SIXTY-FIVE
JESS
Jess was grateful that her mum had taken Maisie to school this morning. She would not have wanted her to see Alice in pain and being escorted into an ambulance.
Thankfully, Alice had managed to call Jess from the floor of her lounge, as her phone had been within reach on the nearby coffee table. Jess had been about to leave for work when she received the call and was with her in seconds.
Luckily, Alice had had the foresight to give her friends a spare key a while ago, following her last bout of illness. Thank goodness she had.
‘What are you still doing here?’ asked Carol when she had returned from dropping Maisie at school, as Jess was only just leaving.
‘It’s Alice,’ explained Jess. ‘She had a fall. I waited with her until the ambulance arrived.’
‘Right, come on, let’s get to the hospital,’ said Carol.
‘Don’t worry, Declan has gone with her,’ explained Jess. ‘I will need to get to work as we have a couple of staff on holiday,’ she told her.
‘Let me give you a lift, then,’ insisted Carol.
‘But you don’t like driving in city centre traffic,’ Jess reminded her.
‘Oh, come on, I will be fine driving,’ said Carol confidently. ‘Sometimes we just have to get out of our comfort zone. I have been quite good at doing that lately,’ she said as they headed out to the car. ‘And, oh yes, I have managed to get my old job back at the Co-op. I will tell you about it as we drive.’
‘Gosh, poor Alice,’ said Carol as she fastened her seat belt in the car. ‘I hope she is going to be alright.’
‘Me too.’ Jess sighed. ‘I know she is made of strong stuff, but a fall at her age, well…’
‘Let’s think positive,’ said Carol firmly.
‘Yes, we must,’ agreed Jess. ‘Anyway, tell me about your job.’
‘Just part-time, three mornings a week,’ Carol explained as they drove along. ‘I called in and asked the manager if there was anything going, and it just so happened one of their younger part-time staff has gone off to university in Leeds, so it was perfect timing.’
‘Ah, I’m pleased for you, Mum. I suppose it will keep you occupied.’
Jess had been worried her mum might be a little bored in her retirement, although she knew she had taken a couple of walks with Mark, and she had casually mentioned that he had invited her down to see his boat on the marina one day if she fancied it.
‘It will. I always enjoyed working there, as you know. Much as I love collecting or taking Maisie to school, I miss the local gossip.’ She winked.
‘Did you know a new dance class has started up at the community centre on Coronation Road?’ Jess asked her mum. ‘Salsa, I believe, every Friday at six p.m.’
‘Ooh I might have to check that out, then,’ said Carol.
They chatted about how Christmas would soon be upon them, and how they ought to make a fuss of Alice and invite herover for Sunday lunch. Carol wondered whether she would still be living with Jess at Christmas.
The apartment on Nicholas Road had not quite been right for Carol, as the lounge had been north facing, and quite dark. The interior had also needed more work than she had first anticipated.
Still, there was something else on the market that she was going to view tomorrow.
‘Mark has offered to come and view the flat with me tomorrow,’ Carol told her daughter as they pulled into the car park near Liverpool One. ‘I think he might lend a hand if any work needs doing. It will give him something to do,’ said Carol.
‘Are you sure that’s the only reason?’ said Jess, raising an eyebrow and Carol laughed.
‘Right, see you later, love.’ Carol gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek before they went their separate ways. She was going to call in at John Lewis and look at some new soft furnishings she had been browsing online.
She crossed her fingers that the apartment she was viewing tomorrow would be the right one. She was looking forward to making a new home for herself. It was time for her to get on with her life.
Jess seemed to always be haring off somewhere. In between her working life and trips to the hospital to visit Alice, there never seemed to be any time to do anything else. But she would do anything for Alice. She could never repay her for the security she had provided for herself and her daughter.
