Chapter 65
SIXTY-FIVE
JESS
Jess was grateful that her mum had taken Maisie to school this morning. She would not have wanted her to see Alice in pain and being escorted into an ambulance.
Thankfully, Alice had managed to call Jess from the floor of her lounge, as her phone had been within reach on the nearby coffee table. Jess had been about to leave for work when she received the call and was with her in seconds.
Luckily, Alice had had the foresight to give her friends a spare key a while ago, following her last bout of illness. Thank goodness she had.
‘What are you still doing here?’ asked Carol when she had returned from dropping Maisie at school, as Jess was only just leaving.
‘It’s Alice,’ explained Jess. ‘She had a fall. I waited with her until the ambulance arrived.’
‘Right, come on, let’s get to the hospital,’ said Carol.
‘Don’t worry, Declan has gone with her,’ explained Jess. ‘I will need to get to work as we have a couple of staff on holiday,’ she told her.
‘Let me give you a lift, then,’ insisted Carol.
‘But you don’t like driving in city centre traffic,’ Jess reminded her.
‘Oh, come on, I will be fine driving,’ said Carol confidently.
‘Sometimes we just have to get out of our comfort zone. I have been quite good at doing that lately,’ she said as they headed out to the car.
‘And, oh yes, I have managed to get my old job back at the Co-op. I will tell you about it as we drive.’
‘Gosh, poor Alice,’ said Carol as she fastened her seat belt in the car. ‘I hope she is going to be alright.’
‘Me too.’ Jess sighed. ‘I know she is made of strong stuff, but a fall at her age, well…’
‘Let’s think positive,’ said Carol firmly.
‘Yes, we must,’ agreed Jess. ‘Anyway, tell me about your job.’
‘Just part-time, three mornings a week,’ Carol explained as they drove along. ‘I called in and asked the manager if there was anything going, and it just so happened one of their younger part-time staff has gone off to university in Leeds, so it was perfect timing.’
‘Ah, I’m pleased for you, Mum. I suppose it will keep you occupied.’
Jess had been worried her mum might be a little bored in her retirement, although she knew she had taken a couple of walks with Mark, and she had casually mentioned that he had invited her down to see his boat on the marina one day if she fancied it.
‘It will. I always enjoyed working there, as you know. Much as I love collecting or taking Maisie to school, I miss the local gossip.’ She winked.
‘Did you know a new dance class has started up at the community centre on Coronation Road?’ Jess asked her mum. ‘Salsa, I believe, every Friday at six p.m.’
‘Ooh I might have to check that out, then,’ said Carol.
They chatted about how Christmas would soon be upon them, and how they ought to make a fuss of Alice and invite her over for Sunday lunch. Carol wondered whether she would still be living with Jess at Christmas.
The apartment on Nicholas Road had not quite been right for Carol, as the lounge had been north facing, and quite dark. The interior had also needed more work than she had first anticipated.
Still, there was something else on the market that she was going to view tomorrow.
‘Mark has offered to come and view the flat with me tomorrow,’ Carol told her daughter as they pulled into the car park near Liverpool One. ‘I think he might lend a hand if any work needs doing. It will give him something to do,’ said Carol.
‘Are you sure that’s the only reason?’ said Jess, raising an eyebrow and Carol laughed.
‘Right, see you later, love.’ Carol gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek before they went their separate ways. She was going to call in at John Lewis and look at some new soft furnishings she had been browsing online.
She crossed her fingers that the apartment she was viewing tomorrow would be the right one. She was looking forward to making a new home for herself. It was time for her to get on with her life.
Jess seemed to always be haring off somewhere. In between her working life and trips to the hospital to visit Alice, there never seemed to be any time to do anything else. But she would do anything for Alice. She could never repay her for the security she had provided for herself and her daughter.
Her mum had fallen in love with the ground-floor apartment on Blundellsands Road East, that had a large lounge that would flood with light on bright days.
There was a communal garden too that was immaculately looked after.
Carol had been worried she was a little young for over-sixties accommodation, despite her being in that age bracket herself, but her fears were unfounded.
Most of the residents were a lively bunch, many of whom enjoyed an evening at the local pub for their quiz night.
Several of them, including Carol, were heading to Manchester in the new year on the train to watch Strictly Come Dancing on tour.
Jess was pleased that Carol and Mark appeared to be growing closer too. He had helped her decorate the new apartment and fixed some new curtain poles to the walls.
It was a crisp winter afternoon when Jess popped around to her mum’s after school with Maisie.
‘We are really good friends,’ Carol had answered when Jess asked her if she saw a future with Mark.
‘Do you think that’s all you will ever be?’ asked Jess.
‘I’m not sure,’ Carol answered honestly. ‘I love spending time with him. And he is very handsome,’ she admitted.
‘But?’
‘I’m just not sure I could ever get involved with another man romantically. Look what happened last time that happened.’ She sighed.
‘Oh, Mum. That was different,’ said Jess as Maisie was engrossed in building a Lego model. ‘You were probably in a bad place after you and Dad separated. Maybe you felt flattered by the attention.’
‘That’s true enough,’ said Carol, when she thought about how Pete Riley had swept her off her feet. ‘Besides, I’m not sure Mark even sees me that way.’
Jess doubted that very much. She had seen the way he looked at her mum.
‘We went to watch a band his nephew was in at the pub last week, as you know. We had a lovely evening, and when he dropped me off, there was not even a peck on the cheek,’ she said. ‘I think he is strictly in the friend zone, as you young ones say.’
Carol recalled feeling relieved and disappointed in equal measure when Mark had not kissed her goodnight.
‘Well, I think you would make a lovely couple, that’s all I am saying,’ said Jess as she stood to get Maisie a drink.
‘Thanks, love, it’s nice to know I would have your blessing,’ she told her daughter.
‘But I will tell you this for nothing. Even if Mark does become my boyfriend, if I can even call him that at my age,’ she said, with a roll of her eyes, ‘I will never live with another man as long as I live,’ she finished firmly.
‘I’ve spent most of my life sharing my home with a man.
It’s time to get to know myself and have a few adventures along the way. ’
‘Never too old to show some girl power, hey, Mum.’ Jess laughed.
‘Don’t you forget it,’ said Carol. ‘Even if I did need a bit of help with that curtain pole.’