‘I know, I took the battery out so that Mum wouldn’t be disturbed when she was sleeping. I was about to help her have a shower, actually.’
Alison follows me as I walk through into the kitchen. Everywhere is spotless. Alison definitely has it all under control.
Help Mum shower?‘I can do that. I’m sure she’d prefer me to…’ I hesitate to add ‘than a stranger’ because Alison is family now.
Her expression is sympathetic. ‘Actually, Lizzie, I think Mum would prefer me to help her, seeing as I’m a trained nurse – and patients usually feel awkward when their immediate family do intimate tasks for them.’ She pauses. ‘I know that you and Mum are close and it must be hard for you to allow someone else to care for her, but it really is important that Mum’s handled carefully, we don’t want the fracture to get worse.’
I feel like I’m being immature and selfish. ‘I see. Well, there must be something I can do to help. Washing or ironingperhaps? I don’t want to leave it all to you.’ I look around. ‘Where is Mum?’
‘She’s in the back room getting undressed. If you really want to help’ – Alison takes a piece of paper out of her pocket – ‘there are a few things we need from the shops, perhaps you could get them? Mum will be showered and dressed when you come back, and we can all sit and have a cup of tea together.’
So now I have to go to the supermarket again. I should have phoned to ask if they needed anything but I reckon that Alison would have found some excuse to put me off coming. ‘Yes, of course. Anything to help.’ I take the shopping list off her and scan it, there’s not a lot there. ‘I’ll only be about an hour or so,’ I say. I need to start work by eleven or else I’ll never get through the assignments I have to mark before I collect the kids from school, which means I’ll only have about half an hour with Mum. Thank goodness I don’t have an online class today.
The supermarket is crowded so it takes longer than I thought. I whizz back round to Mum’s, surprised to see Kenny’s car in the drive. I park behind it.
Kenny opens the back gate before I can press the bell. ‘Hi Liz, I was listening out for your car. Sheila’s here too. We’re sitting out in the garden. Come and join us.’ He looks at the shopping bags I’m holding. ‘Let me take those.’
‘Thanks.’
As I walk through the back gate, I hear a tinkle of laughter and look over to the patio on the right where Alison and Mum are sitting beside each other on the cushioned garden chairs, facing the lawn. Their heads are bent towards each other, laughing, and neither of them have noticed me yet. Mum’s foot, clad in the protective black boot, is perched up on a pouffe. It’s great to see her up and about.
‘It’s good to hear you laughing, Mum,’ I say as I walk down the path to join them. The garden is mainly lawn and patio with a few well-tended flower beds, easy to manage Dad always said, and Mum has kept it the same.
Mum turns her head and smiles at me. ‘Oh hello, Lizzie. Alison said you were getting some shopping for us. That’s very kind of you, dear. Come and join us. Alison is telling me about some of her adventures in Spain.’
I sit down in one of the chairs opposite, taking in Mum’s sparkling eyes. She’s still a bit pale but she looks happy, I’m pleased to see. I’ve been so worried about her.
‘Did you manage to sleep okay?’ I ask her. ‘Nick said that you’re sleeping in the back room on the bed from the spare room.’ The back room is right at the rear of the house and is hardly used now. I feel like Mum’s being shut away, but she probably wants the privacy if she has to sleep down here. It’s right by the downstairs shower room, too, I remind myself, and it’s a big, spacious room, with a deep beige pile carpet, a soft duck egg sofa – the same blue as the curtains – matching armchairs and pouffe.
‘You’re comfy there, aren’t you, Mum?’ Alison answers for her. ‘I messaged Nick to ask him to help bring the bed down. He was round straight away. Very kind of him.’ She looks a bit smug.
‘I guess Mum gave you his number?’ I’m determined not to let her know that I’m bothered that she has Nick’s number and messaged him not me. The fact that they worked together for a short time years ago shouldn’t concern me at all.
‘Yes, I didn’t want to disturb you and it was quicker to message Nick direct. I knew he wouldn’t mind. Judith said he will do anything for anyone.’
‘He will, and we don’t mind at all. We want to help. Is there anything else I can do while I’m here?’
‘I’ve got it all under control, Lizzie, but thank you. I know you’re busy with your work and the children.’ She gets to her feet. ‘Now can I get you a drink?’
‘Oh let me…’ Alison has been looking after Mum all morning, I don’t want her waiting on me too.
‘No, I insist.’
For a moment I’m tempted to stand my ground, but then I nod. ‘A tea would be great, thank you.’
Alison looks at Mum inquiringly. ‘Not for me, thanks dear. If I drink any more I’ll have to go to the loo again.’
‘Are you managing okay, Mum?’ I ask as I sit down in Alison’s place.
She pats my hand. ‘I’m being very well looked after. I’ll be back on my feet in no time.’
‘Of course you will,’ Sheila says.
As we all sit and chat the conversation turns to anecdotes about George’s family. I feel left out, but Mum looks as if she’s enjoying it. I’m pleased that she is happy, she’s been on her own so long, and that they’re all getting on so well. But I can’t help feeling like an outsider in my childhood home.
It’s as if George has moved in his whole family.
16
