Chapter 50
JANUARY
Saturday morning, the final divorce papers were delivered.
So that was that. Marriage officially ended, Clifford out of her life forever.
Nancy sat at the breakfast table, reading the confirmation letter over and over again, trying to take it in.
Tears unexpectedly filled her eyes and she fumbled for a tissue in her pocket.
Then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Slate standing behind her. ‘It hurts, doesn’t it, even though you’ve been expecting it?’ he said softly.
She nodded. ‘It’s like I’ve failed somehow. All those years.’ She gulped.
‘You haven’t failed. It just didn’t work out. People change, they wake up one day and want a different life.’
She wiped her eyes. She’d got a different life too. She was happy. Happier than she thought she would be when she’d come home from work months ago to find that note from Clifford.
Jackie came in and looked from Nancy to Slate. ‘What’s happened?’
Nancy showed her the divorce papers. ‘I’m glad it’s final but for a moment…’
‘What you need is a divorce celebration!’ Jackie suggested. ‘Let’s crack open a bottle of wine tonight, order a takeaway and celebrate new beginnings.’
New beginnings. She rolled the words over in her mind. That’s what this was for her: a new beginning. If Clifford hadn’t walked out she wouldn’t have met these wonderful people and had a second chance at life. Look what she would have missed out on.
‘That’s a fab idea,’ she agreed. ‘But if we’re going to celebrate, let’s have a real party, shall we?’
‘Right, yes! Let’s do it!’ Jackie said. ‘I’ll message Phyllis at work and tell her about it. She can invite Aurora and Milo. How about you ask your sister and husband too? And there’s Oxo, Decaf and Muriel.’
Nancy grinned, her spirits lifted already. ‘Don’t forget Pam and Leroy.’
* * *
They spent the afternoon making food and moving furniture out of the way for the party.
Nancy chose a playlist on her iPad and Slate linked it up to his speaker.
They made sandwiches, and Jackie dashed out to buy some buffet sausage rolls, pork pies and other bits and pieces.
Then Val and Dennis arrived with a big ‘Divorce’ cake with a female figurine on the top and they all cheered.
Decaf and Muriel came with a bottle of Prosecco.
Pam and Leroy with a big bowl of jerk chicken and Aurora and Milo with home-made cookies.
They all had a wonderful time. It was the perfect way to celebrate her divorce.
* * *
The next afternoon Slate and Jackie were going to visit their flats again and choose the carpets.
‘I wish I didn’t have to sell this place and you weren’t all moving out. I’ll miss you so much,’ Nancy told them sadly.
‘Then come with us,’ Jackie suggested. ‘There’s still quite a few flats left. You too, Phyllis, a flat would be cosier than a caravan and we’d all still be together.’
It might be a good idea, Nancy thought. There was no harm in looking, was there? She would miss her beautiful garden but she didn’t have much time to spend out there now; she was too busy having fun with the others. Besides she had to move, and it would be marvellous for them all to be together.
‘You know I think I will,’ she said. ‘What about you, Phyllis?’
Phyllis sat stroking Cobweb for a moment, then she replied, ‘Tomorrow, I’m going to see another mobile home for sale on a site not far from here. I’ll see what I think of that first.’
* * *
‘It’s much nicer than I expected,’ Nancy said as they stood outside the apartment block. It was so sleek and modern, with views over the river. And only a short walk from the town centre. ‘And what a marvellous location.’
‘It’s the perfect place to live, isn’t it?’ Jackie asked. ‘There’s an underground car park too. Wait until you see inside.’
The site manager took them to Jackie’s apartment first. It was airy and spacious. ‘I was going for a two-bedroom at first but then I thought this is more than enough for me,’ she said.
Nancy was very impressed, there was a lounge-diner with picture windows and a garden terrace overlooking the river, a spacious kitchen, a large bedroom and a bathroom with a bath and shower. ‘It will come complete with white goods and cupboards, fitted wardrobes and carpets,’ the site manager said.
‘This is fantastic. You’ve even got a little garden. I wish I’d come to see them before, but I honestly didn’t think I could live in a flat,’ she said.
‘Mine’s the same, and is right next door,’ Slate told her. He jerked his thumb at Jackie. ‘I bet this one will be knocking on the door all the time to borrow coffee.’
Jackie gave him a playful shove on the arm. ‘You’ll be the one borrowing things. You’re not used to living on your own.’
Nancy could understand why Slate and Jackie wanted to live here, and how lovely that they would be next door to each other. To her surprise, she could actually imagine herself living here too. It would be wonderful to be near her friends.
‘Are there any ground-floor apartments left in this block?’ she asked. She would like to have a garden terrace.
‘Just the two. And three apartments on the second floor,’ the manager told her. ‘They’re still being finished off inside so won’t be ready until the end of March. But you’ll need to put a deposit down by the end of next week if you want them. I can’t hold them any longer than that.’
‘Can I take a look inside, please?’
‘No problem.’
The flat next door to Slate’s and the one next to that were both empty.
The manager let Nancy look around both. I could be happy living here, next to Slate and Jackie, she thought.
I could make this garden terrace look pretty with colourful pots and bushes.
A few statues. A little table and chairs.
We could all pop into each other’s flats, or sit out in the gardens, sipping wine and looking at the river.
‘If you and Phyllis both bought these two flats we would all be living right next to each other,’ Jackie said. ‘That would be amazing. It would almost be like living together. We could even take it in turns to hold a dinner night, and all still be there for each other.’
It would be wonderful to not lose touch with Jackie, Slate and Phyllis. They had become more than lodgers, they were good friends.
When Clifford had walked out on her Nancy had been devastated – not only at his actions but at the thought of losing her home and beloved garden.
The past few months had taught her that the people you shared your home with were more important than the bricks and mortar.
She loved these people. They had moved in, embraced her with warmth and kindness and taught her how to be herself again. She wanted to keep them in her life.
She nodded. ‘I’m going to take it. I just hope that I can sell my house quickly.’
‘Jed will sort all that out for you, if you want him to,’ Slate said. His eyes were dancing with delight.
‘Yes, please.’ She was doing the right thing; she knew she was.
If only Phyllis was moving with them too.