Gary and Libby - Take Two

Chapter Sixty One

"Bye Bye Gra'ma!" Ethan waves a the tiny, frantic hand that isnt encased by mine in a vice grip as the three of us stand at the bottom of our drive, bidding a farewell to the final member of our family to leave this morning.

"Goodbye my wonderful boy!" Marjorie grins, looking at Ethan, but waving at me as she ducks towards her taxi. Gary follows, effortlessly swinging his mothers over-night bag in his right hand.

"Mum, I would have driven you to the station, you know.." He mumbles succeeding Marjorie to the back of the taxi and opening the car door for her. I nod as Gary plants the beige holdor next to his mother, before moving around to the drivers window to take care of the fare.

"We can still run you there if youd prefer Marjorie, its no trouble?"

"Nonsense!" Marjorie waves another dismissive hand, leaving it to rest on the car door handle to stop it swinging shut as a gust of wind sweeps down the pavement. "You look worn out, the pair of you!" The older woman points a pale-pink-polished finger at each of us individually as Gary rounds the front of the taxi, ruffling Ethan's hair before curling an arm around my waist. "Get some rest, you deserve it."

I smile wearily, grateful of her maternal instinct, but conscious of the bags under my eyes all the same. I squeeze Ethan's little hand tighter as the taxi engine purs into life, urging the toddler further from the edge of the driveway, as mothers do, just another foot or two. "I'm sure we will, safe journey back Marjorie, thank you for coming."

"A pleasure!" My mother-in-law grins again, blowing a quick kiss to Ethan before pulling the taxi door shut and settling back in her seat. We have time to catch her pull a Kindle out of the front pocket of her back, as well as another swift wave before the taxi sales away from the end of the driveway and into the steady stream of traffic at the end of the road.

I breathe out a breath i didnt realise id been holding and my shoulder slack against Garys collar bone as he stands suitably behind me.

"You look beat." He murmurs as i begin to relax against him, just as Ethan begins tugging insistently on my wrist.

I have time to mutter an affronted; "Thanks." Before the toddler begins to shout.

"Home now Mummy! I cold." The three year old tightens four little fingers around my wrist as best he can, urging me back up the white gravel dive and towards the house.

"I told you, you should have put a coat on." I manage a weary eyebrow raise as i straighten my spine once more, beginning to plod, at Ethans pace, back up the drive and remembering the tiresome temper tantrum my son had had when id told him he ought to put a coat on to come and say goodbye to Grandma. I wince, realising that any decent parent would have ensured the coat was on before they stepped food outside; but Gary had been busy helping Marjorie with her bags and i am so exhausted that im struggling to see straight.

"Mummy, carry me!" Ethans small voice pulls me from my thoughts and when i look down he is jerking emphatically at my legs, one arm stretched skyward, asking for a lift.

"Ethan." I deadpan, wishing i could be more fun but not quite being able to summon the energy. "I am not carrying you back to the house. Youre a big boy now you can walk on your own."

I watch, despairingly, as the toddlers eyes begin to brim with tears, his little fingers loosing their grip on my tracksuit bottoms as he recoils into himself. And suddenly, i feel like the worst person in the world.

"Ethe.."

"Ethan!" Gary jumps in, moving in front of me to grab the toddlers attention. "How about i race you back?"