Page 69 of The Story of Us
Thinking of Nate as her man sent a thrill through Eloise, waking up parts of her body and making them ache.
“He’s at training.”
“In this?” Joanie cocked her pink hair towards the dreary weather outside.
“He didn’t want to disappoint anyone who turned up.” Eloise moved into the kitchen and flicked the kettle on. This place already felt too much like home, but she was still scared of the fancy coffee machine. “Cup of tea?”
“Please. There’s something else I wanted to talk about.” So typical of Joanie to dive right in. She stood up and came over to the island bench, rummaging in her pink handbag. She pulled out her glasses case, three lipsticks, all in similar shades of fuchsia, and a bottle of hand sanitiser. “It’s in here somewhere.”
Eloise placed two Starbucks coffee cups on the bench. Nate had a wide collection. Today they’d be pretending they were in Boston and Dublin. It was yet another reminder that while travel had been nothing more than a pipe dream for her, Nate had already been everywhere. “Everything okay?”
“I know you’re worried about money for your trip.”
Eloise paused, one hand on the fridge door. “Oh, no, Joanie. It’s okay. I’m going to be okay. I’ve done my sums like Grandad taught me.” She’d be eating a lot of ramen, and any extra travel she’d have liked to do was impossible, but if Eloise was careful and she cashed in all the annual leave she’d saved over the last few years, she could stretch her savings far enough. Besides, she was going there to learn, not gallivant around the States ticking items off her bucket list. She’d go back one day and see the national parks she’d dreamt about visiting. The Highline in New York wasn’t going anywhere, and neither were the Californian beaches nor the Rockies.
“Aha! Found it!” Joanie held up a small bit of paper. She unfolded it carefully and pushed it towards Eloise.
It was a cheque. Written in her grandmother’s perfect cursive, courtesy of her decades as a teacher, were the wordsthirty thousand dollars.
Eloise blinked.
Then blinked again.
She’d never seen so much money.
“I don’t understand,” she whispered, holding on to the edge of the bench, not daring to touch the paper that would literally solve all her money problems. Her sweet, sweet grandmother. There was no way she could accept it.
“Oh, darling. It’s pretty straightforward.” Joanie dabbed at her eyes with a lace-edged handkerchief, and the waver in her voice made Eloise sniffle. “That’s your adventure money.”
“Joanie.” Eloise’s voice broke, and she swallowed deeply. “I can’t …”
“Of course you can. I meant what I said. It’s yours, darling.”
“No, it’s not. I love you so much for offering, but …”
Joanie tutted, trying and failing to get herself onto one of the stools on the other side of the counter. “God. Are these made for giants or something? I need a ladder. Now, you can accept this, and you will. It’s your money!”
Why does she keep saying that?
“It’s not. You should go on a holiday with your friends or get yourself something nice.” She picked up the cheque and held it towards her grandmother.
“Honestly. You’re supposed to be the smart one and don’t tell Charlie I said that.” Joanie sighed loudly, but the teasing whisper in her voice told Eloise she wasn’t serious. “Darling. This is all your rent money. I rounded up a little bit to make it a nice even number.”
Eloise looked down at the thin rectangle of paper. Her rent contribution was laughable at best. Joanie had always insisted she didn’t need much help to keep the cottage running.
“I never liked you paying me rent. Seemed like I was taking advantage when having you as my roomie has been the most fun of my life. But now it’s time for you to go and have your adventure.”
The band around Eloise’s chest pulled tight again, and she rushed around the bench to wrap her arms around her grandmother.
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispered, raising a hand to wipe her eyes.
“Just say you’ll have the best time ever. Go out and see this big, wide world that you’ve been desperate to explore since you were small. Promise?”
Eloise nodded, her throat thick and eyes watery.
“Although, something tells me you won’t be coming back to live with me when you come home.”
“Joanie,” Eloise whispered.
