Page 105 of Love Is: Two Bodies One Soul

ChapterThirty-Nine

It was gonetwelve-thirty when Lexie pulled up abruptly outside Meadow Bank after a painfully silent journey.

Owen looked out at the house, double-fronted aspect, with its gravelled drive, precision planted wallflowers in the flower borders, ready for the spring.

‘Bit grand,’ he said.

‘You think? It’s not exactly Whyton House.’

‘I know, but it’s still a bit grand for me. Remember, I’m a working-class boy from a two-up, two-down terraced house with a cracked concrete path at the front and overgrown grass at the rear, and ours was the respectable end of the street. Down the other end, they decorated their front gardens with rusty cars, beer cans and disassembled bikes. God only knows what was out the back. Dead bodies, maybe.’

‘I’m sorry, Owen.’

‘About my background?’

‘No, sorry, I was such a nag this morning. I was … I am nervous.’

‘And I’m terrified.’ He offered a faint smile.

Lexie threw herself at him over the handbrake and gathered him into her arms. ‘I just want them to love you as much as I do.’

He grunted and turned his face to hers. ‘That’s never going to happen, Lex. I’m sorry.’

‘Their loss,’ she said, and they kissed.

* * *

‘Hiya.’It was Xander who opened the front door to them. ‘You’re late, and Dad’s in a mood.’ He rolled his eyes at Lexie and then turned to Owen. ‘Hiya, you okay?’

‘As good as I can be under the circumstances.’

Xander gave Owen what seemed a sympathetic look and patted his shoulder in a chummy sort of way. ‘Come through. We’re all in the drawing-room.’

‘Not the lounge,’ Owen muttered under his breath, wondering if Xander was even aware of the social distinction.

They were all there, sherry glasses in hand. Kate looked cute in a fitted emerald-green dress. Mrs Scott in tweed skirt and silk blouse was flushed, presumably from recently inspecting the roast in the oven. Doctor Scott was sitting in the fireside easy chair opposite an elderly lady to whom he bore a striking resemblance. Owen looked around the assembly and fought back an almost overwhelming urge to run away. He had nothing in common with these people except Lexie. And for her, he’d do anything. Even stay here and make the best of it.

‘Ah, good. You’ve arrived at last.’ Doctor Scott got up, ignoring any need for formal introduction but not, Owen noted, giving up a chance for a quick dig at their late arrival. He glanced at Lexie – at least they had settled their argument with a kiss. At least all this would be over in a few hours, and they could go home to Brighton. Be happy again – just the two of them.

‘Right then, Owen. Can I get you a drink?’ The doctor took a step towards the drink cabinet, then made a great show of stopping himself. ‘Oh, of course not, I forgot. Sorry.’

He wasn’t sorry, Owen thought.

The doctor smiled. ‘I forgot you don’t drink, do you?’ he said, adding a loaded, ‘Anymore.’

‘That’s right,’ Owen replied.

The two men locked eyes. Owen felt Lexie move closer to his side. Had she sensed the antagonism in the air and was her move protective – and for whose protection?

Doctor Scott turned to Lexie. ‘You, my dear, you will have a sherry?’

‘No thanks, Dad.’

‘You’re looking very well, dear,’ Lexie’s mum said. ‘Don’t you agree, Mother?’ she added, raising her voice so that the elderly lady by the hearthside could hear.

‘What, who?’ Flustered from her thoughts, Grandma Scott looked vaguely around the room until her faded blue eyes fell on Owen.

‘I said, Mother, don’t you agree Lexie looks well?’

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