Never Forget (Memories #1)(3)
Author: Emma Hart

"I always tell her she doesn’t need to," Alec takes the seat opposite me and smiles, showing his dimples. "She pays me enough but she insists on feeding me."

"Well I love to cook," Grammy responds, "and I have no one to do it for anymore. It gets a little lonely here by myself sometimes, so it’s nice to have the company of a dashing young man a few times a week." She winks at him and I roll my eyes.

"Honestly, Grammy. You’re incorrigible. What would Granddad think?" I mock scold her.

"He’d probably say ‘good on ya for gettin’ yourself a younger lad, Vi.’" Dad laughs.

I let out a small laugh and look down.

"You’re right there, Si." Grammy pats Dad’s hand. "Oh, Alec. Excuse my manners, I haven’t introduced you to my family."

"It’s okay, Vi. You’ve been looking forward to this for weeks. I’m happy to sit back and let you have your fun." Alec winks at her and she beams.

"Well anyway, this is my daughter, Emily, her husband Si, and my granddaughter Alexis. But she likes to be called Lexy," she adds in a conspiratorial whisper.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you all," Alec says with his eyes fixed on mine.

Did I mention his eyes before? That lovely blue grey colour the sea goes before a storm hits. The kind of colour you could look in anticipation at forever…

"And you," I say politely, a sweet smile on my face. I draw my eyes from his and focus on my pasta.

"So, Alec," Mum begins, "I hope my mother isn’t working you too hard. She used to have all of us out there each summer tending to her plants.”

"Oh no ma’am, I don’t mind. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of hard work…"

I tune out of the conversation and admire Grammy’s back garden as I eat. I can see strawberries ready to ripen, blueberries nearly ready for picking, and a lavender plant blooming. The little pond at the end is home to several types of fish, and the wire mesh over the top keeps the cats out.

"Lexy," Dad says disapprovingly.

"I’m sorry." I turn my head back to the conversation.

"Your mother was trying to speak to you."

"Sorry, Mum. What were you saying?" I ask her.

She teases some of her dark hair behind her ear. "I was just wondering why you can’t bring a nice boy like Alec home. That last one was dreadful."

I choke on my pasta and Grammy pats my back. I smile gratefully and notice her eyes are twinkling mischievously again. Damn woman!

"Okay, first, we’ve had this conversation a million times and you know I want my education before I worry about guys, unless the right one comes along. Second, the ‘last one’, Harry, wasn’t my boyfriend. He’s g*y." I raise my eyebrows. "And third, you’ve known Alec ten minutes. No offence, I’m sure he’s a lovely guy," yeah I bet, "but you don’t know him, so can we please stop talking about my relationship status."

Alec laughs. "No offence taken."

Mum shakes her head. "I can’t take you anywhere, Lexy."

I motion to Alec. "He already said he didn’t take offence to my words."

"I actually respect that," Alec put in, "I don’t mean to butt in, but I think it’s great you’re more worried about your education than having a boyfriend."

"Thank you." I smile at him across the table.

"Oh, dear, that reminds me." Grammy taps the table. "I ran into.. What’s her name? The girl you used to play with."

My brow furrows as I think. "Do you mean Jen?"

"Yes!" Grammy claps her hands. "Well I ran into her yesterday at the post office and told her about you coming here for the summer and she said you should give her a call. She gave me her number and I put it somewhere.." Grammy gets up and wanders over to her bag on the counter. She rifles through it.

"You put it on the fridge so you wouldn’t lose it, Vi," Alec tells her.

Grammy looks at the fridge and pulls it off. "Here it is. So I did, thank you, Alec."

"Any time," he says sincerely and stands. "Thank you for another lovely meal, Vi, but I better be going before mum wonders where I am." He looks at all of us. "It was lovely to meet you all."

"And you, love," Mum says with a smile. Dad stands and they shake hands. I wave half-heartedly, my attention on the bit of paper Grammy hands me.

"I’m gonna go call her now, okay?" I stand and disappear from the room.

Alec is just leaving as I reach the bottom of the stairs.

"Bye, Lexy." He smiles and shuts the door.

"Yeah, bye," I say after him and bounce up the stairs into my room.

I snatch my phone from my pillow and dial her number.

She picks up after three rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey, is this Jen?"

"Yeah, who’s this? Oh, oh! Lexy, is that you?" she exclaims.

"The one and only!" I laugh.

"Oh it’s so good to hear your voice. What’s it been?"

"Five years," I say, almost regretfully.

"Wow, that’s ages. How have you been?"

We get the pleasantries out the way and I find myself laughing and smiling as if we’d never lost contact.

"Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow?" Jen asks.

"Nothing, why?"

"I’m heading down to the bay with my boyfriend, Carl. Fancy coming with us? He’ll be surfing and it’s sooo boring on my own."

"Yeah, sure. What time?"

We make plans and I hang up. I lie back on my bed and sigh.

Maybe it won’t be so bad to spend the summer here after all.

CHAPTER TWO

ALEXIS

I roll over in bed, stretching before I rub the sleep from my eyes. I reach under my pillow for my phone.

"Oh crap!" I exclaim and jump out of bed. My phone reads 10.10 and I’m supposed to meet Jen at 10.30 at the Bay.

I scramble through my half unpacked suitcase in search of a bikini, sun dress and sandals. I find some sunglasses and grip the arm of them between my teeth before triumphantly finding the objects of my search.

I change quickly and apply some mascara to my long lashes, rubbing some concealer under my eyes to hide the fact I’ve just got up. I release my hair from its messy bun, letting the crazy curls cascade down my back. I groan at the mess and run a brush through it, untangling it all. A little mousse smooths it out and I nod, satisfied at my appearance.

I slide my bag onto my arm, grab my phone and make a break for it downstairs. Grammy is pottering around in the kitchen doing whatever it is she does when I get downstairs.

"Good morning, Lexy girl." She turns to me with a smile and looks me over. "Off out?"