Page 29 of Eden's Comfort Kitchen
‘Livia says we have to stay with you all the time because you don’t know your way around,’ Levi said with such sober maturity that it was all Eden could do not to laugh.
‘I suppose I might get lost,’ she replied, playing along. Livia had probably framed it that way so they didn’t wander off from her, not the other way around, but Eden had to admit it was an inspired bit of parenting. ‘It’s probably for the best. Come on then – let’s go and get our feet wet.’
‘I can run fastest!’ Levi cried before haring off in the direction of the sea.
Nancy took off after him, leaving Eden – who considered herself fit – to bring up the rear. With a huge splash, Levi and Nancy landed in the surf and began to leap about, spraying each other with water, scooping it with hands and kicking it up with feet and laughing the whole while as if nothing could ever be as funny again. Eden joined in, indulging her inner child and marvelling at how something so silly and simple could be so freeing. It wouldn’t last, but for this moment, it was a wonderful thing. If these children could still love life after all they’d been through, then why couldn’t Eden?
While she caught her breath for a moment, she decided to take a photo of them playing and send it to Livia. There was an immediate reply.
Glad they’re keeping you entertained!
Eden grinned as she stuffed the phone back into her bag and covered the bag with her jacket. This bit of the beach wasn’t so busy, and she wasn’t worried about theft, but it didn’t hurt to be a little bit cautious. Then she joined the twins again, who were still running about in the waves.
Levi barrelled towards her and slapped a hand on her arm. ‘You’re it!’
‘Aww!’ Eden laughed. ‘Nobody told me we were playing tag!’
She lunged forward and got him back, and then tore off down the beach, glancing behind to see them hot on her heels. As she turned back, she lost her balance, and before she knew what was happening, she was face down on the sand, swallowed by an incoming wave and soaked to the skin.
‘Eden!’ Nancy yelled, and Eden looked up to see a look of alarm on the little girl’s face.
‘I’m all right,’ she said, hauling herself up and starting to laugh. ‘That was rubbish, wasn’t it? Serves me right for running too fast.’
There was no such sympathy from Levi, who coolly tapped Eden on the arm, announced that she was ‘it’ once again and took off in the direction he’d just come from.
‘It’s time out!’ Nancy shouted after him. ‘Eden fell over!’
‘See,’ Eden said with a wicked look. ‘That’s very kind of you, but…’ She got to her feet, touched Nancy on the head and started to run. ‘If you snooze, you lose! You’re it!’
Nancy squealed, at first with indignation, but then she started to giggle. She chased Eden for a way, but then seeing Levihad stopped running and was suddenly fascinated by something he’d found on the sand, she turned her attention to him, sneaking over. He looked up but too late – Nancy tagged him and tore away.
‘Nice one, Nancy!’ Eden shouted. ‘That’s how it’s done, girl!’
She didn’t have long to congratulate Nancy, however, because Levi wasted no time coming for her, and he was shockingly fast. Eden panted as she dodged out of his way, forced to stop for a moment as she was laughing so hard. And as she glanced across the beach, she noticed them being watched. At least, he seemed to be watching, though he walked off as soon as she took notice of him, back towards a car parked in a bay overlooking the beach. Had he been laughing? At this distance, Eden could have been mistaken, but it certainly looked that way. She supposed it might have looked funny, her getting trounced by Nancy and Levi. What she could see was that he was dark-haired and broad shouldered, a dressed-down sort of formality to his outfit, but not suitable for where they were at all…He looked like someone she’d seen on the beach the day she’d arrived in the bay. She’d felt a familiarity then, and she felt it again now, and he was closer this time so that she could almost make out his face. But surely it couldn’t be…?
Levi tagged her while she wasn’t looking, and she jumped, all thoughts of the man instantly forgotten.
‘Right!’ she said, putting on a mean face. ‘That’s it! I’m going to get you good and proper!’
The game came to a natural end in the way all unscripted children’s games do, where nobody had really announced it was over but everyone just moved on to something new. They went from splashing and chasing each other to poking about in rock pools and then searching the sand for shells and the sea glassthat was often so abundant it had given the cove its name. Eden expressed surprise at how many pieces they did find, but when the children questioned her on why, she couldn’t answer. She found that happened a lot. As many of their questions were as difficult to answer as there were easy ones. Their curiosity was never-ending and seemed to have no rules. Discussions covered just about everything, from school dinners to spaceships. It was entertaining to Eden but also a bit bewildering. As fun as it was, having small children around was exhausting. How did Livia do this and hold down two jobs?
Livia herself appeared an hour later, just as the three had sat on the sand to examine all the bits they’d collected.
‘There you are,’ she said, smiling broadly as she marched across the sand. ‘Looks like you’ve been having fun,’ she added, looking at the ropes of damp hair that Eden usually wore smoothed and glossy. ‘Have you been swimming?’
‘Not intentionally,’ Eden said.
‘She fell in,’ Nancy cut in, and Livia’s grin spread.
‘Did she? I bet you laughed your heads off at that.’
‘I didn’t,’ Nancy said solemnly.
‘Well.’ Livia glanced from one twin to the other. ‘Time for tea. Grandma’s making sausages and mash.’
‘Yes!’ Levi pumped the air with his fist. ‘I love sausage and mash!’
‘I know you do,’ Livia said. ‘You’d eat it every day if we let you.’ She looked at Eden. ‘Mum says you’re welcome to join us.’
