‘Nope. Shirley,’ Michael replies adamantly.
‘But Hettie was so warm and friendly.’
‘She was annoying.’
‘How can you say that? She was lovely!’
‘Annoying,’ he repeats.
‘Shirley seems very dry.’
He nods, delighted, his fringe bouncing against his forehead.
He’s refused to get a haircut over the last year. He’s refused to have a shave too. My brother now has a beard and reminds me of an old-fashioned ship’s captain. This would amuse me except for the fact that he wouldn’t look like this if our parents were still alive. Dad was so well known for saying ‘Missed a bit’ after Michael had shaved that Michael nicknamed his electric razor ‘Miss Tabbit’.
‘I know she’ll be happy to sit and watch TV with you, but do you think she’ll be good at helping with everything else?’
‘What else?’
‘Washing, cooking, cleaning, personal care if necessary …’
‘I don’t need help with any of that.’
My jaw hits the floor. What have I been doing all this time, then?
‘Come on, Michael. What about helping you to manage your money?’
‘I don’t need help with that either,’ he states.
‘How can you—’ I start with frustration. ‘Youdoneed help remembering to pay bills!’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘Well, no, maybe not since I moved them to direct debit, but what about staying on top of the money in your account? Mum and Dad aren’t around to advise you if you decide to go on a spending spree.’
‘I don’t evenlikeshopping.’
‘You bought your new friends – what are they called? Ronnie and Tina? Didn’t you buy them a TV?’
‘They’re not my friends any more,’ he replies, entirely missing the point. ‘Shirley. I like Shirley. She’sbrilliant. She can start next week too, which is good.’
I’m not sure if itisa good thing that she has no other job to give notice to, but I know when the battle is lost.
On Friday night, I’m behind the bar at Seaglass when Finn walks in and the déjà vu makes me feel weak at the knees.
Amy and Rach are on the other side of the bar along with Dan, Tarek and Chris, and the moment they see Finn, all fiveof them swarm around him, greeting him with warm hugs and enthusiastic back slaps.
The strange quiet that settles over the group when Finn presses forward to say hi to me is unnerving.
Am I that much of a buzzkill?
‘Hey,’ he says, leaning across the bar to give me a brief squeeze.
‘How are you?’ I ask, aware that we still have our friends’ attention.
‘Good.’
‘Did you make it to the beach today?’
