Chapter 80
EIGHTY
The next day, as Nancy trudged through the snow into the village, everywhere she went people seemed to be whispering.
Hushed voices hidden behind hands, heads turned away so she couldn’t see, but she knew.
She knew they were talking about her. Other people made their feelings known in subtle ways.
The woman in the deli was cold when she served Nancy, uttering only the most basic of sentences.
Hazel, the older lady who adored the entire village population of dogs, made a point of crossing the road when she saw her coming.
Tomorrow’s fish and chips, Nancy reminded herself, but it still hurt. She hurried home with Lara and stayed inside the house. The sky was grey and foreboding, the snow still falling steadily. There was a dismal quality to the day, as if the sun had barely risen. It was claustrophobic.
She had a sudden urge to get out of the village. Go somewhere where there was more life, more light. Somewhere bigger. A city.
She bundled Lara into the car. ‘We’re going on a surprise visit to Auntie Beth’s,’ she announced.
Lara cheered.
The weather had worsened since they’d been out that morning, the snow more persistent as they left their circular driveway. Nancy felt her wheels skid in the lane but she held her nerve and they kept going.
The high street was now eerily quiet. Some of the shops had closed early, no doubt due to the heavy snowfall.
Snow covered everything, making it impossible to make out where the road became the pavement.
Nancy kept going, her wipers fast against the snow that fell relentlessly.
She peered through the windscreen. Visibility was down to about fifteen metres.
The snow swirled in the cone of light in front of each headlight.
Not long and she’d be at Beth’s. They’d have a cup of coffee and it would be warm and friendly.
Nancy headed onto the country lane that led out of the village. The snow piled up in drifts on either side of the road. It was always narrow but now it seemed less of a road, more a passageway.
She stopped the car and looked out the windscreen at the thick snow in front of her.
Should she go for it? Nancy edged forward at a snail’s pace and felt the car slide.
This was madness. Even if she did manage to make it all the way down the road to meet the main junction, it would take about an hour.
And she would still be several miles from Beth’s house.
But there was more than one way out of this village. Some of the smaller lanes would be impassable but there was another road. It was a longer journey to Beth’s, but it was wider, more often used. Other cars would have gone the same way, made a pathway she could follow.
She reversed slowly until the road was wide enough to turn around and then drove back down the high street.
The street lights were barely penetrating the gloom.
Nancy put her head down, determined to keep going.
The junction loomed. She went to turn. Her car slid from under her and she spun one hundred and eighty degrees.
She fought to regain control and skidded to a stop.
It was silent; the only sound being the hum of the car, the sweep of the wipers still gamely pushing away the relentless snow.
‘Is everything OK, Mum?’ asked Lara, looking up at her nervously.
Then Nancy knew she couldn’t do it. Not after what had happened to them all. She must be mad, thinking of driving on a day like today. What if they had an accident? What if Lara lost another parent? What if she lost Lara?
‘I think we should go back,’ said Nancy.
She gingerly drove the car back along the lane to their house. She parked up; the hollow in the snow where the car had been earlier was already filling up.
They pulled their coats close then opened the car doors and ran.
After they came into the house, Nancy dumped her stuff and put Lara in front of the TV. She wanted to call Beth. Tell her about their plan, even if they hadn’t been able to make it.
She listened to the ringing in her ear. Please answer, she thought. I could really do with your friendly voice.
‘Hello?’
Nancy frowned. That wasn’t Beth speaking.
‘Is that Nancy? It’s Martin.’
‘Martin?’ She thought she heard a catch in his breath. ‘Is everything OK?’
‘I’m so sorry,’ he said, his voice cracking, ‘but I have some bad news. Beth has been in an accident.’