REUNION

     Boxes and bags adorned the rough concrete,  spotted with tears of oil and water from old Genevieve. Harry finally locked up and limped out.  “Lowestoft here we come! Time to go, Bella. Get in the back with Grandma and Grandpa.”

     Five year old, doe eyes widened petulantly. “Do I have to? Why can’t they go in the front?”

     “Because there isn’t room.”

     Bella accepted defeat sulkily as the luggage was piled in, Georgie the purple dinosaur gripped tightly in one hand, her blanket in the other.

     “Anne, you drive, my knee’s playing up.” Harry was Methotrexate Man, fighting early rheumatoid arthritis and remission  was still a dream unfulfilled. They were staying overnight in Colchester with his nephew Greg,  Sally and baby Steph. On Sunday they’d go on to Lowestoft.

     Genevieve coughed into life cantankerously, clearing her throat, flexing tired joints on the bumpy road. Anne glanced into the mirror.  “How exciting Bella, we’ll be going  on a lifeboat.”

     “I hate lifeboats and I’ll be sick, just like I am in the car” She screwed up her face in disgust, regarding grandma and Grandpa disdainfully. ‘It’s all right for you."  

When they arrived, after the usual stops for Bella’s bouts of car sickness Sally was feeding baby Steph. Bella watched, spellbound, quickly forgetting all thoughts of car or sea sickness. From now on her favorite doll Katy, would definitely replace Georgie in her affections.

On Sunday the sun shone brightly and the lifeboat glistened in the green water of the harbour. Grandma and Grandpa had to be helped on board of course but soon they were under way and reached the first headland.

      “This is it then. Time to say goodbye to Gran and Gramps.” Harry picked up the first of the two urns, Ann the second. Bella watched in amazement as they shook out the contents which disappeared downwind in a haze of grey ash.      Together again at last.

  

Copyright Ben Corde 2012