The Restoration Rival novel · Chapter 6 of 21

Chapter 6: The Woman in the Snow

She had snow in her eyelashes.

"I got the night bus," she said. "I didn't want to wake anyone."

Behind me, Grandma's chair scraped back.

Grandma came to the doorway, looked at the woman in the courtyard, and stood still for a second.

Then she stepped past me and took the suitcase.

"Get inside," she said. "Both of you."

The kettle was still on.

Grandma put the suitcase down by the stove and set out a third bowl without being asked.

Mom sat at the end of the table with her hands in her lap.

Her hands were red. She must have walked from the bus stop.

I stood by the door with my coat on.

"Sit down, Ken," Grandma said.

"I'm fine."

"Then stand there."

She sat down herself, on the bench, facing both of us like a referee.

Nobody said anything for a while.

The rice went cold in front of me.

Mom looked at the bowl, then at the tin, still open on the table with the bank book out.

"You told him," she said.

"I told him tonight."

"Grandma."

"I'm not going to lie to my grandson for you or anyone else," Grandma said. "You can do the rest."

She got up and went into the back room and pulled the door to.

We were alone.

The stove ticked.

"You should eat," Mom said.

"I ate."

"Your grandmother says you don't eat."

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Act like you know what I do."

She nodded slowly, like that was fair.

"I know," she said. "I don't."

She reached across and turned the bank book so the pages were facing me.

"Every month. The first one was six years ago in April. I started the month I found out where you were."

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