Page 40 of The Ex

Joyce, however, does.

‘I believe congratulations are in order?’ she says as they enter the kitchen.

Naomi giggles and nods, blushes adorably. ‘Yeah.’

‘Well, congratulations.’ Joyce smiles but does not approach Naomi or make any kind of move towards a hug or even a peck on the cheek.

Sam feels a small cloud of resentment bloom in his chest but says nothing. Besides, Naomi is giggling again, saying only: ‘Aw, thanks. Thanks, Joyce.’

The silence that follows lasts a beat too long. Sam suggests they take Tommy around Langmoor Gardens, and Naomi agrees. Once out of Joyce’s orbit, he can feel her relax a little, and they chat easily as they stroll, sitting together on a bench to give Toms his milk, then wandering out of the gardens at the top of Broad Street. Toms falls asleep in his buggy. They walk together down the hill, grab a takeaway coffee from the Whole Hog, continue slowly down and double back along Marine Parade, meandering past the harbour, around the chalets, and back up Cobb Road to the house.

As they step inside, Joyce appears in the hallway and announces she has made vegetarian fajitas for lunch. Sam takes this as a peace offering, though there has been no official declaration of war. They make polite conversation as they eat. No mention is made of the wedding, which hovers somewhere between a taboo and an open secret.

After lunch, Joyce remarks how sunny it is and says she’s going outside to plant vegetables. Instead of seeming pleased at being left alone with Sam, Naomi offers to help. It is all Sam can do not to gape open-mouthed at her and say,What? You? Get your hands dirty?And when he glances at Joyce, he can see she too is taken aback.

‘If you’d like to,’ she says, the trace of a smile in her voice. ‘Follow me.’

While Tommy dozes in his pram in the shade, the three of them work. Naomi borrows a pair of Joyce’s wellies, not even caring that they’re old green Dunlop ones and don’t go with her outfit.

‘Ta-da!’ she says, mock-posing outside the shed, making Sam and Joyce laugh.

Armed with the spade from the tool shed, she digs like a Land Girl. Joyce lifts the plugs of compost carefully from the pots, lowers them into the damp ground, the roots white and strange in the black soil. Sam fills the holes, presses the earth firm around the tender stalks. He has a sense of the three of them locked together in the work; the concentration they share in this simple task eases him. The sun shines warm on his neck. He feels someone watching him, and when he looks up, Naomi is standing over him, one hand resting on the spade. Their eyes meet. She smiles, and he wonders when, when in his whole life, he has been as happy as in this precise moment.

Joyce leans back from her kneeling position, pulling the gardening gloves from her hands.

‘I think it’s time for a brew,’ she announces. It takes her several attempts to stand, but she is good-humoured, tells them she’s set solid.

Alone with Naomi, Sam tips her face to his and kisses her.

‘I’m so happy,’ he says.

‘Me too. I could get used to this.’

Joyce returns a while later, mugs clanking on the tray gripped tight in her knobbly hands. When she passes Naomi her tea and calls herlove, Sam tries not to notice the flutter of hope in his heart.

The three of them sit on the old bench drinking tea in the sunshine and eating the Victoria sponge Joyce made this morning.

‘I could get used to this,’ Joyce says, and for the first time directs her smile at Naomi, who covers her mouth with her hand.

‘Didn’t I just say that?’ she cries to Sam, her voice filled with glee. ‘Didn’t I just say that, two minutes ago? I literally said, I could get used to this!’

CHAPTER 34

Towards four o’clock, Joyce is tidying away the gardening tools when Naomi taps her on the shoulder. From her face, Joyce can see she’s asked something, but the words are inaudible over the roar of Sam using the sit-on mower over on the main lawn.

‘I should probably be getting back,’ Naomi says loudly, thumbing over her shoulder. ‘He has his tea at five.’

Joyce tries to straighten, presses her hands to the ache in her lower back. ‘I’ve already defrosted some chicken and vegetables for him.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Of course. Unless you want to skedaddle? You can take it with you if you like?’ The lawnmower stops; Joyce’s last question comes out too loud, making both of them laugh.

When their laughter stops, Naomi gives her the warmest smile, and Joyce feels herself thaw. She has put on a good show of friendliness towards the girl, but now the smile she returns is genuine. Naomi has worked so hard this afternoon: not once complaining, not even when she stumbled and got mud on her lovely trousers. She and Sam are so natural together, like an old married couple, and if they think she didn’t see them kissing from the kitchen window, they’ve got another think coming. There have been moments when she could scarcely believe this was the same pouting manipulator she met years ago. There have been moments when she hasn’t trusted this change. And as for the wedding, well, it’s a rush, but it’s a rush she’ll have to go along with if she doesn’t want to face a very lonely old age indeed.

And in all of this, hasn’t Naomi brought with her the gift of new and precious life?

‘I’ll go and heat it up.’ Naomi turns to head towards the house but stops and turns back to Joyce. Something hesitant flickers across her features, as if she is about to ask for a favour. ‘Would you… would you like me to tidy up here while you feed him?’

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