When her youngest son got married, the older children had already moved awayher daughter had married and gone off to Manchester with her husband, and her son had headed up to Scotland for work. Lily had always known the older two wouldnt stick around their little village for longher daughter had always loved the finer things, covering her walls with magazine cutouts as a girl, while her son had maps plastered everywhere, dreaming of far-off places rather than cowsheds and vegetable patches. But her youngest, Oliver, had always been her boy. When his father passed, hed taken her hand right there at the graveside and said,
“Mum, Ill never leave you. Ill always stay with you.”
Lily had stood there, whispering through tears, *How will I manage without you, my love? How will I manage?* Her daughter had wept, her eldest had stood silent as stone, but Oliverjust twelve at the timehad stayed close the whole time, offering his thin little shoulder to lean on. And hed kept his word, coming home nearly every weekend even while he was at university. So when it came time to marry, he made sure to find a girl willing to live in the village. He built a housejust a few streets overand asked Lily to move in with them, but she refused. Two women running one home? No, thank you.
His wife was named Sophie. She had big blue eyes and hair so long it nearly reached her waist. Oliver had brought her back from the citytheyd studied together, and as he confessed to Lily, hed fancied her for ages, but Sophie hadnt noticed him until then. The wedding was lively, packed with relatives. Lily liked her new daughter-in-lawa spirited girl, just what Oliver needed. So what if she didnt know her way around a kitchen? Lily could teach her.
The first row happened a week later. Lily had popped over to help make soupOliver had always had a sensitive stomachbut Sophie snapped at her, saying her hands were filthy and shed touched the bread with them. *Well, what else was I supposed to touch it with?* Lily hadnt argued, just left. That evening, Oliver gently asked her to visit only when he was homeSophie got anxious otherwise.
“Dont take it to heart, Mum,” he said. “Shes just expecting, thats all.”
And Lily didnt mind. Grandchildren? Perfect. Something to fill the hole in her heart now that her own children were gone.
When the baby came, Sophies parents, friends, and even her sister turned up to meet the newborn. Lily tried to mention that maybe so many people wasnt wise for the little one, but Sophie called her superstitious and shot Oliver a look. He asked Lily to stop fussing and just put the kettle on. So she did. Made tea, fed everyone, washed up. All the while, she kept stealing glances at her granddaughterso tiny, so perfect. She ached to hold her.
“Can I?” she asked.
Sophie eyed Lilys hands. “Wash them first.”
“I *just* washed dishes!”
“Exactly! Honestly, the state of you!”
Sophies parents stared, and Lily flushed. Maybe she *was* missing something.
She did hold the baby in the end. That sweet, milky smell! A beautiful little girl. And Sophie even loosened up after thatlet Lily come over while Oliver was at work, since she was struggling to keep up. Of course, Sophie still found ways to needle her and rarely let Lily hold the baby, but she got used to it. It stung, sure, but what could she do? Her son loved her, so Lily would adjust. The one thing that really hurt was when Sophie refused to put the baby in the pink snowsuit Lily had bought.
“Did you get this from a market stall? *My* daughter isnt wearing this! And its Aprilwhy would you bundle her up like that?”
They named the girl Emily, after Sophies sister, and Oliver promised the next daughter would be Lily. She doubted Sophie would want many children, so she didnt hold her breath. But she was wrong.
At Emilys first birthday, Oliver and Sophie hugged and announced another baby was on the way. Sophies mother clucked about it being too soon, while Lily chimed in that her own first two had been close in age and it was fine. Sophies sister pursed her lipsshe always did that when Lily spoke. Still, everyone congratulated them in the end. Sophie, flushed, said she hoped for a boy.
And she got one. When little William was born, Lily burst into tears. Shed never dared hope theyd name a grandson after her Vasily.
She adored that boy. Sophie had a rough time with the birth and finally stopped resistingletting Lily help around the house and with the kids, especially the baby. He spent most of his first year in Lilys arms.
Sophie, meanwhile, stayed in bed complaining of headaches. Shed put on weight and couldnt shake it, blaming Lily for baking pies. But how could she *not* bake them when Oliver loved them so? Lily didnt even think Sophie looked heavyjust softer, which was nice. Still, she stopped making pies.
Then along came little Henry. Pale, delicate, heartbreaking to look at. Lily expected Sophie to take to her bed again, but this time, she surprised herthrowing herself into caring for him with a fierceness Lily had never seen. She learned to cook, to massage his little limbs, to keep the house spotless. Lily took the older two, and that was all the help needed.
The children grew. Henry stayed sickly, so Lily helped with school runs, especially after a local girl went missing. Police swarmed the village, volunteers with search dogs combed the fields. They found her a month later, in the river. And she hadnt fallen in by accident Oliver panicked and begged Lily to walk the kids to school. After that, Sophie or Oliver would collect them.
Henry had some rare conditionLily tried asking Oliver, but hed just snap, unable to accept his son being different. Sophie would say Lily, with her basic schooling, wouldnt understand. It didnt seem so badpale, with fine, downy hair and a big head, but bright as a button.
Sophie doted on Henry, blind to everything else. Lily was the first to realize Oliver was sneaking off with Katie, the shop girl, and tried to shield Sophie from it. But gossip spreads.
One day, the kids walked home alone. William told her when she came by the next morning.
“Gran, we dont need escorting! Yesterday, *I* scared off the dogs for Emily, and we got home fine.”
Emily was terrified of dogs. But that wasnt the pointwhy hadnt Sophie met them? She always took Henry out at that time.
When Lily found her, Sophie was puffy-eyed, nose red from crying.
“How can I show my face now?” she whimpered. “Everyone will point! I bought yogurts for Henry from her *every day*!”
“Enough of that,” Lily said firmly. “Wash your face, pull yourself together. Were going shopping.”
To her surprise, Sophie obeyed. An hour later, they marched into the village shop, Henry in his pramhe still struggled to walk. Behind the counter, Katie lifted her chin, eyes bold on her rival.
“Katie, we need butterthe good kind. Oliver loves Sophies cheese pies. And some fresh curd, and those fancy chocolatesSophies favourite. My boy spoils his wife, doesnt he? Payday today, he said spend what you like.”
Sophie caught on, chin lifting too. As they packed their bags, Katie suddenly blurted, “He promised me a phone tomorrow. One with a camera. Keep your chocolates!”
Lily nudged Sophie*dont worry, that phone isnt happening.* They left, and that afternoon, baked a pie togetherbut didnt save a crumb for Oliver. When he got home, clearly tipped off by Katie, he lifted the tea towel to find nothing.
“Did you really not leave me any?” he grumbled.
“Sorry, love, we ate it all without thinking,” Lily lied. “Have some soup insteadbetter for you. Oh, and newsSophies got a job. Remember Uncle Jack? Hes started a delivery service, needs someone on phones. Good pay, decent driverstheyll treat our Sophie right.”
“But what about Henry?” Oliver faltered.
“Thats what *Im* here for. Think I cant handle one little boy? Now, give us some moneySophie needs proper clothes, a haircut. Go on, out with it!”
He didnt dare refuse. Note after note, until Lily had emptied his wallet. *Now go buy your mistress a phone with whats left!*
Of course, she hadnt spoken to Jack yetbut hed once had a soft spot for her and couldnt say no. Sophie got the job.
“Dont row with Oliver,” Lily advised. “Act like you know nothing. Just be cool with
