It just so happened that he was raised by his grandmother, even though his mother was still alive.
This was the case for Jameshis grandmother brought him up, though his mum was very much alive. It should be said that his mother was wonderfulbeautiful and kind-hearted. But she worked as a singer at the Royal Opera House, so she was rarely home. Because of her constant travels, she even divorced her husband, James father. So, it was just Gran who looked after him.
For as long as he could remember, whenever James returned to his block of flats, hed always glance up. On the fourth floor, through the window, hed spot the familiar silhouette of his beloved Gran, waiting impatiently for him to come home. And whenever she saw him off somewhere, shed always wave from the window, and without fail, hed wave back.
But when James turned twenty-five, Gran passed away. Now, coming home to no silhouette in the window, he felt unbearably sad and empty. Even when his mum was home, he felt alone. They hadnt spoken properly in yearsno shared interests, no real conversations. They didnt even sort out household issues together, as if they were strangers.
A few months after Grans death, James suddenly decided to move to another city. Besides, his skills were in demandIT specialists were needed everywhere. Online, he found a good company offering a generous salary and even covering rent. His mum was thrilled. After all, her son was grown now, and he needed to find his own way, far from home.
He packed only Grans favourite mug as a keepsake and a few clothes to start with. Slinging his duffel bag over his shoulder, he took one last look at the kitchen window, but there was nothing there. His mum didnt even come to wave goodbye. A taxi quickly took him to the train station, and soon he was lying on the top bunk of a sleeper carriage.
The next morning, the train arrived right on schedule. James found his new workplace, checked in, and went to view flats based on addresses hed found online earlier. Navigating the unfamiliar city using his phone, he suddenly noticed a block of flats. Strangely, it looked just like his old one. All these post-war buildings were similar, but this one felt differentmaybe because the window frames were painted the same odd shade of turquoise.
Without meaning to, James strayed from his route and slowly approached the building. He just wanted to stand there and remember Gran. As he got closer, he instinctively looked up, searching the window where his old kitchen should beand froze. His head spun at the sight. On the fourth floor, behind the kitchen window, stood his grandmothers silhouette. He recognised her instantly, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest.
James was a sensible man and knew this couldnt be real. He squeezed his eyes shut, turned away, and started walking off. His mind told him it was just some other grandmother up there, but his heart whispered, *Stop! Thats her!* And he listened. He stopped, turned back, and looked up again.
She was still there. James couldnt take it. With his duffel bag on his shoulder, he bolted inside, straight up to the fourth floor. Just like in his old building, the lock on the stairwell door was broken, so he flew up the steps and rang the flats doorbell. A bleary-eyed young woman in a dressing gown answered, staring at him in confusion.
“What do you want?” she asked sharply.
“Me?” James faltered. “II want my gran”
“Your gran?” the woman echoed, then suddenly smiled and called into the flat, “Mum! Theres someone here for you!”
While her mother came, the woman studied this odd young man with curiosity. James head wasnt just spinning nowhis heart felt like it might stop.
“Who was asking for me?” A woman in her fifties, also in a dressing gown, appeared in the doorway.
“Mum, imagine,” the younger woman smirked. “He just called you ‘Gran’.”
“Wait,” James muttered. “I wasnt calling for you I In your window In the kitchen My gran was standing there. I swear I saw her.”
“What, are you on something?” the daughter scoffed. “We dont have any grans here! Its just me and Mum, got it?”
“Right Sorry I mustve got confused” James vision blurred. He stepped back, set his bag down, and braced himself against the wall. “Ill just stand here a moment, then leave”
The daughter started closing the door, but her mother stopped her.
“Hey, lad,” the older woman said gently, “are you all right?”
“Fine,” he lied. “Dont worry”
“You dont look fine. Your face is beetroot-red. Come on.” She quickly stepped into the hallway, took his arm, and guided him inside, snapping orders at her daughter. “Emily, bring his bag in! And fetch the blood pressure monitorquick!”
The daughter, wide-eyed, obeyed.
The woman sat James down in the hallway and silently took his blood pressure before issuing more commands.
“Get my bag. Ive got injections in there” Then she turned to James. “Im giving you something now, just in case, and well call an ambulance”
“No ambulance!” he blurted. “Ive just got off the train I dont even have a place yet”
“Listen to my mum!” Emily cut in. “Shes a doctor, got it?”
“Youre not from around here?” the mother asked.
James just nodded weakly.
“Please, dont call anyone I start my new job tomorrow”
“Quiet!” She was already injecting him. “Have you had episodes like this before?”
“No,” he whispered.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-five.”
“Any heart problems?”
“Im perfectly healthy.”
“Healthy? Your blood pressures through the roof180 over 100 is no joke.”
“Maybe its nerves.”
“Nerves over what?”
“I told youI saw my gran in your window. She was watching me from your kitchen.”
“Your gran?”
“Yes. But she died two months ago. Are you sure theres no grandmother living here?”
“Youre a strange one,” Emily giggled. “I told you, its just me and Mum. But if itll calm you down, Ill check the kitchen.”
She trotted off and, seconds later, shrieked.
“Mum! Whats this?!” She reappeared holding an unfamiliar mug. “Where did this come from? Weve never had this at home!”
James gave a bewildered smile. “Thats my grans mug. I packed it. It should be in my bag.”
The three of them emptied his duffel bag, but the mug was nowhere to be found.
To this day, the family cant explain what happenedespecially Emilys mother. Because two months later, she became James mother-in-law. Some things really are just strange.
