Chapter 22: Cora - The Foster Child

Elliot looked so deathly white when he saw the deflated tyre that I feel shaken too. I pull myself together, everything is fine, we discovered it before I set out. And now Elliot is taking me in his car, which is so thoughtful and I know that my parents will be delighted to see him. Dad has rheumatoid arthritis and they don’t get out much now as he can no longer drive and Mum has never learnt to drive, so they love to have visitors.

Elliot phones a mobile mechanic and arranges for him to come to the house and change my tyre the next afternoon when I get home from work then we set off to see my parents. I love being in Elliot’s Merc, it’s so luxurious, with its soft mocha brown leather seats. It’s such a smooth ride I almost fall asleep.

‘Here we are.’ Elliot’s voice breaks into my thoughts. I blink and see that we’re parked outside my parents’ retirement bungalow. I’ve slept most of the journey!

Mum’s at the door, her face beaming. ‘Oh, you’ve brought Elliot with you, how wonderful.’

Elliot is his usual friendly, charming self, talking to my dad about the state of the world, complimenting my mum on her hair, making it all about them not him. He’s a dentist with a beautiful cottage and drives a Mercedes but you would never think it to listen to him. He’s the most wonderful, kind, down-to-earth man and that’s one of the reasons I love him. My heart overflows with happiness as I listen to Elliot and my dad chatting.

Mum catches my eye and squeezes my hand. ‘You’ve got a good man there, Cora,’ she says. Which is praise indeed as my mum loves Dale and was gutted when we split up. I’m so happy how everything has turned out.

Then Dad shows Elliot his garden while I check with Mum how they really are and then we get talking about Lori.

‘Is she okay? I haven’t heard from her for a while,’ Mum says.

‘She’s got a new boyfriend.’ I tell her about Lori and Jacob coming to stay last weekend. ‘They’re coming for Christmas too. Why don’t you both come and you can catch up with Lori and meet Jacob. You’re very welcome.’

Mum shakes her head. ‘Thank you, darling, but we prefer to stay at home now. Perhaps you can all visit us on Boxing Day? Or one of the other days before they go back?’

‘We will, I promise. Lori sends her love by the way, she phoned me earlier today,’ I add.

‘She’s such a lovely girl. She sends me a message now and again, checks how we are.’ Mum and Lori have always been close.

Then I tell her about meeting Violet again and how she seems settled and happy now. Mum’s so pleased to hear that. ‘Poor kid, I know that she was a bit of a handful, and made Lori’s life a misery, but she didn’t have a good start in life, did she? Fancy her living in your village though. Is that awkward for you?’

I consider this. ‘It was a bit, but it was all a long time ago and in a way it’s nice to have met up again so we can all move on and put it behind us.’

Mum nods thoughtfully. ‘Very forgiving of Lori to let it go though.’

It was. Not that she had much choice really when Elliot had unwittingly invited Violet to stay for dinner. ‘She realises that they were both just kids,’ I say.

Then Elliot and Dad come back in and we have a cup of tea and slice of Mum’s Victoria sponge before setting off home.

* * *

We haven’t been in long when the doorbell rings. I go to answer it and find Violet standing on the doorstep.

‘Hello, Aunty Cora, I’m not disturbing you, am I?’ she asks. ‘I dropped by to give you a Christmas card.’ She hands me a square white envelope.

‘Thank you. I’d invite you in but we’ve just got back from my parents’ and haven’t eaten yet,’ I tell her. I feel awful leaving her standing there but we do need to make a start on dinner.

‘Oh that’s okay, I can’t stop anyway. How are Nan and Grandpa? I would love to see them again.’ She rubs her hands together as if she’s cold and I feel like she’s hinting to come in.

‘Dad has rheumatoid arthritis now but apart from that they’re well,’ I reply. ‘I’m so sorry, Violet, but I really have to go. I’ll see you again soon. I’ll drop your card in the hairdresser’s.’

‘No worries.’ Violet waves cheerily and goes back up the path.

‘Who was that?’ Elliot asks, coming out of the kitchen as I shut the front door.

‘Violet. She brought us a Christmas card.’

I open the envelope as I walk down to the kitchen.

It’s a Christmas wreath hanging on a red ribbon with the words Season’s Greetings written around the top of the wreath. I open it up. It’s blank inside. Violet has written, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, love from Violet.

I show it to Elliot.

He stares at it as if he’s seen a ghost.

‘What is it?’ I ask.

He shakes his head. ‘Nothing, it’s just the image of the wreath, it gave me the chills for a minute.’

What a strange thing to say. I’m about to ask him why but he’s already turned and gone back into the kitchen.

Later, as we’re eating dinner, Elliot suddenly says, ‘I was wondering. The things that have been happening – do you think they might be something to do with Violet? That she resents you for sending her back?’ he asks. ‘It seems a little strange that it’s only since you met up with her again that the… strange things have happened. And then we bump into her in the woods and come home to find a screw in your back tyre.’

I don’t know why seeing the Christmas card made him think that, although I’d considered the same thing myself when I saw Violet with Duchess. ‘I did wonder that myself,’ I admit, ‘but she doesn’t seem to hold any resentment. She’s really friendly and happy to see me. And I’m sure she wouldn’t be so spiteful as to puncture my tyre.’

He nods. ‘You’re right. It’s a daft idea. Forget I mentioned it.’ He scoops up a forkful of mashed potatoes and swallows it.

He’s made me think though. I’d suspected Violet too, hadn’t I? Then I recall the shock on his face when he saw that Christmas card.

Is there something he isn’t telling me?