Chapter 63
LIZZIE
George comes out of the living room and blinks in surprise as I walk in, carrying my overnight bag. ‘Hello, Lizzie, have you come to stay?’
‘Yes. I’m going to look after my mum while Alison is in hospital,’ I tell him. ‘Then you won’t have to worry about her while you go to visit Alison or to work.’
‘That’s very kind of you, dear, but there’s really no need. Sheila is coming over tomorrow to help. You have enough to do and your children need you.’
‘Nick is working from home for a few days so he can look after the kids,’ I say.
George frowns. ‘Lizzie, dear, I know you’re worried but I assure you that we can cope.’
‘I won’t rest knowing that Mum hasn’t got anyone to help her with personal stuff.’
George sighs. ‘If it makes you feel more at ease, that’s fine by me, Lizzie. The last thing I want is for you to be worried about your mum. Judith’s in the lounge, why don’t you go and chat to her. She’ll be delighted to see you.’
‘Thank you.’ I stand my bag under the coat rack and go into the lounge.
Mum is sitting on the sofa, and like George, looks surprised to see me.
‘Lizzie, is everything okay?’ she asks. ‘George said he told you about Alison. Is that why you’ve come?’
I want to tell her everything, but I can’t with George here.
Thankfully he pops his head around the door and says, ‘I’ll go and visit Alison while you’re here, Lizzie.
I was going to leave it to Kenny and Sheila but I’d like to check on her myself.
I’ll only be a couple of hours and it will give you and Judith time to have a catch-up. ’
I’m glad for the chance to talk to Mum. I want to tell her everything that’s happened, see if she thinks I’m being over-dramatic, like Jodie and Nick do.
I’m not going to tell her about the text message though.
I don’t want to upset her by bringing up Dad’s death again. And it feels disloyal to Nick.
‘It’s good of you to come and sit with me, love. But I’m okay, honestly. And those kiddies will be missing you,’ Mum says. She gives a little yawn.
‘I’ll probably be back home by the time they come out of school tomorrow, as George said that they’re only keeping Alison in overnight.’ I pause. I’ve got to do this. ‘Mum, I need to talk to you.’
‘What is it?’ Her eyes sharpen. ‘Has something else happened?’
‘I don’t know if it is anything but a couple of days ago, when I had the key cut, I came in and you were asleep so I went to the bathroom upstairs.
’ I can’t bring myself to confess that I was snooping.
‘And I saw your bedroom door open and your document file on the bed, as if someone had been looking through it.’ I can feel my cheeks flush.
‘I know that I shouldn’t have gone in your bedroom but I was worried, so I checked the file and your will and insurance were missing. ’
Mum nods. ‘I had an appointment arranged with my solicitor on Thursday, when we were due to have returned from our honeymoon, to update my will after our marriage. I told you that George and I have agreed to keep our finances separate. As I couldn’t go to the solicitors myself I asked George to pop my will in for me.
You will remain the beneficiary of my life insurance too, so the solicitor needs both documents.
’ She frowns. ‘I’m not sure what you’re trying to suggest here, Lizzie. ’
I bite my lip. I don’t want to say the rest but I have to. ‘George isn’t as financially secure as you think, Mum. One of his customers told me that he was in so much debt before he met you that he was going to have to sell his shop. And the house belongs to Sheila, not him.’
Mum sets her mouth in a firm line. ‘Lizzie, I can’t believe you’ve been gossiping about George to one of his customers.’
‘I wasn’t, she offered the information.’ I take the plunge. ‘And you have to admit that lots of things have gone wrong since the wedding. You are getting weaker instead of better.’
‘Are you suggesting that George is making me ill? Putting aside the fact that George would never do such a thing, what would he gain from it? He won’t get any of my money if I die, you will.’
I guess she’s right, George has no motive if he’s not gaining financially from it.
‘Something’s going on, Mum.’ I tell her about finding the jar of peanut butter in the cupboard, and the receipt in Nick’s pocket. ‘Someone has a key to our house and is sneaking in. And look what’s happened to Alison. What if she didn’t fall? What if someone attacked her?’
Mum’s eyes widen. ‘Who on earth would do that and why? Besides, Alison told the police she tripped because the heel of her shoe broke.’ She shuffles in her seat. ‘I think you’re letting your imagination get a bit carried away with you, Lizzie.’
Which is what Nick thinks too. But something isn’t right, all my senses tell me so.
Mum pushes herself up and reaches for her walker. ‘I need to go to the loo. I’ll put the kettle on then and make us a cuppa.’ Which is code for conversation finished.
‘No, I’ll do that,’ I tell her. She’s still unsteady on her feet and I don’t want her spilling boiling water over herself.
We’re sipping our tea when George returns from the hospital. ‘How’s Alison?’ Mum asks.
‘Not bad. She’s got a big bump on her head, she hit it with some force apparently but the doctor thinks she’ll be home tomorrow.’
‘She could have been killed.’ I still can’t help worrying that this might not have been an accident. But then surely Alison would remember if someone had pushed her.
George nods. ‘She was lucky. She will be okay though, after a few days’ rest.’ He sits down and twists his hands together anxiously.
‘Alison’s accident has given me quite a shock.
’ He puts his hand to his chest. ‘My old ticker is racing a bit. I must say that I’m relieved you’re here, Lizzie, to keep Judith company. ’
He leans back in the chair and closes his eyes wearily.
‘Why don’t you go to bed, love? You look done in. Lizzie will help me into my room,’ Mum tells him.
He does look shattered. His skin is pale and he’s heavy under the eyes, and I wonder if I’m wrong about him. Wrong about all of them.
‘I think I will, if you don’t mind helping Judith get ready, Lizzie.’
‘Of course not. You must be shaken up about Alison.’
‘I am a bit.’ George gives Mum a hug goodnight. As they wrap their arms around each other I think of Nick. I miss him. And the kids.
I don’t feel easy leaving Mum down here by herself. Maybe I’m imagining it all, as everyone thinks, but I want to make sure my mum is safe. ‘I’ll sleep on the sofa in the conservatory for tonight,’ I say.
George looks at me in concern. ‘You won’t be very comfortable there, Lizzie. Why don’t you take Alison’s bed in your old room?’
‘I prefer to be down here in case Mum needs me. I’ll be fine, don’t worry,’ I tell him.
I fetch Alison’s light duvet and pillow and put them on the sofa. I’m glad that Nick and Alison took the wicker one outside, this one is much more comfortable.
‘Shall we have another drink before we turn in?’ I ask Mum when George has gone up to bed. ‘Do you fancy hot chocolate?’
‘That would be lovely, I’ll go to the bathroom and get ready for bed. Do you mind bringing it in to my room?’ she asks.
‘Of course not.’
I warm some milk up on the hob, make two mugs of hot chocolate, put some marshmallows in a bowl and take them in to Mum’s room.
We have our drink together then Mum settles down to sleep.
I put a glass of water within her reach in case she wakes in the night and is thirsty.
I’ve poured one for myself too. I take it into the conservatory and lie down on the sofa in there.
I think of my comfy bed back home, and Nick. I miss snuggling up to him.
As if he can sense my thoughts, he phones me. ‘Hello, love, how are you doing? Is everything okay at your mum’s?’
I’m so happy to hear from him. ‘Everything’s okay. Mum’s asleep now. I’m glad I came, George looks shattered. I think Alison’s accident has really shaken him up.’
‘It’s a lot for him, especially not long after Judith’s fall. It’s a lot for you all.’
It is. ‘How are the kids?’ I ask.
‘Fast asleep. Everything is fine here, don’t worry about us.’ He pauses. ‘I love you, Lizzie. If you need me call. Anytime. Even in the middle of the night. Promise?’
‘I promise. I love you too.’
When our phone call has ended, I curl up on the sofa and wrap the blanket around me, thinking how much I miss Nick and the kids.
I wish I could go home, that we were all together again, but I can’t until it’s safe.
And right now, I don’t feel that it is. Exhausted, I snuggle down into the pillow and close my eyes.
I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep but something wakes me. Something that makes my eyes snap open and my ears prick, on full alert. I sit up and reach for the light, switching it on. What is it?
I can smell something. Smoke! I can smell smoke. I jump off the sofa in panic.
Oh my God, something is on fire!