“What’s up?” Nikki stopped putting dishes away. Her fathers’ face was unreadable, saddened and careworn. She wanted to hug him, but watched as he took off his coat and hung up Sally’s lead.
“Nothing Nikki, nothing, it’s just a bit cold out there, you know, last throws of winter and all that.”
Nikki wasn’t sure she believed her father, but she couldn’t put her finger on what seemed to be bothering him.
They sat together with their feet up on the coffee table, blue socks and black socks side by side, each knowing Sarah wouldn’t have approved. When Nikki moved her feet off the glass top, Ron did too. They sat together in companionable silence, catching up on Saturday’s papers. Neither of them switched on a lamp. The TV was on mute. The silent screen flashed colour and shadows around the room, their own private version of the Northern Lights.
“I suppose we ought to put a light on, it’s too dark to read now.” Ron stood up and made an attempt at pulling a curtain across. Nikki watched him make a mess of it and rather than remind him of Mum, who always said, - men don’t do material - she waited until he’d gone into the kitchen before straightening them.
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Ooooh thanks Jeanette, that certainly does wet my appetite!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sharon...the book has two threads, the main one is about the lead female, Nikki and her friends. They have a mutual love of The Lake District and fell-walking is their passion, but this is also about relationships and hidden emotions.
ReplyDeleteDescribing mountain scenes wasn't easy and took a lot of thought, but I did enjoy visualising the places and cross-referencing with the mapwork. I walked the routes a few times last year to make sure I had my facts right. They were already familiar ones - but it was great to have the excuse of 'research'. You and I know there isn't a finer place to be...I just hope I have done it justice.
The second thread is a gentle story of how Nikki's father, Ron finds love after widowhood and his concern of the impact on his daughter. I think of it is an 'Aga-saga' thread.
It is a gentle book with a dramatic ending.
Tomorrow, the editing starts in earnest. I admit to feeling a bit scared after reading The Artists' and Writers' Yearbook...it is so difficult to be published these days...hey ho, wish me luck...and please ask friends to follow my blog! Happy New Year!