they’ve done.’

For the first time in months Anya felt her spirits lift. Taking Freya’s hand, she led her across the garden just in time to meet her aunt and cousin, who were coming out of the summer house.

‘Perfect timing!’ Chloe said by way of greeting.

‘Uncle Ryan tells me you’ve been busy.’ Anya raised an eyebrow. ‘What have you been up to?’

‘You can see for yourself.’ Chloe pushed the left-hand side of the double doors open. ‘Welcome to your new home.’

Tears burned hot and sudden as Anya stepped inside and was greeted with a miracle. It was impossible to believe she was standing in the same place that had been a chaotic mess only a couple of hours earlier. The three-seater sofa Chloe had scavenged from a second-hand shop had been dressed with a soft cotton throw and plump cushions. A large pillar candle burned in the centre of the coffee table her cousin had bought for a few pounds through an online selling site. Familiar things from Anya’s kitchen sat ready and waiting on the counter of the little kitchen area. A gauzy curtain covered in pretty flowers now hung at the end of the room, hiding the glass-panelled door that led to the bedroom area.

At the opposite end of the room the little chair and table from Freya’s room sat in the middle of a pale pink fluffy rug, anda box of toys and a miniature bookcase filled with all her daughter’s favourite books stood against the wall. A framed photo of the two of them sat on top of the bookcase, a smaller one of Drew tucked next to it. ‘It’s beautiful,’ Anya murmured.

Her aunt put an arm around her waist and gave her a squeeze. ‘It’s enough to get you started,’ Helen said. ‘You can move things around as you want.’

Anya shook her head. ‘No, it’s perfect as it is.’ She turned into her aunt’s hold. ‘Thank you.’ She had to press her eyes tightly closed to stop the threatening tears from falling.

Behind them she heard Chloe asking Freya if she wanted to see the bedroom. Anya turned to watch her cousin slide back the curtain and push the door open before leading Freya by the hand into the other room. Her curiosity was piqued when she heard Freya squeal in delight, and Anya hurried over. She felt like squealing herself when she saw the bedroom. A single bed dressed with a quilt covered in Disney princesses had been pushed into the corner on the left-hand side. Fairy lights had been twined around the white headboard, and some of the pictures from Freya’s old room had already been hung on the wall.

Freya was splayed on her back on the bed, waving her arms and legs. ‘I’ve got a big girl bed!’

‘That’s because you’re a big girl now!’ Anya lay down beside her and pulled her into a hug. ‘What do you think? Do you like your new room?’

‘I love it.’ Freya snuggled in next to her. ‘And I like that I get to share it with you.’

Anya glanced across to where a small double bed had been tucked against the wall in the opposite corner. Unlike the bright cover beneath them, her bed had been dressed in cool tones of beige and white. With the wardrobe and a large chest of drawers,there wasn’t a lot of floor space left but it was a miracle they’d managed this much. She reached out her hand to Chloe. ‘You are amazing.’

Chloe’s cheeks glowed pink. ‘It’s not much really, we just wanted to make you feel welcome.’

‘You’ve done that and so much more.’

3

‘It’s not just a one-off, it’s every week!’ Gavin Bailey’s face had been slowly turning red throughout his low-voiced diatribe and Rick Penrose wondered if the man had had his blood pressure checked recently. ‘Every week!’ Gavin continued, leaning closer until Rick could smell the stale coffee on his breath.

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