The days that followed Nickolas's visit to Culmore, the hours and minutes dragged on by. Grace's head was in the clouds as she packed her bags yet again. she was moving back to London. Nicko had gone ahead of them. He wanted to sort out the 'jumble' as Grace had called it, with Amelia before she and Neill came into the Meyer Mansion.
On her last Sunday in Culmore, Grace woke up to the smell of sausage and mushroom frying. experience told her that Rose had let herself in and the first feeling to hit her was embarrassment. she had wanted to cook something special for Rose, as a farewell note. and here was Rose already treating her to her special breakfast of sausage, mushroom, and soda bread. she knew It was going to be a feast. Rose only made that breakfast on special occasions. once when Neill was born and again when Nicko was in Culmore.
Rolling out of bed, she willed herself to go shower and dress before Rose came bounding up the stairs.
By the time she walked into the kitchen, Neill had already had his breakfast and was chasing a yellow ball on the carpet that had gotten away from his reach. She picked him up to kiss his adorable soft cheeks, but his expression told her that she had disturbed him on an important mission. she put him back down and heard him fidget in delight. There was enough resemblance between Neill and Nicko that made Grace want to smile.
"I hoped you'd sleep a while more, dear." Rose was already pouring a cup of coffee for her
"I couldn't. not with the smell of sausage whiffling upstairs into my room." She took the cup Rose offered and pulled a chair.
"It was kind of you to make breakfast, I wanted to..."
" That's what neighbors are for, honey, now settled down, let me fix you a plate."
Grace settled herself with the cup around her hands.
"You have to eat." Rose threw her a look. "With the work you have ahead of you, you need strength"
Grace wanted to ask Rose what work, but intuition told her Rose was riding one of her matchmaking waves again.
When Rose put the plate of sausage, eggs, beans, mushrooms, and soda bread in front of her, her mouth watered. Grace cleaned her plate like a starved man and finished before Rose was halfway through hers. she noticed the satisfied look on Roses's face.
With her appetite satisfied and tummy full Grace filled the sink with soapy water. "I heard someone tried to break into Charlie's Tavern on Friday."
"If so, Charlie's not saying anything about it. Been to the shop myself this morning. could have been someone passing through. it just doesn't seem possible though. when you stay in a small town, you get to know everyone. it doesn't seem possible at all, and that Charlie is a fearsome man when he needs to."
"Mrs. Dunns knew all about it yesterday when I bumped into her at the store."
"Aye. Mrs. Dunns will make you chase a bird with a frying pan if you are not wise."
She took a tea towel as Grace began to wash their dishes.
Her eyes hardened
"I don't mean to scare you, but since you going back to Mr. Meyers Mansion, you need t be careful."
Grace pressed her lips together, "Nickolas says there's nothing to worry about, that he's going to fix it."
"Trying to, more like." Rose wiped a plate clean, then laughed. "Honey, men are all the same, they will get themselves tangled into a mess and try to fix it, getting themselves even more entangled."
"But still..."
"No, Grace. Mr. Meyer is a fine-cut of a man. and that woman won't let him off the hook just like that." she continued as she dried more dishes,
"You need to be there by his side, man can't function without us." she smiled as she looked inside a clean cup.
At that very minute, Neill gave a passionate wail that startled both the ladies. Grace went to pick him up and realized the cause of his frustration. the ball he'd been trying to catch had rolled even further away from him. she got his ball for him and soothed him, and Rose came to sit then.
" Rose, the thing is... I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing."
" What makes you say that, Honey?"
" Seems all I've been doing has moved from one place to another, never settling." she shrugged
"Maybe I don't want to involve myself in their business"
" Nonsense, these no such, just remember why you doing this." she looked lovingly at the black head of hair on Neill's head.
"Besides this is for Neill's benefit more than anything, and of course, you will benefit and God knows you could do with some benefiting of your own." she gave Grace a saucy wink.
"Oh stop!" her blush crept from her neck up to her cheeks.
"All im saying. don't let that woman bully you, women like her know how to sink their claws into a man until he doesn't know what's what."
"I know her type."
"Believe me, honey, you've never known anything like a woman scorned. They got a way of using their womanly charms, if you're not there, odds are she'll have him so confused that he's started crawling his way back to her."
"I will punch her senseless."
Rose let out a crackle of laughter that rang through the whole house
"What I would give to see that." She got up from her chair and opened a cupboard, took out a gold gift bag, and handed it to Grace.
'she got her a parting gift' Grace thought.
Inside Grace pulled out a skimpy red silky Lingerie complete with a matching thong.
"I hope you will know what to do with this." she shot her a naughty look.
Grace's face heat up as she held the little number up to her body.
"Where's the rest of it?" her face beet red.
Rose simply cracked up. clapping her hands
"I used to fit into one of those myself, solves your problems faster than lighting."
Grace shook her head to clear it. she didn't want that image in her head.
She gave the chubby woman a bear hug.
Man, was she going to miss her. She always knew what to say to her to make her feel better.
Nickolas had advised her against closing the house again, instead, they could use it for their vacations, that way Neill will always be connected to his roots. there was not much to do in Culmore, but it would make for a nice family escape from the city.
The rest of the morning passed in a quiet mood. there was comfortable silence as each was lost in their thought. it seemed to Grace that this was her year of saying farewell to new and old friends.
***
On Wednesday morning, Nickolas's security detail came to Culmore to escort Grace and Neill to the airport where Nickolas's private jet was waiting for them. they were meeting Nicko in London. they stood by the driveway as Grace bade farewell to a teary Rose. she did not have to say goodbye to anyone else in Culmore, Rose would be doing that work for her, together with an update on anything they might have missed.