We all ran out to meet Isaac, who got out of the car a bit sheepishly, with the biggest bunch of flowers I’d ever seen. Pink and red, yellow and white, inside a cone of crackly cellophane which Jessica would have loved.
Ellen’s cheeks glowed as Isaac thrust the bouquet into her hands. I noticed she had done her hair nicely, tied back with a floaty red scarf, and her eyes were alive again, the way they had been when she was a child.
‘WOW. Are those for me, Isaac?’ she asked.
‘They’re from all of us at the school, to say thank you,’ Isaac said. He hesitated, then leaned forward and gave Ellen a kiss on her cheek. ‘And that’s a warm thank you from me, my dear. We all enjoyed your playing so much. It wasmarvellous.’
And when he said the word‘marvellous’ in his rumbly voice, something amazing happened which only I could see. An angel appeared in a flare of gold, a new angel who I’d never seen before. Her robe fizzed with points of light and it swirled around Ellen and Isaac, wrapping them in stars. It electrified my fur from headto tail as it swished over me. I looked at John. Had he seen it too? His eyes were full of its light, but he stayed silent, and I could read his thoughts. He did see it, but he wasn’t going to say so.
‘These are wonderful flowers.’ Ellen buried her face in them. ‘The perfume! And the colours! I … I’ve never had such a bouquet.’
Isaac smiled, looking down at her, his eyes radiating kindness.
‘The first of many, I hope,’ he said, and rubbed his chunky hands together. ‘Brr, it’s cold. I’ll be glad to get in by the fire. Is your little stove going?’
‘Not yet.’ Ellen said. ‘I had trouble lighting it this morning.’
‘I’ll do it for you … in return for a coffee,’ said Isaac eagerly.
‘And will you make a Lego model with me?’ John asked. ‘Please?’
‘When I’ve lit the fire … if that’s OK with your mum.’
‘That would be brilliant,’ said Ellen. ‘I’ll put the kettle on.’
I glanced across at Pam’s caravan and she was watching out of her window with a big smile on her face. She stuck her thumbs up and winked at me. Isaac sat on the floor with the stove doors open, twisting bits of newspaper and popping them in around the kindling. He lit a match and sat there blowing and twiddling paper until orange flames were roaring up the flue. I rubbed myself against him, purring, walking round and round him, over his lap and stretching up to kiss his nose and feel his beard brushing my whiskers.
I buzzed with excitement when Ellen gave me the crackly cellophane from the flowers. She put it on the floor and I pounced and skidded and scrunched it. I wanted to hear Isaac laugh, and he did, and the caravan shook with his happy laughter. His eyes crinkled and his face went red, and Ellen and John were laughing at me too.
We had a great afternoon. John settled down with his Lego and Ellen sat peacefully talking to Isaac. He did a lot of attentive listening, and I could see him looking at the ballet shoes hanging on the wall. When he stood up to go home, he touched the pink silk ribbon with one finger.
‘Who’s the dancer?’ he asked.
Ellen blushed.‘Me,’ she said. ‘I used to do ballet. I loved it. Ballet and music were … were my passion.’
Isaac looked down at her with deepening interest.
‘Well,’ he said, stroking his beard thoughtfully. Slowly he put his hand into his pocket and took out a glossy leaflet. ‘It so happens that this came through my door today. It’s the Hall for Cornwall programme in Truro. Have you been there?’
‘No. Never,’ said Ellen. ‘We couldn’t possibly afford to go.’
‘They’re doing a ballet.Swan Lake. I… don’t suppose you’d like to come with me, would you Ellen?’
Ellen stared at him, her mouth open, her eyes full of light.
‘I’d love to,’ she whispered, and looked at John. ‘But …’
I rubbed against Isaac’s legs to show my approval, and John said, ‘You go Mummy. Pam will look after me, and Solomon.’
‘I’ll fetch you, and bring you home,’ said Isaac, ‘and I can pay for the tickets. It would be my pleasure to take you.’
I had to meow at Ellen twice before she said,‘Yes … yes, I’d love that Isaac.’
‘Right.’ Isaac got up and put on his duffel coat. ‘I shall go home now and book them this instant.’
The minute he’d gone, Pam came bustling over.
‘Eee,’ she said, ‘look at them flowers.’
‘He’s invited me to the ballet, at the Hall for Cornwall in Truro,’ said Ellen.
‘Eee …’ Pam sat down and I saw tears in her eyes. She leaned forward and whispered, ‘I reckon Isaac Mead fancies you, Ellen.’
Ellen went red.‘Maybe he does,’ she said.
‘He’s a lovely man,’ said Pam, ‘a lovely man, and so lonely since his wife died. He’s all on his own in that big farmhouse like a pea in a drum.’
‘But Pam …’ said Ellen. ‘What am I going to wear?’
‘He won’t care,’ said Pam. ‘He’ll probably turn up in his old duffel coat. Anyway, you are going, aren’t you? And you know I’ll look after John and Solomon.’
‘Thanks Pam, you’re a star.’