Page 61 of The First Mistake

‘You should go,’ one of them said, turning to us.

I couldn’t stop tears springing to my eyes, my confusion seemingly akin to Joyce’s own.

‘We need to calm her down,’ the nurse said. ‘It would be better if you went.’

She was still screaming, ‘He’s here, he’s here,’ as we quickly walked away down the corridor.

22

‘I’m sorry about that,’ Thomas said as we drove away from the care home. His jaw was twitching involuntarily, making him look like he was struggling to contain his true feelings.

‘Are you okay?’ I asked.

He bit down on his lip and turned away. ‘It’s so difficult to see her like that,’ he said. ‘She was such a different woman when ...’ His voice cracked. ‘When she was my mum.’

I put my hand over his, resting on the automatic gearbox. There was nothing I could say, even if I could get past the lump that was lodged in my throat.

‘She was incredible,’ he choked. ‘She was the woman who remembered everybody’s birthday and had a card and the perfect present wrapped and ready the day before. She was the wife who turned heads whenever she walked into a room, on the arm of her proud husband. She was the mother who stayed up all night to make me a Gremlin costume, only to get to school the next morning to find that it wasn’t fancy dress until the following week!’

I sensed an uplift in his tone. ‘I trust she took you home to change?’

He shook his head and smiled. ‘No, she figured it would do me good – make me more aware. It was the hardest lesson I’ve ever had to learn – imagine sitting there, amongst my uniformed friends, wrapped in fur with huge cardboard bat wings for ears. I’ve never got my days muddled up again.’

‘I was speaking tomymum this morning,’ I said. ‘I don’t know if it’s of any interest, but she’s got some cognac, whisky and a few bottles of wine that she said you could take a look at – you know, if you’re free sometime ...’

‘Seriously?’ he asked, his eyes widening.

‘Yes, maybe we can pop over there, when you next come down.’

‘Why don’t we gonow?’ he asked, excitedly. ‘She doesn’t live too far away, does she? Will she be home?’

‘Well ... yes, probably, but I don’t think ...’ I started, as I struggled to comprehend how we’d gone from the disappointment of him not meeting my friends, to now, me meeting his mother and the possibility ofhimmeetingmine. Things were moving at a whippet’s pace and it thrilled and terrified me in equal measure.

‘Why don’t we pop into Maria and Jimmy’s instead?’ I said, playing for time. ‘They might still have some sausages sizzling.’

‘Would you mind if we didn’t?’ he asked, his eyes on the road ahead. ‘I’m not really in the mood for a party. I can drop you off there though, if that’s what you’d prefer.’

I didn’t want to be anywhere without Thomas. ‘No, let’s go to my mum’s then,’ I said hesitantly. ‘I need to pick Tyson up anyway.’

He looked across at me. ‘We can leave it – if you think it’s too soon ...’

How could it be, when I’d just methismother?

I texted Mum to let her know we were popping over and she texted back:I’d better put the icing on that cake then!

‘Crikey,’ mused Thomas, as we turned into the gates of my childhood home. He whistled through his teeth as we drove along the drive, the house not yet in view.

I squirmed, embarrassed by our perceived wealth.

Mum was at the door when we pulled up and I hurried in, expecting Thomas to follow. Instead he was looking around, agog at his surroundings.

‘Mum, this is Thomas,’ I said, in an effort to shake him out of it.

‘Mrs Russo,’ he said, almost jumping to attention. ‘So very pleased to meet you.’

I watched as Mum gave him the once over and could tell from her expression that she was quietly impressed. I let out the breath I’d been holding in.

After the niceties were exchanged, I said, ‘Thomas can look at that wine whilst he’s here.’ I picked up the last remaining crumbs of lemon drizzle and popped them in my mouth. It was sacrilege to leave even the tiniest morsel. ‘If you want him to?’

---