Chapter 8
JUDITH
‘Well, we’d better be going before they kick us out,’ George says much later. ‘It’s gone six now.’
I can’t believe it’s that late. It’s been such a wonderful day, the weather has been perfect and everyone has got on so well, which means a lot to me and George.
We’re both family people, liking our grown-up kids to pop in whenever they can.
It would have been awkward if they hadn’t got on, so we were delighted to see them chatting away happily.
We all get out of our seats and start to gather our things together.
Lizzie turns to me. ‘Enjoy your honeymoon in Prague, Mum. Take lots of photos. And let us know that you’ve arrived safely.’ She hugs me goodbye.
‘I will,’ I promise. I bend down and give Isaac and Grace a cuddle. They’re tired so Lizzie and Nick are going straight home, but Kenny, Alison and Sheila are coming back to have a cup of tea with us.
Everyone says their goodbyes amid hugs, handshakes and cries of ‘See you soon’, ‘Safe journey.’ Then Lizzie and Nick set off home.
I’m so pleased how well the day has gone, and am really looking forward to our honeymoon tomorrow.
I’ve got a week off from the bakery where I work part-time, and George has arranged cover for his shop.
It will be wonderful to spend a few days together, walking around Prague.
Neither of us has ever been before but we’ve researched online and it looks a beautiful city with lots to see and do.
Back home, Alison goes straight into the kitchen, as if she’s lived here all her life, and makes us all a cup of tea.
‘Are you both all packed?’ she asks, bringing mugs in on a tray.
She passes me my special mug, the one that Isaac and Grace bought me for my birthday.
It says ‘World’s Best Gran’ so it’s obviously mine, it’s very thoughtful of her.
Then she hands steaming mugs around to the others. ‘What time is your flight tomorrow?’
‘We have to be at the airport for eleven,’ George tells her.
‘Me too, I might see you there.’
It seems daft to me that she’s going over to Sheila’s in Gloucester when we all have to leave for the airport at the same time. ‘Why don’t you stay here and you can travel with us? We can share a taxi. Unless you wanted to have a catch-up with Sheila and Kenny?’ I suggest.
Kenny yawns. ‘I’m whacked, I was on a late shift last night, so I’ll be hitting the sack as soon as I get home.’ He works as a Call Centre Manager and often does a late or weekend shift. ‘Besides, we all chat a lot on WhatsApp so we’re pretty up to date with what each other is doing,’ he adds.
‘It does make sense for you to kip here, Alison,’ Sheila agrees. ‘It won’t be such a rush in the morning for you.’
Alison turns to me. ‘If you’re sure, I’d love to. It would be great to spend a bit more time with you and Dad.’
‘That’s all settled then,’ I say. It will give us a chance to get to know each other a bit better.
When they’ve finished their tea, Kenny and Sheila leave and me, Alison and George chat for a while.
Alison has some amusing anecdotes about her life in Spain, then she and George share chats about their family holidays in Brean.
Alison doesn’t really talk about her mum, but George has already told me that she was only eight when Carol, his wife, died, and Kenny was four.
It was so tragic. None of them has said exactly how it happened and I don’t like to ask.
I guess it’s too painful for them. Alison and Kenny are both charming, polite and well-balanced so George, and Sheila, have both done a marvellous job helping them to deal with the trauma.
Then Alison says, ‘I think we’d better turn in soon, so we’ll all be fresh for our travelling tomorrow.’
George yawns. ‘Good idea. I’m whacked.’
‘I’ll go and make you a bed up. You can sleep in Lizzie’s old room,’ I tell Alison.
She rests her arm on mine. ‘You stay right where you are, it’s been a big day for you and Dad. I’ll do us all a nice cup of hot chocolate then I’ll go and make the bed up,’ she insists.
‘Nonsense, you made the last drink,’ I tell her, but she insists we both sit and rest, saying that we’ll need all our strength for travelling tomorrow.
As soon as she’s disappeared into the kitchen, George gets up. ‘I’ll go and get the clean bedding out of the airing cupboard and leave it on the bed for her,’ he says. ‘I won’t be a tick.’
Honestly, none of them can do enough for me. I feel quite spoilt. When George comes down he’s holding my tablet container.
‘I think you forgot to take your tablets this morning, love. You must have been in too much of a rush.’
He hands the container to me. It’s a seven-day one, with the days of the week marked on it, and I can see that Saturday’s tablets haven’t been touched. It’s not like me to forget to take them, but then I’ve had a lot on my mind what with it being our wedding day.
‘Thanks, George, I’d better take them now.’ I open the compartment and take out the two tablets, one to keep my blood pressure down and an aspirin to thin my blood.
George fetches me a small glass of water to swill them down. Then Alison returns with the hot chocolate and a plate of assorted biscuits for our supper.
‘I’ll clear these things away, you two get off to bed,’ she says when we’ve finished.
‘You use the bathroom first, love, while I lock up,’ George tells me.
‘Thanks. I won’t be long.’ I bend down to kiss him on the forehead. When I stand up again I feel a little dizzy.
‘Are you all right?’ George asks, reaching out to clasp my hand.
I nod. ‘Just a bit tired. It’s been an emotional day.’
‘No regrets I hope?’ His eyes are resting on mine.
‘Absolutely not,’ I reassure him. I’m so glad that George has come into my life. And I can’t wait to go on our honeymoon tomorrow. I always wanted to go to Prague, but Arthur preferred a relaxing on the beach or around the pool holiday.
I’m halfway up the stairs when the dizziness comes over me again, and my body feels weak. It’s as if all the energy has suddenly drained out of me. I hang tightly onto the banister, my head swimming.
My legs feel like they’re going to give way underneath me, so I daren’t move another step. I’d better sit down before I fall down, I think, trying to lower myself onto the step.
Then I lose my balance and suddenly I’m falling.
‘George!’ I scream as I hurtle towards the floor. ‘George!!!’