SEVENTY-ONE
ALICE
The winter had quickly turned to spring, and Alice was grateful to have made it into another year. She wasn’t sure she would do following her illness and subsequent fall, but it seemed the Good Lord had other ideas.
Declan’s business was going well, and he and Jess had quietly become a couple, which was more than Declan dared to dream of.
The fall last winter had taken its toll on Alice, there was no doubt about that. It took her twice as long to get out of bed these days, and her lack of energy was beginning to frustrate her. But then, she was ninety-two years old.
‘Morning, Alice.’ Mark knocked on her door on an unusually warm Saturday morning in late April.
‘Do you fancy coming for a bit of lunch later?’ he asked. ‘Thought we might eat outside. Carol is coming, and I will see if Declan and Jess are free.’
‘That sounds lovely.’ Alice smiled. ‘We must make the most of these sunny days.’
‘That’s what I thought,’ said Mark. ‘Shall we say one o’clock?’
‘Perfect,’ said Alice, who loved nothing more than spending time with her friends. She felt a rush of affection for them every time she glanced at her terrarium that she had lovingly cared for.
The friends spent the loveliest afternoon, delighted to be enjoying some sunshine and enjoying a BBQ.
‘Who would have thought we would be doing this in April?’ asked Mark as he flipped a burger over.
‘Global warming,’ said Declan, and a discussion about that had ensued.
‘I’m so happy you are settled, Mum,’ said Jess to Carol as they poured some drinks. ‘I never imagined you and Dad would break up, but it’s good to see you finally happy.’
‘Thanks, love. I think deep down I knew we would separate,’ said Carol to a shocked Jess.
‘You did?’
‘Yes. Oh, I kidded myself that things were fine, but we had been going through the motions for a long time,’ she admitted. ‘If I am honest, I was just scared of being on my own. Even though I often felt lonely in the marriage, which is not how you should feel,’ she confessed.
‘You have never told me that. I always assumed you and Dad were happy.’
‘Well, you never let your kids know such things, even when they are adults.’ Carol smiled.
Jess wished she could have confided in her, but it was typical of her mum not to want to burden her with her marriage problems. Maybe she was right about shielding your children from worry. She imagined she would be the same with Maisie.
‘I saw him once,’ Jess blurted out. ‘And I’m sorry I never said anything to you, but it seemed innocent enough. He was having a coffee at lunchtime with a colleague,’ she told Carol. ‘He wasn’ta bit fazed when he saw me. I’m sorry, though, Mum; I should have said something.’
‘Oh, love, don’t worry,’ said Carol. ‘I saw him once too, you know, with that woman.’ She could hardly bear to mention her name. ‘Getting out of a car together near the shopping precinct.’
She dropped a slice of lemon into her gin and tonic.
‘Did he know you saw him?’
‘No.’ She shrugged. ‘And I never mentioned it. I thought if it was a fling, then it might fizzle out. Stupid, I know.’
‘Oh, Mum.’
‘Don’t worry, really.’ She patted her daughter’s arm. ‘I am actually happier than I have been in years.’ She winked. ‘And if I can give you any advice, it would be to not rely on anyone else for your own well-being,’ she told Jess wisely. ‘Your father wasn’t responsible for my happiness; I realise that now. We have to create that for ourselves.’
Not for the first time, Jess realised that she was indeed responsible for her own happiness, and of course that of Maisie. But she was pleased that she had decided to take a chance on happiness with Declan. Especially knowing she would always survive on her own.
When it was time to leave, Declan and Jess escorted Alice back to her apartment.
‘Fancy a cup of tea?’ Jess offered once they were inside.
