Chapter 7 #2
‘Are you looking for Peg? Only she’s not here, you’ve just missed her… Can I help you?’ At least he’d got the right house.
The owner of the voice sounded friendly enough, but she was obviously keeping an eye on things for her neighbour. And he had no idea how to introduce himself.
‘Hi, I was just calling on the off-chance that Peg was around, but no problem. I didn’t say I was coming, so… Do you think she’ll be long?’
The woman’s eyes narrowed as she assessed him and Henry wondered whether he’d be considered friend or foe. ‘Hard to say, but not for a bit yet. She’s gone to visit her aunt in hospital. Is that for her?’ She indicated the bottle in Henry’s hand. ‘I can pass it on for you, if you like.’
Henry thought for a moment. He didn’t blame her, but the neighbour was obviously fishing for information.
He was pleased that Peg had someone looking out for her, but perhaps it was better to assume that her absence was a sign that he should stop being silly and get on his way.
On the other hand, he didn’t want the woman to think there was anything suspicious about him.
Peg had spoken very fondly about an aunt – the one she’d been to visit – and he wondered if it could be the same one. Now, what was her name…?
‘No, it’s fine, thanks. I just hate turning up empty-handed, but I can give it to her another time.
Is her aunt okay? Didn’t she just get back from visiting her?
’ As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he could see he’d said the right thing.
The woman’s expression relaxed and she smiled, leaning further forward over the hedge.
‘She’s had a fall, broken her wrist I think Peg said, so she’s gone haring off up there again to look after her, only got back yesterday, too.
I’m sure everything will be fine, but you never know, do you?
Peg mentioned possible concussion as well, and that can be nasty, especially for someone of Mim’s age.
And I can’t help but feel for Peg if anything were to happen.
It’s not a great time of year for her as it is. ’
Mim, that was it… Henry nodded. ‘No, I know. But like you said, hopefully it will all be okay. Just such as shame Mim lives where she does; it’s a longish drive.’
‘That’s what I said. I told her to take it easy, but I can understand her wanting to go, she dotes on Mim.
Aside from her kids, she’s virtually the only family Peg has now.
’ She smiled, indicating the bottle again.
‘Are you sure you don’t want me to take that in for her?
It’s no bother. I’ll be round later to feed the cat. ’
Henry shook his head. ‘That’s kind, but I’ll give Peg a ring and pop back another time. Thanks, though. Oh, and Happy Christmas.’ He gave a small wave and began to walk back towards his car. He needed to end the conversation before it got any more difficult, or he was forced to tell lies.
He drove off immediately, but as soon as he was out of sight of Peg’s house, he pulled back into the kerb and stopped again.
If the neighbour was still watching he didn’t want it to seem as if he was lingering, but an even more ridiculous idea had popped into his head while they had been talking, and he needed time to think about what had been said, and what he should do.
Peg was clearly very fond of her aunt, and now he knew that she was one of her only relatives.
It was Christmas. Whatever Peg was facing, she would be doing so alone – without the comfort of her children, and only three days away from the anniversary of her husband’s death.
Might she be grateful for a friendly face?
Or someone to talk to? It wasn’t difficult to work out which hospital Mim would be in.
She lived in Stoke, the same as Henry, and there was only one she would have been taken to.
He checked his watch. It was just gone two.
If he left now, he could be back by tonight.
It would be late, admittedly, but the roads would be quiet by then, he’d make good time.
Blanche would be fine, and he still wouldn’t miss any of the things which Adam and Sofia had arranged. He pulled out his phone and dialled.
‘I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous,’ said Adam, a few minutes later after Henry had explained.
The golf club lunch was evidently still in full swing; Henry could hear the sound of some very merry people in the background.
He’d probably be the first to admit that it was a ridiculous idea, but the fact that his son had reacted in such a way irritated him enormously.
He hadn’t shown the slightest concern for Peg, or the situation she was in.
‘Who is this woman anyway?’
‘She’s just a friend.’ He was trying not to let his annoyance show.
‘This woman’ wasn’t exactly a complimentary way of describing Peg, but more to the point, completely ignored the fact that Henry was an adult, and perfectly entitled to make friends with whom he chose.
And if he had any doubts about the way Adam’s mind was working, his next statement made it obvious.
‘Oh, I get it… playing the knight in shining armour, are we?’
Henry bristled. ‘You could just think of it as showing someone a little kindness, Adam, instead of making stupid comments. Kindness, because she’s on her own and it’s Christmas – the season of goodwill to all men – the season when we’re supposed to be kind and thoughtful and selfless instead of selfish. ’
‘Yes, but what about Blanche?’ said Adam, huffing down the phone. ‘You know we probably won’t be back for a while yet.’
‘I’m not sure why that makes a difference.’
‘Because who’s going to—’ Adam broke off, but it was just as Henry had suspected.
‘Who’s going to talk to her? Look after her?
Is that it? You know I’ve often wondered why you invite me for Christmas every year, because it certainly doesn’t seem as if it’s because you enjoy my company.
And now I know. It might be a bold statement, but you could try talking to Blanche yourself, you and Sofia.
Try talking to her as you would any other adult, instead of assuming she’s someone who needs a carer.
In fact, even if she did need a carer, wouldn’t that be Sofia’s responsibility?
Or is it more that Blanche is in the way, just like I am?
You and Sofia will be fine without me, as will Blanche, and I’ll be back in time for all the Christmas festivities anyway. What does it matter?’
‘For God’s sake, Dad, I should have thought it was obvious.
Do you know how much trouble Sofia has gone to to make everything perfect for us?
How much time that takes, not to mention the expense?
’ Henry could almost hear his son wince at the other end of the line, but it was too late; the words were out and Henry knew that Adam’s mistake would very quickly be turned around into a problem of Henry’s making.
‘That’s hardly the point though,’ continued Adam.
‘What Sofia finds so hard, and I admit I understand where she’s coming from, is that it often appears as if all her efforts are being thrown back in her face…
You never seem to enjoy the food, or any of our other hospitality.
You don’t like coming out with us, you don’t seem to like our friends… ’
Henry closed his eyes for a second. Hospitality? What was he, a guest at a hotel? And a needy and irritating one at that? It troubled him just how far apart he and Adam had become. He swallowed and inhaled deeply, hoping it would calm him.
‘Maybe I don’t, Adam. But have you considered that they’re not the kind of people I would choose to spend my time with?’
‘And what does that mean?’
‘Simply that they’re your friends, not mine. We don’t have a lot in common, that’s all.’
‘You say that, but perhaps if you gave them a chance instead of dismissing what they have to say out of hand, you might find it broadens your mind.’
‘Adam, I’m thirty years older than you. It might be a hard concept to understand, but my mind might even be broader than yours.
And, over time, I’ve learned what makes me happy.
I’ve nothing against your friends, but their views are not mine, which is fine, it happens.
However, I’m polite to them. I don’t argue or take exception to the things they say which aren’t to my liking because that would be rude.
I also don’t want to upset you because I do understand the trouble you and Sofia go to.
’ He paused. ‘Look, I don’t want to get into an argument about this, and it’s not about being ungrateful for all that you do, or throwing it back in your face, but instead, suggesting that maybe you don’t need to try so hard.
I come to see you. You and Sofia. I don’t care if I’m eating Marks and Spencer’s finest or that my napkins match the colours on the Christmas tree. That’s not what it’s about.’
There was an ominous silence, and Henry could imagine all too well the expression on his son’s face.
‘Fine. So you’re going then, are you?’ he said after a moment. ‘Driving halfway across the country on a whim.’
‘I’d like to, yes,’ replied Henry, ignoring his last comment.
It was perilously close to what the little voice in his head was saying.
‘My friend is all on her own. One of her only relatives, an elderly aunt who she cares about deeply, has just been taken to hospital and this is already a really bad time for her. If I can help in any way, then I’d like to. It’s as simple as that.’
‘Then I’ll tell Sofia she needn’t cater for you this evening.’
Henry gritted his teeth. As if one less would make any difference at all, given the feast that she would no doubt be preparing.
‘Enjoy the rest of your lunch,’ he said. ‘I’ll phone to let you know when I’m on my way back.’
He paused in case Adam might want to tell him to drive safely or hope that his friend’s aunt would be okay, but he wasn’t surprised when neither of those things happened. ‘See you later,’ he added and disconnected the call.
Henry wasn’t all that familiar with the hospital, thankfully only having been there once or twice, but it was like many others of its kind – enormous, impersonal, and with a car park that in no way catered for the number of people who wished to use it.
Inside the main foyer was a dazzling array of information, all imparted on a number of huge boards inside a concourse made of shiny tiles and glass and steel.
There were coffee shops and a newsagent, seating areas and desks, and a row of lifts each with a number above them corresponding to colour-coded areas of the hospital.
It made him dizzy just looking at it all.
A quick scout about revealed no one who looked remotely like Peg, and so Henry made his way to the main information board.
It listed all the hospital departments, and readily showed him that Peg might, in fact, be anywhere.
He knew that her aunt had a suspected broken wrist, but that could place her in any one of several areas – X-ray?
Orthopaedics? Henry had no way of knowing.
Shaking his head at his own stupidity, he tried to think logically.
If Mim had been brought to the hospital with a suspected break, she’d be in an ambulance, which meant that she would have been taken to A death had stayed away.
Both his parents were still alive, siblings too, and close friends.
But clearly Peg had not been shown the same consideration, and he had no idea what to do.
All his instincts were to provide comfort, but he hardly knew her, and given how distressed she was, would she welcome that comfort from a virtual stranger?
If he were in her position he would probably question Henry’s motives, and the thought brought him up short.
Was he there to simply offer kindness, or was it something else?
The difficulty was that even interrogating his brain didn’t reveal the answer.
Henry simply didn’t know. He was a fool, though, that much was evident.
He crept away, furious with himself, and filled with an emotion he was struggling to put a name to.
He was back in his car before he understood what it was.
It was pain, but not the physical sort which came from an injury or an upset, but the very particular kind which came from being utterly helpless in the face of someone else’s.
Pulling out of the car park, he began the weary drive home. No, not home; to his son’s house. He’d give anything to be at home right now.