‘He int coming in again?’ Charlene manages to look both concerned and annoyed ‘But that’s…’
‘I know’ Ingrid smiles at Charlene’s quick change expressions ‘But it was him who phoned and he says he’s fine but needs a few days to sort out some personal stuff and…’
‘Oh! I hope it int his Uncle…’
‘....for us not to worry’ Ingrid finishes. ‘So we aren’t, are we?’
‘What?’
‘Going to worry unnecessarily. He sounded a bit dozy but that was probably because he thought he’d better phone early and he’d just got up. Dave’s going to come in’
‘But he’s on his holidays!’ Charlene protests ‘Him and Tania was going t’take the kids to see their nan’
‘I don’t suppose Dave’ll mind’ Ingrid says with a laugh ‘He’s usually in a foul mood when he comes back from there. Tania will probably take the children. They won’t miss out, don’t worry. Daresay he could do with some overtime on top of his holiday money’
‘Yeah’ Charlene agrees ‘He was saying what it were Jordan’s birthday and he dint know how he was gonna afford the computer what he wanted and he dint want t’get it on tick nor nothing. He’s only got a card for emergencies…like the washing machine breaking down or summat’
‘There you are then….it’s done him a turn’
‘Yeah. You think what he’s alright really?’
‘I’m sure he is. He sounded fine, honestly’ Ingrid assures, closing her compact and putting it and her lipstick back in her handbag.
‘Only he int really been right, has he? Sort of not exactly grumpy but not smiley neither. He don’t talk much ever since…you know…him and Steph’nie. You think what I ought t’go an’ see him?’
‘Charlene’ Ingrid gets up from her desk and crosses to where she is standing next to the schedule board. ‘Sweetheart…. He’s probably taking a few days off so he can get his head together. He hasn’t had a minute to draw breath ever since it happened. It’s going to take some getting used to…but he will get there if we give him some space. So don’t worry, eh?’
‘It int cos he’s worried about them men coming and getting him is it? That int why he’s gone away? Cos if it is, I need t’go away as well!’
‘If you mean because the trial is coming to an end, no…so don’t go and get your knickers in a twist about that They’re not going to go after anyone…And Nathan hasn’t gone away…he said he’ll still be available on his mobile if we really need him…but I think we ought to let him alone, don’t you?’
‘Yeah…alright then’
Samms Plant Hire, Oatfield
Chapter Twenty-eight
Woodbury Nursing Home
‘Oh, how kind’ Evelyn smiles and waves a gracious hand to the table at the side of her chair ‘I do so like a little something to offer visitors’
‘I made it myself’ Jessie says, setting the cake tin down.
‘Yes’ Evelyn says witheringly ‘I expect you did. Now tell me, how are things with you and the children? How is Jessie?’
‘Jessie’s fine. Getting married’ Jessie says, settling herself onto the other armchair.
‘Oh please, don’t sit there, I can’t see out of the window’ Evelyn complains ‘There’s a rather nice young man tends the flowerbeds. He waves to me’ she simpers ‘I wouldn’t want him to wonder where I am’
‘No…of course not’ Jessie moves dutifully to the end of the bed.
‘Jessie is getting married?’ Evelyn’s neck arches ‘Well, goodness me. A shotgun wedding? That would be the only way she would persuade someone like Thomas Shepherd to marry her’ she sniffs ‘Quite a different class’
‘People fall in love’ Jessie says quietly ‘then class doesn’t matter’
‘You think so?’ Evelyn’s head arches further and her eyebrows quirk ‘In my experience that’s all very well for a fling, there’s a lot to be said for the more…..’ she pauses to blink slow meaning into her words ‘earthy traits of the common man’
‘Oh, right….I’ll tell her to remember that. Are you still seeing Ernest?’ she asks pointedly.
‘Ohhh!’ she smiles and flutters her eyelashes ‘like a moth around a flame…but I could never marry a man like that. I mean to say, what could he offer?’
‘A lifetime of happiness’ Jessie says in a whisper.
‘What was that?’
‘I said you might be happy’
Evelyn gives a tinkling laugh ‘Oh, Mrs. Cooper, what strange but amusing opinions you do hold. Now tell me all about this….marriage. Not Mister Shepherd, surely?’
‘No…’ Jessie hesitates on a sigh ‘George Harris’
‘Aah!’ Evelyn’s triumphant laugh rings out and she claps her hands together. ‘I knew they would never make a match of it. Class, like I say. George is definitely more Jessie’s mark’
‘Mmm’ Jessie blinks to clear her eyes of tears, unable to speak for a moment. ‘Tom died’
‘Did he? Oh my goodness, how very sad for his parents. Please offer them my condolences…I must attend the funeral! Black…I must have a black dress…although it’s very unbecoming, don’t you find?’
Jessie stills the slight tremble in her hands by folding them into her lap ‘I’m afraid the funeral has already been and gone’ she says, steadying her voice to reply.
‘Why did no one tell me?’ Evelyn accuses with a furious glare. ‘I must send a letter. What will they think of me? One must observe these niceties even if he did spoil any chance he might have had with me by associating with…’
‘My daughter?’ Jessie cuts in, her cheeks flushed.
‘Well….yes…and such a lovely man, too’
‘Yes, yes he was’ Jessie starts to gather her things together ‘I’ll pick up the tin next time I come’
‘You’re going?’
‘I’m…I’m a bit busy’ Jessie excuses.
‘Of course!’ Evelyn sits back with a smile ‘the wedding. There must be so much to prepare. You run along, my dear. When is it to be?’
‘June…the wedding’s in June. I…she…always wanted to be a June bride’
‘How very quaint’
The Corner Cafe, Woodbury
‘I dunno why yer put yerself through it’ George sets a cup of tea in front of Jessie ‘She were allus upsetting yer afore she went bonkers. She weren’t no friend, not a proper un’ He pours himself another cup from the fresh pot.
‘But there’s only me left, apart from Ernie and Anthony…’ Jessie surreptitiously blots her eyes ‘and Melanie, of course. Everyone else has stopped going’
‘Ardly s’prisin is it?’
‘No’ Jessie sighs ‘the last poor soul from the W.I. who was volunteered to take her a little something was told she didn’t like cheap chocolates and to throw them in the bin. Then she had her cleaning her window! There was nothing wrong with her window but she vowed she couldn’t see out because of the ‘filth’ on it. I don’t know’ she sighs again. ‘I had thought…’ she sips her tea and shakes her head sadly.
‘Thought what?’ George prompts, shuffling his chair further in as someone sits at the table behind him.
‘I don’t really want to say’
‘Bet you was thinking what we was all thinkin’ he grunts under his breath ‘what it’d a been better all round if she’d a just gorn’
Jessie nods and dabs beneath her glasses again. ‘That’s what I thought it was going to come to. She was so frail physically but she’s gone from not eating at all to demanding food at all times of the day…and she’s so….’
‘She’s a pain in the arse tha’s what she is’
‘George!’ Jessie hisses in a whisper, looking round.
‘Well, ain’t she?’ his chin sets stubbornly ‘An’ she’s gorn an’ upset yer again. I ain’t avin it, Jess. You ain’t t’go no more!’
‘I can’t abandon her!’
‘She don’t even know who you bloomin well is!’
‘We’ll talk about it when we get home. I’m not having an argument here’
‘I ain’t arguing ‘bout it when we gets ‘ome neither. You ain’t goin an’ tha’s final’
‘Is this you being masterful?’ Jessie’s mouth tightens.
‘Nope. This is me carin’ bout yer, which is more’n she dang well does. Hurry up an’ drink yer tea’
‘I suppose there’s something on the television you want to watch. You could have stayed at home and I could have come in on the bus’ she says crisply.
‘No there ain’t. Drink yer tea, woman. Me an’ you is goin t’go an ave a bit o’dinner’
‘We’re going out for lunch? But they do food here’ Jessie looks startled.
‘Iffin yer wants a sammidge or summat. I’s talkin proper grub. Come on’ George drains his cup and stands up, brushing the creases from his jacket with his hands.
‘But…’
George cackles ‘That s’prised yer dint it? I reckoned yer’d need summat nice arter goin there’
‘But where are we going?’
‘Somewheres you c’n goggle at flippin waiters t’yer ‘eart’s content’ George crooks his arm and lowers his head close to her ear ‘ill Parvonny’
‘Il Pavone?’ Jessie mouth drops open ‘But…’
‘Yes I ave!’
‘What?’
‘Booked’ he smiles with smug achievement.
'Italian waiters' Jessie breathes
'Thought that'd suit!
