Chapter 2

Andrew’s talk with Suzanne on the Monday morning had calmed him down, and the chat with Maggie and Tony sufficiently distracted him, so the rest of the week he was task focused which always appealed to him, and played to his nature. After swimming on Tuesday he took Suzanne and they looked at two top floor flats. The second one was very nice, it was only a block from Warrender which was ideal. What was very funny to watch was Suzanne’s role in all this. They never really discussed her viewing the flats with him, it just happened and her perspective was welcome. She played the role of the fiancé or wife very well, engaging with the estate agent and it was fun to watch. After they finished viewing the second flat they went to the usual café on Marchmont Road for coffee and a chat.

“I caught you smiling at me several times this morning, why?”

“I think that the agent is used to the women making decisions about houses. He listened to your questions and treated you as if you were the key decision maker in the purchase.”

Suzanne looked shocked.

“You are not upset, are you? I must admit it was fun to go flat shopping for the first time.”

“No, I don’t care. I thought it was interesting that’s all. I have heard my Mum moan about how car salesmen always ignore the woman and talk to the man, even when the car is for the lady. Here it seemed to be the other way round. I really didn’t care but it was interesting to watch. Enough of that, what did you think about the two places?”

They spent the next hour going through the pros and cons of the two places and thinking about the flat they were viewing the following morning. For the very first time Andrew was making an investment decision all on his own. He had not confided any of his plans with anyone else. Even when he popped in later to see Brian Campbell at his office he didn’t talk about the purchase. The visit was to make sure that Brian, and more importantly Mary, were okay with hosting the party.

“I know it was a spontaneous gesture on my part but Mary is totally supportive. Don’t worry about that. It made us both think whether we should have organised something like this for Leslie. We asked her later that night and she just waved it off. So don’t worry about the party. I am only sorry that you were unable to have it at your own home.”

Brian never asked any questions and Andrew provided no answers but they both knew what was being said. Andrew ruefully smiled, shook Brian’s hand and left. When he got back home after lunch he called Mhairi and told her of his plans. She listened and told him she would liaise with Creighton over the funds. Over the years she had been a good friend and wise counsellor to Andrew and they got on very well. That night as Andrew sat working his way through all the information Cambridge had sent to him he thought about what he was doing. Was it frivolous, a vanity purchase being made because he could? In his own mind he rationalised it as being independent, not relying on others, but also not being constrained by others. Would living on his own less than four miles from his parents during the breaks from university be worth it? Julian had done it as soon as he started university, although he stayed there year round. Eventually Andrew stopped going round in mental circles and decided it was something he was going to do.

That night for the first time since his exams he studied. Andrew had stopped at Thins in town, the main University bookseller, and picked up a copy of Strength of Materials. It was not on the course book list but was listed as a useful reference book to have or to have read. Andrew chose it as it dovetailed with his 6^th year project on resistance to explosives. The evening passed in a blink as he sat and worked his way through the book that, although 15 years old, was still fascinating and relevant. The total nerd in him was pleased to get back to doing some studying and he was going to remember and take the list of recommended reading from the Faculty of Engineering with him in the morning so he could stop by the library and see how many of them were available. It was small things like this that calmed his nerves and got him impatient and excited to be off to university.

The following morning after swimming he and Suzanne had a chance to view the third and final flat that they had selected. From the moment they walked in it was clear that the second flat from the day before was much better. They left as quickly as was polite and went back with the agent to his office. Andrew called Mhairi from his office and told her he wanted to purchase the second flat he had seen the previous day. Mhairi and the agent exchanged numbers and agreed to meet that afternoon. Andrew told him to deal with Mhairi and that he would be back the following Friday to sign the papers. The agent looked a little stunned that it was moving so fast but that was his issue and with a short goodbye Andrew and Suzanne left his office.

“That was awfully quick Andrew. Are you sure about this?”

Suzanne asked, not unreasonably.

“I thought about it a lot yesterday in the afternoon and the evening. Of course it is a stupid indulgence but it allows me to live my life on my own terms. I will think over the next two or three weeks if I want to rent out the second bedroom while I am away, which would mean that person was living on their own, or just leave it empty and have a home when I am here in Edinburgh. The terms are pretty short at Cambridge and I think I am only there 28 or 29 weeks of the year. I will be based here at least 22 weeks of the year and I think that going back home to the Princess and my parents after a 9 or 10 week gap will be painful. You know how Rowan is. It was bad enough after two weeks away in Italy. So yes, it is quick but it is around lots of students and businesses that cater to them, is less than a 50 metre walk to Warrender and seems reasonably priced. Oddly, the rest of the flats on the stair do not look like student digs. I may be wrong but from the look of them it seems the people living there are now working, maybe post graduates, when they see me they will probably freak out. Anyway, I am going to the Central Library to see if they have any of these engineering books. Do you want to come with me and get a lift home later or are you off?”

Andrew was clearly corrupting Suzanne and unleashing her inner nerd for she came with him to the main Library and hung around while he checked out three of the other books that were recommended reading. From a quick look at the shelves it seemed like most of the recommended reading was available. He would get to Cambridge ready to go.

Suzanne invited Andrew in for lunch and he sat and chatted with her mum and sister over soup and a sandwich. Suzanne’s mother laughed when Andrew had thirds of the soup and expressed her gratitude for not having boys. He laughed but did stand behind them, Suzanne being the tallest at just under 5’8” with both her mum and sister a couple of inches shorter.

“Can I ask you something slightly personal Andrew?”

Vanessa looked a little nervous.

“Sure. What is it?”

Andrew would not reply if it was too personal.

“Do you think that having cancer made you taller?”

Her mother and sister both instantly scolded her but it was not a big deal all these years later.

“Stop, it is okay. It is something that my parents and I have talked about many times. I have even asked once when I went for one of my six monthly check-ups. According to what I have been told there is no way of knowing. I received a long course of radiation followed by an intense course of chemotherapy so I was not a normal 13 year old and I was still quite a runt before I was diagnosed. I think the main reason for my height and size is diet and exercise. I was released finally from the hospital on the 19^th of January 1979 and since then there have been precious few days when I have not done my sit up and push up exercises. Probably less than 10 in the nearly five years. In addition I try to run six days a week for at least 30 minutes and swim for about 30 minutes 5 days a week. I also coached hockey twice a week for the last two years at school, so I exercised all the time. And as you saw at lunchtime I eat a lot. As in ‘make my mother despair’ eat a lot. One of the key things is that whenever possible I have had lentil soup for breakfast and dinner ever since I was released from hospital. We were told that vegetable protein would be even better than animal protein in helping me regain my weight and strength after I was given the all clear, so I eat well and exercise a lot.”

Vanessa looked horrified.

“You have lentil soup for breakfast?”

“I know but after a while it became second nature. So yes, when I get back in from my run at 6.30 in the morning I have a bowl of lentil soup followed by four Weetabix. Then I am off to the pool to meet Suzanne. Why do you think I ate so much soup at lunch? I would have soup with every meal if I could.”

Suzanne’s mother looked at him thoughtfully.

“No wonder we had no trouble getting Suzanne up to go swimming when she started last year.”

She shook her head.

“And to think I once kept Suzanne away from you for a term.”

Andrew could see he was going to get embarrassed with praise shortly if he didn’t do something about this but Suzanne just looked at him and laughed.

“Quickest way to get Andrew to leave is to start praising him. Look, he is all set to bolt for the door. Nobody will ever accuse him of singing his own praises. Come on, I will see you out.”

Every day Suzanne demonstrated that she knew him better than anyone else. When they got to the door Andrew grabbed her under the arse and lifted her into his arms. Pushing her back against the doorframe he very thoroughly kissed and caressed her, any initial resistance having long crumbled away. Lowering Suzanne back onto her feet Andrew smiled and walked out to the car. As he rolled the window down to shout ‘cheerio’ he saw her standing there with her mother, both of them smiling at him.

On Thursday morning Andrew faced his biggest challenge of the summer. He had to go clothes shopping. For Maggie. He nearly bottled it but steeled himself and entered the lion’s den. He was the only male and probably the youngest person by at least 20 years which of course meant he was immediately pounced on and mothered by the shop assistants. He haltingly explained that he was trying to get a surprise present for his girlfriend and the whole process turned out to be comparatively painless. He found what he was looking for with little fuss and one of the assistants with some of Maggie’s attributes even showed him how it looked. It was an easy sale, both for them and him. He left with his first purchase, and even made an impulse purchase at the till; so far so good. The staff at the second store were not as helpful but he persevered, got what he wanted in the right size and left. The tough part was over. The next morning he was in and out of the camping store in less than 20 minutes. He arrived thinking he was getting one item but left with its big brother. He was set for the weekend.

The last two days of the week Andrew also spent more time with his Grandma and Auntie Vi. He would have liked to take them out somewhere and let them explore but Vi was much frailer than Andrew remembered so they stayed in. He would arrive around 11.00 and he played cards with them, had some lunch and just chatted about life. Early afternoon he would leave them to watch the horse racing and he headed home to continue his studying. On Friday afternoon he went back at the library to swap a couple of the completed books for new ones to see him over the weekend. Andrew ended up staying there all afternoon completing one of the books and taking the chance to catch up on the latest computer science magazines. It was just after 5.00 when he came back out onto George IV Bridge and was stopped by an elegant older lady who looked vaguely familiar.

“Andrew? How are you?”

“Eh, I am well. Please forgive me, I feel I should know you but I can’t place it.”

“We only met once. I am Freya Moray, the friend of Jim Barnes.”

Andrew laughed out loud and immediately apologised for his rudeness.

“I am sorry, that was rude of me, but it was merely the way that you said Jim Barnes. I think it is his goal in life to get me to call him Jim, something I have so far managed to steadfastly avoid. It is nice to see you again Mrs. Moray.”

“Freya please, you must call one of us by our first names.”

She had a delightful laugh and he blushed and nodded.

“If you insist then thank you Freya.”

Andrew was slightly mystified why this very elegant Edinburgh lady at least 10 years older than his own mother was standing in the middle of a busy street chatting to someone she met once. She apparently was the diversionary tactic because no sooner had the thought crossed his mind then he was once again hailed.

“Andrew McLeod, how are you?”

Andrew closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them Freya caught his eye and winked with a kind smile.

“Lord Barnes, how are you sir?”

His mother would have been so proud. Freya actually laughed out loud at this point which distracted them both. It is not often you catch an elegant Edinburgh matron looking like she has been caught with her hand in the cookie jar but Freya nailed it. This caused him to laugh in sympathy and now Lord Barnes looked even more confused. Freya walked over to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then turned to face Andrew.

“Andrew and I were getting reacquainted and the mode of addressing you came up. I had prevailed upon Andrew that at least one of us had to be called by our first name and he had agreed and it was just too funny to hear him call you Lord Barnes so soon after the discussion. You could not have timed your arrival any better my dear.”

Lord Barnes laughed and shook his head, a move spookily reminiscent of Andrew’s own reaction at times.

“Where are you off to this evening?”

Andrew indicated the bag of books he was carrying.

“Just some light reading. I picked up some engineering books that were recommended as background or pre-course reading.”

“I see. Would you care to join Freya and me for a drink and an early dinner? We have tickets for the SNO at the Usher Hall and have a reservation just across the road there.”

Andrew looked, and probably acted, shocked but they were both insistent. Eventually he had to give in gracefully as they rather railroaded him into having dinner with them. As they crossed the street the thought occurred to him that perhaps he should have bought the damned computer magazine and gone home an hour earlier. Once they were seated the conversation picked up again. It was Lord Barnes who started.

“The reason that we were both so insistent on you joining us is that we have talked about that wonderful evening at the North British many times. You would not believe how many times we have dined out on that story. Sandy Page is a minor celebrity in the legal profession just for being the father of Allison. It actually has worked out very well for him as we are more than acquaintances now. I heard from him that Allison and you did not last, I am sorry.”

Andrew looked at the two of them but realised they were being sincere.