Liz just wanted someone to help her get dressed. Was that too much to ask at nearly ten o’clock in the morning? That was why she was here, wasn’t it? Apparently, they were short-staffed. Again.
It didn’t matter, she told herself.
The day hadn’t started well. She’d had a text message from her bank saying she’d exceeded her overdraft limit. Panic coursed around her body. Up until a couple of months ago, she’d never been in debt. Never even failed to clear her credit card balance each month.
These financial problems were temporary, though. An injection of funds was due any day now. Peter reckoned within the next few weeks.
‘Knock, knock,’ Judith said, appearing in the open doorway. ‘Oh, good, you’re having a lazy morning. That’ll do you the world of good.’
‘No, just no one has bothered to help me get dressed yet. Sorry, didn’t mean to snap. I just hate being so useless.’
As if on cue, a ruddy-faced woman with multiple piercings arrived. She introduced herself as Anna and told Liz she was here to get her ready for the day.
‘Thank you,’ Liz said. ‘Do you want to wait for me in the lounge, Judith? Or even in the garden if it’s as warm as it looks?’
‘Oh, a cup of tea in the garden would be lovely,’ Judith said. She reached into her handbag and pulled out a wodge of letters. ‘I brought your post, by the way.’
As Anna chatted away about what Liz wanted to wear today and how she advised layers because it was warm one minute and cold the next, Liz focused on the pile of letters. Most of them would be the usual rubbish no doubt, but one of them looked as if it was the letter she had been waiting for.
‘Could you please open that letter for me?’ Liz said. ‘The one in the brown envelope.’
‘You sure?’ Anna said, laughing. ‘I do my best to ignore those.’ She opened the envelope and handed the letter to Liz.
Liz skimmed the text. We’re sorry to have to tell you your application for a loan has been unsuccessful.
What? Why?
‘Bad news?’ Anna said.
‘No, no.’ Liz opened the top drawer of the bedside table with her good hand. She felt as if she was going to be sick. It simply hadn’t crossed her mind that the loan application would be turned down.
Anna was standing in front of the open wardrobe. ‘Skirt or trousers?’
‘Umm…’ All Liz cared about was that letter. And what the hell she was going to tell Peter.
Liz couldn’t believe it was a sunny day and yet she and Judith were the only two people in the care home garden. You’d have thought the inmates would be desperate to get out.
She’d resolved to put the rejected bank loan application out of her mind for now. She’d find a way around things.
‘How are you coping?’ Judith said, picking up her cup of tea. ‘Is this place truly awful?’
‘S’okay.’ Liz said with a one-shouldered shrug. ‘It was so kind of you to offer to have me to stay but I wouldn’t have wanted to put you out.’ Or spend more than a few hours under the same roof as that maddening husband of yours.
‘I wouldn’t have minded,’ Judith said. ‘I was thinking, by the way, you should give me your laundry and I’ll wash it and bring it back. When my mum was in a care home, they lost everything. Well, either that or shrank it to doll-sized.’
‘I can’t give you a bag of my dirty pants and nighties.’
‘Why ever not? You had to clear up my vomit on more than one occasion when we went travelling.’
Liz laughed. ‘That was nearly sixty years ago.’
‘Just give me the washing. It’s no bother to bung it in the machine.’
‘Thank you, that’s so kind. Honestly, I think you, Peter and Emily are the only people who have kept me sane since I fell over.’
‘Hmm.’
‘What does “hmm” mean?’
‘Nothing. Well, just I wish Peter was here looking after you.’
The custard cream Liz was eating turned to sand in her throat. ‘You know he can’t be. He has to be in the States right now. His grandson is in intensive care fighting for his life.’
Judith nodded and the silence stretched between them until Liz could bear it no longer. ‘If you’ve got something to say, just spit it out.’
Judith stared at her nails. ‘Well… umm… it’s all going so fast with you and Peter.’
Liz felt as if someone had punched her in the guts. ‘You were the one who persuaded me to go on the dating apps in the first place. Don’t you remember how reluctant I was, how worried that everyone would swipe left on me? Or that I’d find a match but then discover he thought Covid had been invented by the “mainstream media”. Or have a nickname for his penis or belch loudly after meals and say proudly that in some countries that’s taken as a sign you appreciated the food. But you kept on and on at me about giving the apps a try. Told me that life is short and there was nothing to lose. You created my profile, for goodness’ sake.’ Liz was aware she was raising her voice, but she didn’t care. ‘And now I’ve met this wonderful man. This kind, handsome, funny man who makes me feel things I thought only existed in books and movies and you’re all, it’s going so fast.’
Judith stared into her tea. ‘I’m just saying you should be a little careful.’
Where had this come from? Judith had been even more excited than Liz when the two of them had first pored over Peter’s photos on the dating app. Judith kept going on about how young he looked. Maybe it was the full head of hair? She said he reminded her of Harrison Ford. And he looked such fun too – laughing or smiling in every single shot.
Now Judith sucked in her lips. ‘I’m happy that you’ve met someone you like.’
‘Are you? Because it sure as hell doesn’t sound like it. And I don’t like him, by the way, I love him.’
‘But—’
Liz silenced her friend with a look. If she was fair, she couldn’t entirely blame Judith. If someone had told her six months ago that they’d fallen in love with someone they’d met online she’d have thought they were bonkers. She and Peter had this deep connection, though. They’d spent hours and hours chatting and messaging and talked about anything and everything, from their previous relationships to their deepest fears, to Peter’s property developing business (Liz was in awe of how calm he stayed while negotiating deals worth millions).
‘Look,’ Judith said. ‘I don’t want us to fight. We never fight.’
Liz smiled tightly. Someone should deadhead those roses. If she had her secateurs with her, she’d do it herself. Well, her secateurs and a functional right arm.
‘You’re not giving him money, are you?’ Judith said.
Liz felt sure her mouth must have literally dropped open. ‘What kind of question is that? I’ll have you know that Peter is a very successful businessman. He owns properties all over Spain. His company is worth millions—’
‘Sometimes these people aren’t who they say they are. I read a newspaper article once—’
‘Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?’ Liz said, slamming her cup down with so much force she was surprised it didn’t crack the saucer. ‘I’ve obviously googled him.’ She’d only done this out of curiosity but she was glad she could bring it out now.
‘Oh… well… that’s good.’ Judith had the good grace to look a little embarrassed. ‘Please don’t let’s fight. We never fight. I was just looking out for you.’
‘I can look out for myself. And Peter is the best thing that has ever happened to me.’