It was the nineteen sixties and they would sit at a window seat in the café, and observe the mini-skirted ladies, some in striking black and white clothes and wearing black winged eyeliner. Workers in suits would walk alongside the hippie types with their psychedelic colours and long hair. It had been the most exhilarating time, yet it all felt like yesterday.
‘Mark is a lovely man too,’ she continued. ‘A little shy, and clearly still missing his wife, but he is coming out of his shell a little each day I think.’
‘Anyway, my darling, this is the last time I will be staying here as the new family will be moving in in the very near future. I hope the house brings them as many treasured memories as it did us,’ she said, her voice breaking. ‘Oh, and they loved the period furniture here, so most of it is staying. I agreed a good price with them, you will be pleased to hear.’ She smiled. ‘I don’t really know if you can hear me.’ She glanced heavenward. ‘But I like to think that you can. Goodnight, my love, until we meet again.’ She kissed her finger and pressed it against the glass of the picture.
Every day was a blessing at her age, she knew that. She looked forward to spending the day doing something wonderful and unexpected tomorrow. But for now, she would enjoy one last evening in the home that held such wonderful memories.
EIGHTEEN
MARK
Mark woke with aching legs the next morning. The gardening had given him a workout he had not had in ages, reaching muscles he had forgotten all about.
Years ago, he had been at peak fitness, which he needed to be, as you never knew when you would have to carry someone over your shoulder from a blazing house, navigating smoke-filled rooms. Thankfully, towards the end of his career, he had witnessed less of the heart-wrenching things he had come across early in his firefighter role. Most people had ditched the chip fans, the number one cause of fires back in the day. Then candles became popular, and things were briefly busy again, when people would forget to extinguish them before bed and they might fall and catch something flammable, like a curtain.
He had spent the last few years before his retirement visiting schools and educating children about fire safety, as well as fitting homes with fire alarms. He had learnt that kids were pretty good at nagging their parents into being fire safe, even encouraging them to quit smoking.
After a shower and a coffee, he thought about asking the neighbours to a BBQ on Friday evening. But would they want to come? Perhaps they only accepted Alice’s dinner invitationbecause it came from a lonely, elderly woman? Would he be able to cope without Diane fixing drinks and holding court so naturally?
Before he could talk himself out of it, he got dressed and knocked at Alice’s front door. For a second, he thought it might have been a little early when there was no response, even though it was almost nine o’clock. He was certain she had mentioned being an early riser and felt a flicker of concern. Just then he heard voices on the upstairs landing and headed up there to find Declan standing outside Jess’s door chatting.
‘You’re going to make a cake?’ Jess asked Declan, obviously finding it amusing. Declan had forgotten that the bakery closed at 2 p.m. on a Saturday and had missed them after he had watched a film yesterday. He had found a recipe online for a lemon drizzle cake and had nipped to the Co-op for the ingredients, but he had no cake tin. He decided to call at Jess’s flat to see if she had one that he could borrow.
‘Morning, guys.’ Mark smiled at them both. ‘I’m probably worrying over nothing but have either of you seen Alice this morning?’ he asked them.
‘No. Maybe she went out early?’ suggested Jess.
‘Yes, of course, you’re probably right,’ he said, although he could not help wondering where she would go so early on a Sunday morning. Unless she had nipped out for a newspaper. He could imagine her poring overTheObserverwith its Sunday supplement.
‘What’s this about baking a cake?’ asked Mark, and Declan told him all about his promise to his mum, before realising the bakery was closed.
‘Sounds good. Anyway, I’m glad I’ve caught you both. Do you fancy a BBQ early Friday evening? I have checked the weather; it’s going to be good apparently,’ said Mark confidently.
‘That sounds lovely, but my mum is arriving for the weekend on Friday,’ explained Jess. She was planning to go out on Saturday as her mum had offered to babysit, happy to spend time with her granddaughter. On Friday they would all go to the pub together for a meal.
‘She is most welcome to join us. Unless you have other plans, of course,’ Mark quickly added.
Jess could think of nothing nicer than having a BBQ in the sunshine.
‘Not especially. We would probably end up going out for food, but I think it would be lovely to spend time outside if the weather forecast is good. Thanks, Mark.’
‘And you?’ He turned to Declan.
‘Nice one, yeah.’ He smiled, glad of a chance to be spending some time with Jess again. He had not quite plucked up the courage to ask her out as he thought it might be a bit awkward if she refused, what with living in such close proximity. Probably better to get to know her a bit first.
‘Do you think maybe I ought to knock again at Alice’s?’ suggested Mark.
Jess picked up her front door key from a hook in the hall, and closing the door headed downstairs with Mark and Maisie in tow. Declan followed them, clutching the cake tin.
Finding no response after knocking again, Jess made her way outside to see if the curtains of Alice’s apartment were open, and when she saw that they were firmly closed, her heart sank.
With increasing concern, the trio were pondering their next move, when a taxi pulled up outside the block and out stepped Alice.
‘Alice. You’re okay!’ Jess breathed a sigh of relief.
‘Gosh, this is quite the welcoming committee. Why wouldn’t I be?’ asked Alice as she walked up the path. As she spoke, shenoticed the drawn curtains on the lounge window. She hadn’t thought about that.
‘I knocked to invite you to a BBQ. I know you are an early riser; you told me so. I guess I became a little concerned when there was no answer,’ Mark explained.
