Lost sight

Chapter 02 ~ Family reunion

Everyone is sitting under the skylight in the small sitting room. It's pouring down outside, they can hear the water drumming on the glass, but inside it's cosy and warm. There are plants of varying sizes, comfy chairs, some couches, a pair of coffee tables, a few bookshelves against the walls, and a big cage where Gran's parrot muses to himself. 

The Edinburgh house has been their home for decades, specially after the grandfather got sick forcing the elderly couple to move in permanently.  Their quiverful, friends, nieces and other human and non-human loved ones started to come over often, keep an eye on things, see they were doing well. Partially because they cared about them, partially because Edinburgh is an easier place to reach than a nameless spot in the middle of the Highlands. 

Francis and his cousins are sitting in a circle with three empty spots: Renée's who hasn't arrived yet, and Ernest's and Gran's who are making tea in the kitchen. 

The doorbell rings. Francis stands up and walks out of the room to open the door. It's Renée, just arrived, soaked. Everyone tries to listen to their conversation by the door while pretending not to be interested in it. Gran comes by, attracted by the ringing. 

 - Is it you, Renée? - she asks. 

 - Yes, it's me! - 

 - Fancy a cuppa? - 

There's a pause followed by noises and steps. There seems to be some struggle over there in the entryway, maybe some problem with the umbrella or her wet clothes. 

 - Sure, something hot would be nice -  Renée says. 

Gran nods and goes back to the kitchen. Now that everyone's present, she feels better. 

Renée walks in, looks around and nods muttering a greeting. Everyone greet back smiling, some move with the intention of standing up. She sways her hands, showing it's okay, she's dripping water anyways, better greeting each other from afar. 

Renée chooses an empty chair in the corner near a table, separate from the rest, and sits there. A small puddle grows at her feet. The usual comments about the weather are exchanged, but after that conversation dies out. In the silence, they can hear the rain pattering on the skylight. 

Francis comes back, looks for an empty chair and goes to sit down next to the coffee table in Renée's vicinity. 

 - Maybe we should turn the lights on - he suggests standing up again. 

Everyone nods and mumbles in agreement. Francis walks away, turns the lights by seemingly magic and comes back to his chair. He looks around, rests his hands on his lap trying to look as natural as possible and remains silent just like the rest. 

Now the rain is regaining strength, pouring down even more furiously. Everyone looks up, a bit afraid of the glass not resisting the assault. Someone makes a comment but the drumming drowns the words until they close their mouth, defeated, back to silence. 

All the cousins are present. They don't share much in common except their fond memories of the Edinburgh house and their love for their grandparents. They're fond of each other too and the rest of the family, but as they have big age gaps and each of them chose different life styles and places, they rarely share time together.  Some of them keep in touch through social media or the occasional postcard with others, some have preferred a muted distance. 

There's Patricia, sophisticated, small blue eyes, short blonde hair, speaks only when it's necessary, she's the oldest with almost forty years of difference between herself and the youngest of the group.