A Saviour

Chapter Forty Six

The group made the short walk out of Mabel's property further down the street to the next house. Kate stopped outside it and stared. She hadn't returned since the week after her parent's funerals. It had been spring, and the flowers and plants were growing widely and provided such a welcome lease of colour. Now a week prior to almost the end of the year it looked dull, boring. It resembled the nigh on decade she had left it for. Mable squeezed her shoulder before pulling a set of keys out her apron. She unlocked the gate manually, before allowing everyone to walk into the drive. Kate finally followed with Johnny's hand in hers.

He could feel her tremble, he knew this was massive for her but he felt it needed to be done. His children had stopped a few metres in front with Belle. "Wow!" Lily exclaimed. "It's beautiful." "Kate it looks so nice." Johnny added making his wife smile slightly. "Oh it was the best house. A proper family home, always full of laughter and fun, and the best parties, my god did the Baxter's like entertaining!" Mable said heading to the large double oak doors and unlocking them.

"Mable you've done such a wonderful job, how could I ever thank you?" Kate said emotionally after they had been on a tour of the house, "Nonsense, it was a joy, I planted all the bulbs your mum usually did in fall. They'll be blooming come Spring. Nothing ever looked right there apart from her favourites." Kate smiled. "And all the groceries you bought too... we'll reimburse you." Johnny said kindly. "You will not!" The elderly woman said. "You are family, I wanted it to be as homely as possible for you all. If you do need anything you'll come by won't you?" "Of course." Johnny said smiling. "Will you come by for breakfast?" Kate asked. "I'm sure the children would love it." She continued. "Well if you're sure I would love that." "Great. See you then, and thank you, again," Kate said sincerely.

After a while of pottering around, Kate finally settled on the couch. "Would you try and get a fire going?" She asked her husband. "Of course... Jack come see if you can help me find some wood out back." The two Depp boys headed out into the large garden as Kate called "there is a large log store down the very end." Johnny nodded and headed off with his son. "So did you find a bedroom you liked?" Kate asked Lily. "They are all stunning. Jack and I will sleep wherever you want us too." The teen said politely. "Come on, let's go see." Kate said bracing herself as she grabbed hold of her three year old's hand and headed upstairs with the teen.

"This was my room." Kate said opening the door. It looked picture perfect. Just as it had when she returned from college. Mable had obviously changed the bedding and aired the rooms as they were all immaculate. "And do you want to stay in here?" Lily asked kindly. "I think so." Kate smiled. "Well how about Belle and I take the guest one down there and Jack can have the grey one next door." Kate smiled. "This is my house now... they aren't guest rooms anymore. They are yours." Lily smiled as the woman embraced her in a hug. "I'd like that. Maybe not permanently sharing with Belle but for tonight it will do just fine." "Are you sure?" "Of course, she's my little sister now in every sense of the word. It will be fun."

The girls made their way downstairs as Johnny and Jack kneeled in front of the fire. The former attempting to teach his son what to do. "That's it..." Johnny said proudly as flames sparked in the kindling. "My Dad spent many years doing that." Kate smiled and Johnny winked at her. "Kate the garden is huge and I'm sure I can see the ocean!" "I'm sure you can! We are on quite a big hill. I always loved that view." "Jack we've picked out rooms. You're right next to Belle and I." Lily asked. "Now poppet did you speak to Kate about that? You know this is a hard trip for her." "It was Kate's idea Daddy!"

"Can we play a game?" Jack asked a few hours later. Belle was asleep on the couch, and as there was no television or internet, the elder children seemed to be getting bored. Kate nodded and stood from the dining table that they were chatting at and went to a cupboard. She opened it and blew off some dust, there lay many board games. "Take your pick! We used to have family game night all the time..." she said proudly as Lily and Jack bent over and took a look at each game, Johnny sipped his drink and smiled as Kate sat back down next to him. She turned and whispered "Thank you for doing this for me." "Don't ever thank me. Thank you for allowing us where nobody else has ever been. I'm honoured to be here in your home." Kate smiled before squeezing his hand. "Got one!!" Jack yelled. "Scrabble?" Johnny asked raising an eyebrow. "Yes!!! Let's see who is the smartest!!" His son replied. "Game on son.... Loser has to do the dishes!" Johnny added. Lily rolled her eyes as Kate cleared some room for Jack to set the game up. All was well.