Read Three-And-A-Half Heartbeats for Free Online Page B

exhaustion your sister would envy.’ Mac sighed.
    ‘Oh, Dad, I know. Poor Alice!’ She wrinkled her nose with a mixture of guilt and empathy.
    ‘What will be, will be, darling.’ His words were as ever both soothing and authoritative.
    Mac and Olive had made the journey from the coast to Bedfordshire in no time at all on this quiet Sunday in January. When Mac had retired, they’d swapped their house in the suburbs for a little haven in Brighton. They loved being close to the sea and yet were only a short train ride away from civilisation, as they now referred to the Big Smoke. Like many couples their age, they spent a great deal of time and energy thinking and talking about their children and grandchild. Grace and Alice knew with certainty that they only had to pick up the phone and their parents would be on their way or reaching for the chequebook, whichever was required, without comment, questions or conditions attached. It had always been that way.
    ‘Cup of tea, Olive?’ Tom asked as he filled the kettle.
    ‘Lovely.’ She nodded. Grace’s mum had set up base camp at the kitchen table. Her vast handbag and its contents spilled over the surface and one of her many scarves was now draped over the chair on which she sat. Olive didn’t merely arrive somewhere; she seemed to alter the environment, spreading her wares about her, as if she was running a market stall or holding court in a regal fashion with her favourite objects and courtiers in close proximity.
    She was thoroughly engrossed in the painting with which she had been presented. ‘Well I never, my darling! I didn’t realise what a clever artist you were. This is a magnificent picture! Have you seen this, Grandpa?’ She held it up for Mac’s scrutiny.
    ‘Well I never!’ he gasped. ‘It’s very Jackson Pollock!’
    ‘Is that rhyming slang?’ Tom quipped.
    ‘Don’t be mean!’ Grace whispered through her laughter. ‘She’s a very talented artist.’
    Chloe wriggled about on her grandma’s large lap, playing with her beads and trying to get comfortable.
    ‘Did you do this by yourself, Chloe?’ Olive marvelled.
    ‘Yes, I did and Daddy only helped me a little bit.’ Chloe pinched her thumb and forefinger together to emphasise her point.
    Olive winked at Tom, who was busy making tea and artfully arranging homemade cookies on a plate.
    Chloe continued. ‘It’s a picture of up my mouth and my tonsils.’
    ‘Well of course it is, I can see that!’ Olive feigned offence as she surveyed the grey-black blobs that were scattered over the page. She was mightily glad that she hadn’t tried to guess at the subject; she’d been veering towards flowers or possibly a cat.
    ‘I’m going to hostipal the day after today and they are coming out.’ Chloe again opened her mouth wide and pointed down her throat.
    ‘Yes, and you will feel so much better! Grandpa and I brought you a little something to take with you.’
    Chloe clapped her hands with excitement as Olive reached into her bag and produced a tiny, black and white, bean-filled bear. ‘He’s a panda and he’s a doctor and so we thought he could show you the hospital and you could show him what’s going on.’
    ‘I can!’ Chloe beamed.
    ‘What do you say, Chlo?’ Grace prompted.
    ‘Thank you.’ Chloe threw her arms around her grandma’s neck and kissed her on the lips.
    ‘Are there spare kisses going? If so, I’m in the queue.’ Mac bent down as Chloe jumped from her gran’s lap and ran towards her grandpa, leaping into his arms with no regard for his age or frailty as she threw her arms around his neck.
    Grace felt her eyes prick with tears at the wonderful exchange between her dad and her little girl, knowing she would never have been so demonstrative towards him; age and embarrassment held her back. It was lovely to see.
    A car horn honked.
    ‘That’ll be Alice!’ Olive smiled, truly in her element when the whole family was together.
    Chloe squirmed free from her grandad’s