A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansell

singing.”
    â€œSinging, is that what you call it? Sounds like a bull in a microwave. It’s the kind of horrible thing my grandson listens to.” A hand raised in farewell emerged from one of the lowered tinted windows of the first car. Harry and Morag smiled and nodded and politely waved back. “What did he say his name was?”
    What had it been? Something with a number in it that made no sense. “He did tell me,” said Harry, “but I’ve forgotten. How are you doing with the shirt for Tom Huxtable?”
    â€œFinished it, pet. I’ll drop it round to him on my way home. At least he’ll look smart for his cousin’s funeral.”
    â€œThat’s good.” Harry took the empty mug from her. “I’ll wash that for you, shall I? Could you do some more long-sleeved mediums next? We’re running low.”

Chapter 10
    â€œWell, here we are.” Having set off in a mini-convoy shortly after six in the morning, they had reached Bath before midday. Lara jumped down from the rented van and joined Evie and Gigi beside the car.
    â€œHome.” Gigi looped an arm around her waist. “ Our home. Yours too,” she added, reaching for Evie with her free hand. “Until you decide what you want to do.”
    â€œAnd there’s no hurry.” Lara took out the key the lawyer had sent her. “You can stay as long as you like. Crikey, this feels weird.”
    Evie gave her a sympathetic look. “It’s bound to.”
    â€œNo, I mean holding this key feels weird.” Lara held it up to show them. “I can remember the shape of it exactly . Right, let’s go.”
    Together they headed across the driveway and Lara unlocked the front door. The smell of the house hit her instantly and the memories came flooding back, both from before and after her mother’s death.
    The smell of the house itself was from before. That counted as a good memory. The altogether more pungent scents of Janice’s own perfume and the cheap lavender furniture polish she’d always used were less pleasant. Hopefully they would fade over time.
    The living room seemed larger, probably because it was empty. The kitchen had been redesigned, fitted out with pale ash units and mottled gray countertops. The dining room was wallpapered in flowery pink and green paper with hideous matching borders. Upstairs, the bathroom was new, plain, and white, with the loo-roll holder having been painstakingly removed. The master bedroom was beige and stripy, the guest bedroom magnolia and plain.
    Lara hesitated before entering the third bedroom. Her own old room. Would it still be the same? She had painted the walls purple and covered them with posters and prints. The carpet had been blood-red to match the bedcovers and she’d had furry multicolored cushions on the bed. Janice had always called it a monstrosity.
    She opened the door.
    More magnolia, everywhere. The room was sterile and empty. Apart from the view from the window, she wouldn’t have recognized it as hers. It was as if every last sign of her existence had been eradicated.
    Actually, no if about it. That was exactly what had happened.
    â€œI’m guessing this isn’t what it was like before,” said Gigi.
    Lara smiled briefly. “You’d be right.”
    â€œAll this nothing color, it’s all so bleurgh . Oh well, we can redecorate, brighten it up. Anyway.” Gigi pulled a list from her jeans pocket; she was the undisputed queen of lists. “Things to do. It’s midday. The beds are being delivered between one and three. We need to unload this van then make a start on the unpacking. I think we should sort the kitchen out first. Oh, and the fridge should be here by four. Shall we get going now?”
    â€œIf you’re wondering if she’s always this bossy,” said Lara, “the answer’s yes. Look, if you want to shoot off and see Joel’s parents, just go. We