Page 69 of Love Me Till Wednesday

‘I’ve not had much sleep since I landed at Heathrow yesterday.’

‘All that jetting about isn’t good for you. I’ll make you a cup of tea when I’ve got my breath back.’

‘No, I’ll do it.’

She didn’t object like she usually did.

‘Do you still take one sugar?’ he asked.

‘Your sister insists I have it without. She says it’s bad for me.’

That sounded like Paula. Always bossing everyone about. ‘I won’t tell her if you don’t,’ he whispered conspiratorially.

She laughed, which turned into a cough. She leaned back in the chair and shut her eyes.

‘Have you seen a doctor recently?’

‘Yes, yes. Don’t fuss.’

He went into the kitchen and started making the tea. While he was waiting for the kettle to boil, he sent Paula a text.

At mum’s. She’s not looking well.

His sister replied straight away.

I told you a couple of months ago that she’d had a stroke.

She had but his mother had downplayed it at the time. ‘Nothing a couple of days in bed won’t fix,’ she’d said when he phoned her.

You said it was just a minor one.

Paula replied.

It was but it’s slowed her down. You should have seen her the day after. She looked awful.

Nick felt guilty. He should have made the effort to fly over. He could’ve rejigged his diary somehow.

She sounded alright on the phone.

The three dots went on and off for a while. He sensed Paula was about to give him a bollocking.

Because she makes an effort for the few minutes when you speak to her once in a blue moon! Can you try to persuade her to have some help? She refuses when I suggest it but you’re her golden boy. She’ll listen to you.

A golden boy who neglects his own mother.She deserved a better son than that after all the encouragement she’d given him when he was younger. He’d try to make up for it now. He carried the mugs back into the living room.

‘Just put it on the table, love,’ his mother said. ‘We’ve got a lot to talk about.’

‘Yes, we have. Like you needing some help.’

‘That’s not what I meant. I’m talking about your boy.’

So much for worrying about how to break the news to her. Nick flopped down on the old sofa next to her chair. ‘How did you know about Jim?’

‘It was the talk of the church ‘knit and natter’ club this morning. I felt such a fool when Rosemary pulled out her phone and showed me a photo of you sitting next to a young man who looked the dead spit of you. I was so shocked I dropped several stitches. I had to unravel three rows to get back on track again.’

‘I’m sorry. I knew nothing about him either until last night.’

She leaned forward in her chair and held his hand. ‘Oh, my poor Dom. Do you know much more now?’

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