For Tony and Saffron, date nights were now something of a rarity. But this evening, the two of them enjoyed dinner together at a posh London restaurant since Eddy and Patsy were having Grace over for the weekend.
"Should we call? Just to check?" Saffy asked Tony as they waited for their drinks. "Grace is with Mum and Patsy after all and…"
Tony kissed his wife's hand.
"Gracie's fine, Love," he assured his wife. "Your mum was so 'appy when I dropped our girl off that she nearly broke me ribs given' me a 'ug."
Saff offered him a rather stressed grin in return.
"Oh, I'm sure things are all right," she said, nervously drumming her fingers on the table. "It's just that I grew up in that house, with my mum… and with Patsy… and… well, Tony… you see…"
Tony sighed, shaking his head in jest.
"Me bride, you worry your pretty little 'ead about your mum too much. Our Grace loves her and there's nothing Patsy won't do for our girl, ey?"
"That's true," Saff agreed, taking a sip of water. Just then, a smartly-dressed waiter delivered an expensive bottle of red wine to the table, uncorked it and began to pour. Noting the label, Saffron frowned and politely said to the man, "Ah… Excuse me, but this isn't the wine we ordered."
The waiter continued pouring.
"A gift to the two of you from your mother, Miss," the man answered. Saffron raised an eyebrow, giving further thought to this sudden good fortune.
But the news thrilled Tony, who smiled brightly at his wife from across the candlelit table.
"Quite a surprise, then, ey? Impressive of your mum to come through like 'is for our date!" he said, lifting his glass. "A toast, my girl? To you, me, our Gracie and the family? Especially your mum?"
Saff raised her own glass and clinked it with her husband's.
"Yes," she said, taking a sip of wine, "to my mum. I wonder what she's done?"
…
"Gran," Grace said to Edina as they got into the taxi, "shouldn't we have told Mummy and Daddy about our trip?"
"No, Darling, no no no no…" Eddy replied, hugging the little girl close as Patsy slid into the backseat, joining them. "No no no, Sweetie. It's a surprise - a surprise - our little secret, y'know…"
"But Mummy says…"
"It's all right because you are spending the weekend with us, Sweetie," Patsy told her young charge, "and your Mum and Dad told us to take good care of you. I'd say this is good care, wouldn't you, Eds?"
Eddy nodded, snorting out a laugh.
"Oh yeah, Pats, yeah… And it's only gonna get better when we check into the hotel, Grace Sweetie Darling. Bubble baths all weekend long, I tell ya!"
Gracie looked to Patsy.
"And we really won't be in trouble, Auntie Patsy?"
Patsy, whom Grace adored, removed a small packet of animal crackers from her handbag, opened them and handed them to her biggest fan besides Eddy.
"Probably so," she admitted, sniffing loudly. "But Paris is worth it, love."