Chapter 14: Flapjacks

Dennis knocked on Pauline's front door at four, with a tin of flapjacks under his arm.

I was in the hallway with a tea towel in my hand.

Pauline had a rolling pin in hers.

"Don't open it," I whispered.

"I'll open it," she said. "I want to see his face."

She opened it two inches on the chain.

"Evening, Pauline," Dennis said. "I've brought the girls something for their tea."

"Which girls?"

"Why, Marianne, for a start. I can see her feet."

I stepped into the gap.

He looked tired and kind and a little hurt, and for one second I wanted to say thank you.

Then I thought about the top of a staircase and a locked door.

"Hello, Den," I said.

"Is Joss behind you?"

"Joss is in his truck, where I put him." My voice came out hard, and I let it. "He can stay there till he's a pensioner."

"That's what I heard." Dennis sighed. "Aye. I'm sorry, love."

He held up the tin.

Pauline took it through the gap and put it on the hall shelf without looking at it.

"I'd not eat that," she said to me, quite clearly.

Dennis smiled at her.

"It's only that Poppy's not at yours, is she? Joss says she's gone off."

"She's not here," I said.

"Funny. Pauline's Micra went out at nine, and came back at twelve, and it's never been out before breakfast in its life."

Nobody said anything.

"I'm only a nosy old man," he said. "It's the kitchen window. You see everything from a kitchen."

I heard Pauline's breath go out of her through her nose.

"Sunday," Dennis said. "Ewan would have been six."

He said the name so gently.

"We ride out for him. The whole club, the wives in the cars behind. You haven't come since the first year, Marianne. You should come."

"Should I."

"And bring his namesake. It's only right. The little lad should be at the cairn, in front of everybody, with his name on him."

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