Her mum had fallen in love with the ground-floor apartment on Blundellsands Road East, that had a large lounge that would flood with light on bright days.
There was a communal garden too that was immaculately looked after. Carol had been worried she was a little young for over-sixties accommodation, despite her being in that age bracket herself, but her fears were unfounded. Most of the residents were a lively bunch, many of whom enjoyed an evening at the local pub for their quiz night. Several of them, including Carol, were heading to Manchester in the new year on the train to watchStrictly Come Dancingon tour.
Jess was pleased that Carol and Mark appeared to be growing closer too. He had helped her decorate the new apartment and fixed some new curtain poles to the walls.
It was a crisp winter afternoon when Jess popped around to her mum’s after school with Maisie.
‘We are really good friends,’ Carol had answered when Jess asked her if she saw a future with Mark.
‘Do you think that’s all you will ever be?’ asked Jess.
‘I’m not sure,’ Carol answered honestly. ‘I love spending time with him. And he is very handsome,’ she admitted.
‘But?’
‘I’m just not sure I could ever get involved with another man romantically. Look what happened last time that happened.’ She sighed.
‘Oh, Mum. That was different,’ said Jess as Maisie was engrossed in building a Lego model. ‘You were probably in a bad place after you and Dad separated. Maybe you felt flattered by the attention.’
‘That’s true enough,’ said Carol, when she thought about how Pete Riley had swept her off her feet. ‘Besides, I’m not sure Mark even sees me that way.’
Jess doubted that very much. She had seen the way he looked at her mum.
‘We went to watch a band his nephew was in at the pub last week, as you know. We had a lovely evening, and when hedropped me off, there was not even a peck on the cheek,’ she said. ‘I think he is strictly in the friend zone, as you young ones say.’
Carol recalled feeling relieved and disappointed in equal measure when Mark had not kissed her goodnight.
‘Well, I think you would make a lovely couple, that’s all I am saying,’ said Jess as she stood to get Maisie a drink.
‘Thanks, love, it’s nice to know I would have your blessing,’ she told her daughter. ‘But I will tell you this for nothing. Even if Mark does become my boyfriend, if I can even call him that at my age,’ she said, with a roll of her eyes, ‘I will never live with another man as long as I live,’ she finished firmly. ‘I’ve spent most of my life sharing my home with a man. It’s time to get to know myself and have a few adventures along the way.’
‘Never too old to show some girl power, hey, Mum.’ Jess laughed.
‘Don’t you forget it,’ said Carol. ‘Even if I did need a bit of help with that curtain pole.’
SIXTY-SIX
DECLAN
When Declan took a call from the hospital regarding Alice, he was prepared for bad news. Despite the doctors saying Alice was doing well, she had looked tired when he had visited her yesterday.
Thankfully, she had not broken her hip but rather sustained a small fracture in her pelvis that would not require surgery, but plenty of rest.
The doctor informed him that Alice was to be discharged later that morning.
‘She has made remarkable progress for a woman her age,’ the doctor told him. ‘I feel she would progress further in her own environment, and, of course, she will be discharged with a care package, involving a carer popping in until she is completely stable on her feet.’
‘That’s great news,’ said Declan. He agreed that her continued recovery would improve back home. He, Mark and Jess had been regular visitors to the hospital, but it would be easier for them to keep an eye on her at the apartment, as they had done following her chest infection.
Alice’s nephews had been to visit her in hospital a couple of weeks ago, whilst Declan had been there. He thought theyseemed like nice enough blokes. They had expressed regret that their own mother had not been well enough to visit her sister. Still, they kept in touch via Alice’s tablet, as they always did.
‘I would offer to collect her,’ Declan told the doctor. ‘But I won’t be free until late afternoon,’ he said, thinking of a couple of meetings he had with potential clients. The way things were going, he would probably need to employ a part-time accountant sooner rather than later.
‘Don’t worry about that. It is probably a more comfortable ride in the ambulance,’ the doctor assured him. ‘Is it possible there would be someone to be at her home when she returns, would you know?’ the doctor enquired.
Declan thought of Mark, or perhaps even Jess, and hoped they might be free. He would give them a call.
‘I will make sure someone is there to greet her,’ he told the doctor.
