Amber climbed back into the car, this time sitting in the front seat that Estelle had just left.
‘Where to next?’Bernadette asked.
Amber gestured to the screen on Bernadette’s dashboard.‘Shall I put it into the satnav?’
‘I’m old school – just point me in the general direction.’
‘If you just turn back on to Great Western Road,’ she said, naming the main road nearby that stretched through the West End of the city, ‘and head towards Hyndland Road, I’ll direct you from there.And thanks for this, Bernadette.’
‘It’s no bother at all.How are you holding up there, love?’Bernadette asked as they pulled away from the kerb.
‘Honestly, Bernadette, I have no idea.I’m devastated about Marge, worried about Estelle, and so incredibly thankful that I was with her tonight.What about you?’
Bernadette’s soft chuckle was full of understanding.‘About the same.’
Amber exhaled, let her shoulders fall back on the seat.‘How do you deal with it all, Bernadette?In your job, you must see so much death, and pain, and heartache and terrible things.How do you manage to be happy when you see all that every day?’
Bernadette was still staring straight ahead, eyes on the road as she spoke.‘Because I see all the good things too.I see how much people care for each other.How scared they are when something is wrong, and then how relieved they are when we help.Every single day I see people realising how much they love someone, or getting a reality check that makes them remember what’s important.I see parents who would do anything for their kids, and adults who want nothing more than for their elderly parents to be okay.I see all the goodness too… Although there was none of that with the bloke you came in with today, right enough,’ she added, with a teasing dig that made Amber groan.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.I refuse to ever speak of it again.’
‘That’s probably wise, pet,’ Bernadette agreed, before going back to her point.‘But then look at tonight.Look at the love between Marge and Estelle.I see that kind of care every day and, in my mind, that balances all the bad stuff out.Because at the end of the day, it’s just the people we love that matter.’
‘Oh, Jesus, Bernadette, I really wish I’d written that down.’
That made them both laugh, even as Amber replayed it in her mind.
It’s just the people we love that matter.
‘You’ll have to direct me from here,’ Bernadette said, as she turned the car onto Hyndland Road.
It’s just the people we love that matter.
It was like a mantra, on repeat in her head, and Amber realised that was maybe because she had to hear it a few more times to get the message.
It’s just the people we love that matter.
‘If you could just turn left here, please,’ she said, directing Bernadette down a side street, deserted except for two females, walking along the road, both laughing, one of the young women carrying her shoes with her free hand, despite the fact that it was probably minus two degrees outside, the other carrying what looked like a large white tray of chips.Just another Saturday night in February and Amber loved the sight of it.
‘That used to be us,’ Amber said, a memory popping into her head.‘Estelle would be the one in sensible shoes and I’d be the one with the blisters, carrying my heels.And Marge would wait up for us, and roll her eyes when she saw me.’
It’s just the people we love that matter.
Amber wondered if Marge was watching her now, rolling her eyes.
‘Just left here, Bernadette,’ she said suddenly, realising where she was.‘The house with the blue door.’
Bernadette pulled into the space outside and Amber reached over to hug her.
‘Thank you.For everything.’
‘You’re welcome, pet.Now on you go and get home.’
Amber let her go, climbed out, waved as she pulled away, and then stood for a moment, breathing in the cold air.
It’s just the people we love that matter.
She walked up the path, but instead of pulling keys out of her bag, she knocked the door, not too loudly, so she wouldn’t wake anyone inside that was sleeping.
