Meredith had a somewhat more direct approach to dealing with her uncle. She had decided to pop into Orchard Cottage on her way back from school, having just sat her first English Literature AS Level mock exam, and had swiped Matthew’s key to the cottage as she’d left for school just to make sure she’d be able to get in if Jonathan didn’t open up.
Although pleasantly surprised to find the place neat and tidy; she’d expected all kinds of detritus to have crept in already knowing how messy her uncle could be, as she entered the kitchen she was shocked at the sight of him. He obviously hadn’t slept for some time and the dark rings under his eyes were highlighted by the redness. He hadn’t shaved and he didn’t rise from his chair.
‘How are you, Uncle Jonno?’ she asked as she drew closer.
‘I’m fine, lovely,’ he said softly. He finally stood up and enfolded her in his arms, and they held each other tightly.
‘I suppose your father would have a fit if I offered you a proper drink, so you’d better put the kettle on,’ Jonathan said as they broke apart.
Meredith smiled. ‘He’d probably understand, under the circumstances, but I’ve got a driving lesson later so I’d better not.’ Meredith was one of the older students in her year, and her seventeenth birthday had been occasion for both celebration and anxiety for her father and stepmother, whose memories of her dreadful car accident were still fresh.
‘How’s that going?’ Jonathan asked as Meredith crossed the kitchen to fill the kettle.
‘Not too bad, but I can’t seem to get my hands and feet to work together so I’ve been stalling a lot.’ Kettle filled, Meredith crossed to the range top and lit the gas.
‘How many lessons have you had?’ Jonathan reached behind him to the upper cupboard and took out two mugs.
‘Two,’ Meredith shrugged. ‘So, I suppose it’s still early days.’
‘You know your father didn’t pass first time.’
‘Really?’ Meredith said in surprise. ‘He kind of gave me the impression that he did.’
‘He doesn’t like to admit it but he failed because he mounted the kerb and then had the temerity to argue with the examiner about it.’ Jonathan dropped a tea bag into each mug and then went to get the milk out of the fridge. ‘I almost think he’d have got away with it if he’d kept his mouth shut, but he couldn’t help arguing.’
‘Sounds like Dad,’ Meredith replied.
‘Well, this examiner decided that he was far too full of himself so he put a cross in the box and your dad had to wait six weeks until he could have another go. He was pretty pissed off, because he’d been chosen as the designated driver for a boys’ week in Devon at the end of his A Levels, and he couldn’t get another test date until September.’ Jonathan smiled and passed Meredith the mugs. ‘But don’t tell him I told you that.’
‘My lips are sealed,’ Meredith said as she filled the mugs.
There was a companionable pause as the two of them sat back down at the kitchen table and sipped their tea.
‘I would offer you a biscuit, but I’m afraid I’ve run out and I haven’t been shopping since before Granddad…’ Jonathan trailed off and took another gulp of his tea.
‘No worries; I had a late lunch.’ Meredith looked from her mug to her uncle and gave a soft smile.
Jonathan blinked. ‘You’re not the kid you used to be, are you?’
Meredith shook her head. ‘The past couple of years have made me grow up a lot. And there’s been good stuff and bad. When I woke up in that hospital bed, I realised that there was so much I’d taken for granted, and when I heard you and Dad talking that night after the Harvest Ball, I guess that’s when I stopped being a child, and started realising that not everyone is a hero and not everyone is a bad guy. We’re all shades of both and everything in between. And that’s coming from someone who totally believed you and Dad were invincible and couldn’t ever do anything wrong.’
‘I suppose we’ve both been a disappointment to you, then,’ Jonathan said thoughtfully.
Meredith paused for a long time before she answered. ‘No.’ She put her mug down on the table. ‘I had to realise that everyone is human, everyone has flaws. When you’re little, you believe your dad is superman and that he can achieve anything. Then you grow up and you realise that your dad is human, but that’s what makes him more incredible. And, Uncle Jonno, the same goes for you.’
Jonathan swallowed hard. ‘I suppose I never really learned that lesson when it came to Granddad.’
‘And I can see why,’ Meredith said. ‘But I also saw how many times he and Dad argued over the years, and I know exactly how bad Dad feels about that now. He never got to have the conversations he wanted with Granddad until it was nearly too late. I know they did sort a lot out after I had my accident, but there was still so much for them to work through.’ Meredith impatiently brushed away a tear that had escaped. She’d done so much crying since her grandfather had died, and she couldn’t let things get the better of her at the moment, not with Jonathan in such a vulnerable state.
‘What would you have said to him, if you had the chance for one more conversation?’ Jonathan asked his niece gently.
Meredith took her time to give this some thought. She sipped the dregs of her tea. ‘I think Granddad and I had this kind of unspoken thing,’ she said, eventually. ‘We just enjoyed each other’s company. I don’t think I actually needed to say anything to him that he didn’t already know.’ She looked up at Jonathan again, clear blue eyes alight. ‘I’d have liked to have told him that I loved him one more time, and that I was glad he was my granddad, but I have the feeling he knew that already. What about you?’
Jonathan laughed hollowly. ‘The thing about Granddad, niece of mine, is that he always knew, and noticed, a whole lot more than we gave him credit for.’
‘Such as?’ Meredith asked.
‘Such as the real reason your parents split up,’ Jonathan said quietly. ‘Although he never let on until your Dad was at risk of losing your delectable stepmother for good. Then he let him, and later me, have it with both barrels.’
‘I was so angry with you,’ Meredith said thoughtfully. ‘That night I overheard you and Dad talking, when I realised that you were the reason Mum and Dad split up, I wanted to scream at you.’
‘I know,’ Jonathan hung his head. ‘And I remember our dinner at The Stationmaster when you basically called me every name under the sun, in whispers, until I was so paranoid Vern was going to chuck us out, I bought you a liqueur coffee just to keep you quiet.’
‘That’s right,’ Meredith smiled. ‘And I eventually realised that if Granddad could keep the peace for ten years, then I should try to do the same, no matter how angry I was with you.’
‘And you’ve no idea how glad I am that you’re still talking to me,’ Jonathan said quietly. ‘I don’t deserve you, Merry.’
Meredith blushed. ‘You’re probably right, but Granddad also cleared up a few things for me about how hard it was for Mum when Dad was working all hours, and how I shouldn’t just blame you for what happened. The three of you all had something to do with it, even if you did behave like a twat.’
‘Thanks,’ Jonathan said dryly.
‘So, what are you going to do about Caroline?’ Meredith asked.
Stunned, but not entirely surprised by Meredith’s abrupt change of subject, Jonathan played for time. He got up and took Meredith’s mug and his own to the dishwasher. ‘You don’t believe in pussyfooting around, do you?’
‘Must have got that from Mum,’ Meredith smiled. ‘But it’s not about me, it’s about you.’
‘Oh, I don’t know, darling,’ Jonathan replied. ‘There’s not really a situation to do anything about, is there?’
‘Don’t be daft,’ Meredith said. ‘You know you’re bonkers about her, as does half the village by now. The only one who needs to know for sure is Caroline.’
‘Well, that’s not going to happen, even if it were true,’ Jonathan said. ‘She’s got other things to deal with right now.’ He stopped himself from adding that, if Caroline really gave a stuff about him she’d have got in touch when Jack died, too.
‘Such as?’ Meredith pushed.
‘Oh, nothing you need to worry about,’ Jonathan evaded. ‘Just try to remember that you can’t make everyone dance to your tune.’
Meredith stood up from her seat at the table and looked her uncle straight in the eye. ‘You’d be surprised,’ she replied. ‘After all, I’m really good at matchmaking, and I know a good couple when I see one.’
‘Ah yes, I remember all too well hearing the stories about how you got your dad and Anna together for their first date,’ Jonathan said. ‘But you’re wrong on this one. Caroline and I were never a couple.’
‘That’s not what it looks like to me and everyone at the restaurant,’ Meredith said.
‘Caroline’s not interested in anything long term. If she was, I’d know.’
‘I think you need to speak to her, Uncle Jonno,’ Meredith said gently. ‘And convince her that you’re serious.’
‘Maybe when the funeral is over,’ Jonathan said. ‘Let’s just get through that first, darling.’
‘All right,’ Meredith conceded. ‘But Granddad wouldn’t want you to waste this opportunity. So, don’t wait too long.’
As Meredith left, Jonathan was torn between tears and helpless laughter. Sometimes Meredith truly was incorrigible. But, no matter what his niece said, it didn’t detract from the fact that Caroline hadn’t contacted him about Jack, and, like it or not, he felt more hurt by that than he had by anything in a long time.