Page 64 of Waiting for a Bright New Future

“Less off the wall. She talks a bit more like me.”

“That sounds good.”

“Maybe. How’s Andrea?” Stuart didn’t want to leave a silence for William to fill with more questions.

The old man looked down and his fingers started to work the bottom ribbing of his woollen jumper. He glanced up again to speak and his eyes seemed extra bright. “The same. She still phones every Sunday evening. She still doesn’t visit except on high days and holidays.”

“So the argument is forgotten.”

“Not forgotten. It’s the elephant in the room. We don’t go near it.”

“That’s a shame.” Stuart placed a hand on the old man’s shoulder. “I hope you can find a way through.”

“I doubt that. Andrea’s been used to everything falling into her lap her whole life. But I believe good fortune must be earned.”

This was a riddle too far for Stuart; there was too much of his own life swirling in his head without taking on William’s relationship with his daughter.

“I best be off.”

“Lillian?”

“Yes, she needs feeding as well.”

“Your relationship with Jayne doesn’t mean you have to look after her mother.”

William’s words felt like a criticism. “Whatever I’m doing for Lillian, I’m doing because I want to.”

* * *

There was still no response from Florence to the picture of Tibby. This ongoing silence was making Stuart increasingly worried about Florence’s wellbeing. Shirley’s death had affected her badly. Maybe she wasn’t coping. Maybe she needed a friend.

Stuart pulled up the website of Double Berry Black and checked the details of their next gig. Tonight. The only way to stop worrying about Florence was to see her alive, well, happy and doing what she enjoyed best. And give her a chance to reclaim Tibby before the animal went to a rescue centre.

He scratched the cat under the chin. She looked at him with grateful eyes and licked his hand with a tongue like wet sandpaper. When Tibby was gone there’d be no point in sitting out the last five months here, alone. He would hand the keys to Robert and George, and take up Jayne’s offer of moving next door. This feeling of living in a temporary, indecisive interlude would be gone. He’d be living where he was appreciated instead of in a gloomy house too big for one person.

But first he had to see Florence. Just making that decision made Stuart feel better.

Don’t you think that Florence would have contacted you if she had any interest in Tibby’s future?

“Stop creating obstacles, Sandra. I have to do this for my own peace of mind.”

Before nerves and doubt crept in, he entered his credit card number and clicked ‘confirm order’ on the screen. The PDF of a gig ticket dropped into his inbox and he printed it out on a sheet of A4. He rang Jayne immediately to stop himself overthinking and doing none of it.

“I won’t be in tonight,” he said.

“Oh?”

“I’m going out.”

“I guessed that when you said you weren’t going to be in. Where are you going?”

He paused.

People in solid relationships don’t keep secrets.

“I’m going to one of Florence’s concerts.” His words came out too quickly. “Just to make sure it’s OK to rehome Tibby before we . . .” He let the future drift away.

“Can’t you text her?”

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