Gloria sniffed. “Don’t be all day about it,” she hollered to Matty’s retreating form, then turned and made her slow trek back towards the lounge.
***
With Matty disappearing upstairs to change back into last night’s clothes, and Gloria wandering back into the lounge, muttering to herself about being treated like an invalid, Sloan reached for her phone. The moment Sloan heard the television come on, she hit the dial button.
“She stayed over last night,” she said when Eleanor answered. “In my bed.”
“Good morning to you, too,” Eleanor said dryly.
Sloan turned her back to the doorway and lowered her voice. “I’m serious.”
“I assumed as much. I’m still not seeing the problem.”
Sloan rubbed at her forehead. “I am.”
“Did you have sex with her?”
“No…” Sloan hesitated. “We just slept.”
There was a pause, then Eleanor laughed.
“Yes, thank you,” Sloan muttered. “I’m aware of how that sounds.”
“So, what exactly are you panicking about?”
Sloan glanced towards the lounge, making sure Gloria had not reappeared. “Mum likes her.”
“Right.”
“No, not just likes her. She’s taken to her. I’ve not seen her warm to anyone that quickly in years.” Sloan leaned against the worktop. “If this goes wrong, it won’t just be awkward for me—I’ll lose the best carer Mum has ever had.”
“Then don’t fuck it up.”
Sloan shut her eyes. “That isn’t especially helpful.”
“It’s accurate.”
A car horn blared down the line, followed by Eleanor swearing at someone.
Sloan let out a breath through her nose and told Eleanor all of it—the lying awake, the uncertainty, the fact that there were no rules and no agreed shape to any of it.
“That sounds less like a problem and more like a woman you actually care about.”
Sloan said nothing.
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Eleanor said, “do you need someone to give you permission to get on with your life?”
“I’d settle for a guarantee.”
“Well, there isn’t one,” Eleanor answered. “How long are you going to keep denying yourself what you want?”
Footsteps sounded overhead.
Sloan straightened. “I’ve got to go. She’s coming back down any minute.”
Eleanor laughed softly. “Try not to make a complete mess of it, then.”
Sloan ended the call and looked at the screen for a moment longer.
