The Original Taylor Daughter

Family Time

Thankfully, she didn't have to wear it on the journey down. That's not a conversation she wants to have with her siblings in the car.

Rory is fast asleep in her car seat and Felix is listening to his cassette player. Alice is sat up front in the passenger seat, Roger driving.

She looks over her shoulder to make sure Felix and Rory can't hear, "I don't think we're going to be able to keep my illness from them while we're here."

"I know but let them ask the questions. Wear your oxygen tube when you need to, don't hide it and if they ask then we'll tell them," He's not sure how they'll take it. Rory is probably still a little too young to understand but Felix isn't and it will upset him.

Pulling onto the drive of his mother's house, Roger gets out to wake Rory up. Winifred comes out to greet them and Alice is out of the car as quick as a flash to hug her Grandma, "Hi Gran."

"Look how grown-up you are," Winifred warmly returns the hug, "You look more like your dad every time I see you."

"But Daddy is a boy," Rory points out, frowning.

"Yes, but if you look at pictures of dad in the 70s, it's hard to tell whether he's male or female," Alice teases loud enough from Roger to hear.

"You'll be walking home if you keep that up," Roger lifts the bags out of the car grinning and walks past his still confused youngest daughter, ruffling her hair, "Ignore her, Rory, she's just teasing."

"Oh," Rory takes her dad's words without question.

It's shortly followed by a small bark and the sound of paws racing down the stairs, "Pippin!" Alice grins, picking the old westie up, "Oh I've missed you. You're a good girl, yes you are," Alice leaves her bags to her dad taking the dog inside, Rory and Felix hot on her heels.

"I'm glad to see things having dampened her personality," Winifred smiles, helping Roger with the bags.

Sighing, Roger drops the bag he's holding on the floor and sits on the edge of the boot, "Rory and Felix don't know what's going on. Until now, Alice has been able to hide the oxygen tube from them but now it's going to be on more constantly, they'll see it at some point this week. What you've just seen is mostly a front, mum, she's always tired, her lungs are struggling. They said 22 to 24 months in the beginning and if that's right she should be here till next September, at least, but I don't know whether she'll survive that long."

He runs his hands over his face and through his hair brushing away the stray tears, "I don't know how to help her."

Winifred pulls her son into a much-needed hug, "Just being there for her is helping her, worrying doesn't lessen for a parent no matter how old your child gets and before you know it there's grandchildren to add to that worry. I still worry about you all the time, come on, let's get these bags inside. You've had a long drive, food and sleep are needed. Clare will be over in the morning." Pulling himself together, he grabs the last of the bags following his mum inside.

------

Being an early riser and living alone, Winifred has always been the only one down in the morning so she's surprised to find Alice making a cup of coffee, Pippin by her feet, "Morning, Ally, I didn't expect you to be up."

"Coffee?" Alice offers with a slight smile, seemingly dismissing her Grandma's comment.

"Yes please, love," Winifred sits at the table watching her granddaughter move about until she joins her at the table passing over her mug, "Thank you. You never used to be an early riser."

It's true, she never used to be, she used to love having a lie-in, "Since I became ill, I've found I'm up early most mornings. I know that my time left is limited so I want to be awake and see as much as possible, instead of wasting my day in bed."

"Sounds sensible to me, did you want to come with me to take Pippin for a walk?"

"I've already taken her," Alice smiles, scratching Pippins favourite spot behind her ear, "I'll admit, I went out in my pyjamas but I was awake and I've missed taking Biscuit for walks."

"Blimey, you must have been up a while then. Clare and Sophie will be here in a bit then we're all heading to the beach, you coming?" Sophie is Clare's 8-year-old daughter and Roger only blood-related niece.

"I can't remember the last time I went to the beach, but I might see if Aunt Clare is up for a spot of shopping instead. An oxygen supply doesn't mix well with the sand."

Alice did walk down to the beach with them before she goes off with Clare. They spend most of the day shopping and Alice brought her outfit for Rami and Lucy's wedding, it's while they're sat having a coffee and cake that Clare noticed she's been doing most of the talking, "What's on your mind, Ally? I've been rather quiet since buying that outfit for the wedding."

"I guess I'm a little jealous," She stares into her coffee cup, "All my friends can look to the future and plan. Rami and Lucy are getting married, Lucy is busy working on her artwork while Rami should graduate from Uni next year, then eventually they'll look at starting a family. Hazel has just finished her college course and has a job as a theatre costume designer, Joe is in the same boat as Rami and no doubt they'll get engaged soon and start a family. Then Adam has finished his college course and has been offered the chance to work for the BBC as a hair and make-up artist, no doubt he'll flourish and make his way up in the world. I can't do anything like that."

"I've been grateful to have this trip to look forwards to and the wedding but after that, I have no plans. Over half of my bucket list is complete, I can't be a tour photographer because my body can't handle the travelling so I can't even fill my time with work," Alice bites her lip to prevent watery eyes, "I feel like letting go once the wedding is gone."

"Don't you dare," Clare warns her, gripping her hand as though it will keep her safe, "I know one day your body is going to give up but not yet. 24 months, that's what the doctor said. Now, the young niece I remember would have taken that number as a challenge and try to outlive it. As for the photography, your dad says you love to photograph wildlife, why not fill your time with that or create a small project?"

Listening to her Aunties words, Alice nods, "I guess it would be fun to try and prove Melrose wrong. My main worry is telling Felix and Rory, they don't know yet, they don't even know about the oxygen. How do I tell them because I'm sure they'll see it at some point this week?"

"You be honest with them, tell them the truth. I'd say tell them one afternoon this week, give them a night to sleep on the news then the next day have some fun with them, let them know that having cancer doesn't make you any less their sister."

"That's actually a smart idea," Feeling bad for bringing the tone of the day down, Alice lightens the mood, "That must be why dad has no brain, it was all given to you."

"That's true, your dad got the beauty instead," Clare whispers, sniggering into her mug.

"Did you see him in the I Want to Break Free video as Rogerina?"

"How could I miss it? He could put most girls to shame in that uniform," Giggling like schoolgirls, they finish up their drinks and head back to Clare's car.