Page 79 of Love on the Run
Doing as she was told, Hannah took in her enthusiastic welcome party. While not surprised that everyone had waited for her, she wouldn’t have blamed them if they’d gone home. Her eyes widened and her heart screamed. “Beth! Archie!” Taking in her children, her eyes filled with tears.
“Hello, Mum,” they said. Grinning, they threw themselves at Hannah and wrapping their arms around her, squeezed her tight.
Hannah pulled back to get a good look at them. With their sun-kissed locks and gorgeous tans, they appeared older. Hannah was convinced they’d grown. “But how? This morning you were in France.”
“We were at Calais, waiting to get on the ferry,” Beth said.
“You didn’t really think we’d miss your race, did you?” Archie asked.
“But what about Paris?”
Beth wrinkled her nose. “We made it up.”
“We wanted to surprise you,” Archie said. “Dad’s gonna ring you later. He and Monica headed home after dropping us off.”
Hannah pulled her children close. Hugging them tight for a second time, she didn’t want to let them go. “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means.”
“Mum, we can’t breathe,” they said, making everyone else laugh.
Releasing them, Hannah looked from her children to the rest of the group.
“We’re so proud of you,” Liv said, standing there with Quentin’s arm around the back of her shoulders.
Mel held Russel’s hand. “I second that.”
Dorothy put a hand on her chest and Hannah was convinced she was about to cry. “And I third it.”
Hannah chuckled as she turned her attention back to Beth and Archie, still unable to believe they were right there in front of her.
Finally, Hannah looked at Gabe, who gave her a wink. Her tummy tingled and for the first time since meeting Gabe, she embraced the sensation.
“Time to get that ankle seen to,” he said.
Hannah squealed and the rest of the group cheered when in one swift movement Gabe reached down, picked Hannah up and again threw her over his shoulder.
“Three cheers for Hannah!” Liv shouted, as Gabe carried her off.
“Hip, hip, hooray,” her friends and family chorused, as everyone headed towards the car park.
CHAPTER51
Having never known her children be so quiet, Hannah wondered what they were up to. Not sure what to expect, she took in the sight before her as she entered the living room.
Aunt Dorothy sat in the middle of the sofa, with Beth on one side of her and Archie on the other. It seemed Dorothy was teaching them both to knit, and concentrating like never before, Beth and Archie methodically wound lengths of wool around their needles.
Hannah took a moment to watch them, glad that Dorothy had decided not to rush back to Norfolk. No long-term plans had been made, but she was happy for now. Pleased Beth and Archie were home where they belonged, Hannah had been right to think they’d love her aunt as much she did.
Hannah coughed and thinking it a shame to interrupt them, they all glanced up. “So, will I do?”
Dorothy’s face broke into a grin. “Gorgeous. As always.”
Beth shook her head. “I can’t believe how different you look.”
“That’s exercise for you,” Archie said. “And a bit of make-up. Oh, and some new clothes.”
Hannah laughed. “Cheeky!”
Holding wisps of hair to stop them dangling in front of her eyes, Hannah glanced down at her red maxi wrap dress and white trainers. “You can see why I feel both over and underdressed at the same time.”
