Divas Don't Knit Read Online Free PDF Page B

combined our names when we got married, just after Jack was born. Nick liked the idea of being double-barrelled because he thought it looked better on screen, although I was never that attached to Jones. I don’t hate it as much as Vin does though, especially when Gran calls him Vinnie. Officially he’s Vincent, which is down to Mum being Artistic, so I’m lucky I only got stuck with Josephine. I did try going for Jo-Jo in my teens, but it didn’t stick. I think you probably need silk tassels to pull off being a Jo-Jo.
    I’ll ask Gran what she thinks about McKnits, because I think a change of name would be good; it would signal a new start. But I don’t want to offend her; the shop’s been in the family for years, and she started working the week after she married Grandad, just after the war started and he was sent off on a naval destroyer from Dover. He only got home for one leave before he was blown up somewhere in the Baltic; she showed me all his medals once, with her wedding album full of black-and-whitephotographs, and a bundle of letters with tiny, neat writing and rows of kisses at the end of each one, and a silk Valentine’s card, with red ribbon faded to pink. He was only twenty when he died, and Gran moved in with old Mrs Butterworth, and had Mum, and then gradually took over and ran things herself. So she might mind if I change things too quickly.
    She’s standing by the front gate as we arrive, waving a duster.
    ‘How was the journey? Terrible I bet, I’ve been listening to the radio, and they said there was one of them hatchbacks on the motorway.’
    Archie’s yelling, ‘We’re at the seaside, we’re at the seaside!’ and trying to find his fishing net.
    ‘A tailback?’
    ‘Yes. You poor things, you must be exhausted. Come on in and I’ll put the kettle on. I brought the spare one from the shop so we could have a nice cup of tea before the van gets here. Mind you it takes an age to boil – I think the element’s furred up. I keep telling Elsie we need to get one of those metal things you put in and they collect up all the bits. Mrs Lilly’s got one and she says it’s marvellous. Have you got one, love?’
    ‘What? Sorry, Gran, no, I haven’t. Archie, please stop that, and Jack, leave things in the car and we’ll bring them in later.’
    ‘But I need my blanket for tonight.’
    ‘Yes, I know, but don’t start unpacking things now. We haven’t even got the beds in yet.’
    He sighs and Gran gives him a hug.
    ‘I’ve done the front room and given the bedrooms a quick wipe-over. Dust as thick as anything there was, you know, but I don’t think Gladys can have bothered. She always was a bit flighty if you ask me. She used to stop out all hours you know.’
    Somehow I can’t quite see Gladys Tilling stopping out all hours. She’s got to be at least as old as Gran, and Gran’s eighty next year.
    ‘Did she? When was that?’
    ‘In the war, dear, she was very partial to the Americans at the base. Her and May Prentice, they’d come back all hours, with their stockings in their handbags if you get my meaning.’
    ‘Sounds like fun.’
    ‘Yes, but not with her Ted off in the desert getting shrapnel in his head. Mind you, he wasn’t exactly the full shilling before he went, but he managed very well; you’d think a head full of bits of metal and that’d be it, but he went on for years, and he could always tell you if there was bad weather on the way. Well, I just hope she’s happy in Australia, because it’s a long way to go at her age, you know, even if your daughter has got a pool and does barbecues every night. You wouldn’t catch me going all that way for a sausage. Do you want a hand with that, dear?’
    ‘No thanks, Gran, it’s fine. The removal men should be here soon.’
    ‘Yes and you’ve got to watch them, you know, make sure they don’t pinch your valuables – they’re all at it.’
    ‘They’ll have a hard job, Gran, unless they’re into Lego.’
    ‘Well