‘I don’t want a fuss’ Marie says, lowering her eyes ‘I just want to go, if that’s alright with you. We’re having a family dinner the day before… but that’s about as much as I can cope with’ She presses her lips together, glancing up at Helen then quickly away again, blinking rapidly. ‘I’m going to miss everybody so much and a get together would make me feel worse, really… It’s a lovely idea, though…thank you’ she squeaks, her voice breaking.
‘I understand’ Helen says gently ‘You will write though, won’t you?’
Marie nods, turns away with a sob and rushes to the staff room.
The Village Library
Chapter Twenty-three
The Old Mill Cafe
‘He seems very pleasant’ Kath decides, setting her empty cup and its saucer on the plate that held her scone.
‘Another one to add to my chunk list’ Jessie waves a hand in front of her face as though hot. ‘I had nothing to do with the choice of course….’ She says with a deep exaggerated sigh. ‘Just told Helen that we were a bit short of decent men to ogle at and dropped her a fiver’ Her eyes crinkle as she sniggers.
‘I think the word you were looking for was ‘hunk’’ Kath chuckles.
‘Got n’ eye fer the ladies’ Edna says disapprovingly. ‘My Charlie reckons e’d ‘ave anythin as long as it’d got a pulse’
‘Who, your Charlie?’
‘No, you daft begger, that there Daniel, Dan Darling. Funny bloomin name’
‘Painter’ Jessie puts in.
‘Is he? I could do wi’our back lavvy doin. Charlie int no great shakes up a ladder now’
‘No…that’s his name, Daniel Painter’
‘He told me his name was Dan Darling!’ Edna expostulates indignantly.
Kath chokes with laughter ‘Nooo, Edna…it was you he was calling ‘darling’. I’m Daniel but call me Dan, darling. He says that to everyone’
‘That’s just what I said an’ all!’ Edna protests again.
‘Edna!’ Jessie laughs alongside Kath ‘If he’d said call me Dan, sweetheart, light of my life, honey bunch. You wouldn’t have thought it was his name would you?’
‘Ohhhh’ Edna bites her lip as a smile spreads either side of it. ‘Ain’t I a fool?’
‘No comment’ Jessie zips her mouth with finger and thumb. ‘You were saying about what your Charlie said?’
‘Well…’ Edna leans forward to impart her knowledge. ‘Drinks in The ‘Orse, e does. Charlie gets on alright wi’im like but e says what he’s allus ringin women on that phone e got and’ off ‘e trots. They don’t see ‘im til nigh on closin time then’ she purses her lips, her head jiggling with condemnation.
‘Perhaps it’s just one woman?’ Jessie suggests in Daniel’s defence. ‘The same woman…and it might be his girlfriend or something?’
‘Girlfriend?’ Edna retorts ‘E’s too flippin old fer a girlfriend!’
‘Woman friend, then…or a wife’
‘If ‘e ‘ad a wife, she’d be livin wi’im wouldn’t she?’
‘Doesn’t anyone know anything about him?’ Kath asks despondently, pulling on her gloves. ‘How long’s he been here and we haven’t found out anything yet’
‘I’m just tellin’ yer!’
‘I mean….facts…actual facts. From the horse’s mouth so to speak’ Kath looks at Jessie ‘Jess, you’re slipping’ she says with a laugh. ‘We can usually rely on you to find these things out!’
‘I’ve tried Helen but she’s not saying much’ Jessie grumbles. ‘ I’ll get on it’ she taps her nose ‘and report back’
‘You wunt ‘ave time if yer got George t’see ter’ Edna sets her shopping bag on her lap ready to leave. ‘That were good on yer wantin’ t’do that, yer know’
‘But I’m not actually doing much’ Jessie glances outside and, grimacing, drags the edges of her angora beret over her ears. ‘Just acting as lookout in case he falls or gets stuck or something. I told them I wasn’t prepared to do nursing or anything’ she says as she pushes back her chair. ‘ Much as I might have done if I’d been younger, I’m not that daft I couldn’t see it’d be too much to take on now’
‘I ain’t sayin as yer was daft. I reckon friends like you don’t come ‘long of’en’ Edna confirms with a brief nod.
‘Thank you. That really is nice of you to say but it’s not going to be what you would call a bother. We’ve got it sorted between us…’ Jessie drops a twenty-pence piece on the table next to those of Kath and Edna and buttons her coat. ‘His daughter’s coming in first thing while he needs help with washing and dressing and she’ll be the one to get him ready for bed. I’m only cooking meals and I do that often enough already’ she gives an unconcerned shrug and looks at her watch. ‘Best get back if he’s going to be turning up this afternoon’
The Library Car Park
‘Marie?’
‘I-I was going to come to see you’ Marie flushes, glancing at Nick. ‘T-to say goodbye’
Paula looks up at her husband and back at Marie ‘I wanted to be sure of seeing you before you went. I’m sorry, this isn’t really the place for goodbyes…but I wanted to make sure…you know’
Marie lowers her head.
‘I can’t tell you how sorry I am that…..I said what I did. I know I can’t ever get back to how we were before but….’ Paula continues ‘I don’t want us to part on bad terms….Please…..I want the chance to be a good mother-in-law….I will be. I know you’re right for Marcus…I know you are…..and I know you’ll be happy together’ her voice catches ‘I don’t want to miss out on being part of that’
Nick steps forward when Marie doesn’t reply and holds her upper arms. He rubs them gently until she looks up. ‘Basically, we wish you all the luck in the world. You won’t need it but we wish you it all the same. Goodbye, Marie’ He kisses her cheek and hugs her. ‘Give our love to Marcus….and we will see you again. We’ll be there for the wedding’ he smiles ‘with bells on’
‘Thank you’ Marie whispers and turns to Paula ‘I’m sorry too. I should never have let it go this far without…….making things right’ She steps from one foot to the other, looking sideways then down at the ground before looking up again. A silent tear rolls down her cheek. ‘W-we’re having a f-family dinner…Mum and Dad and everybody…W-would you like to come?’
