‘At least Lottie can do loads for herself. Mum’s going downhill fast lately.’
‘I’m sure a home will come up soon. They can’t leave people like that.’
Ginny shook her head. ‘They’re full up, Soph. People are living longer nowadays, and there’s hardly any room. We’re expected to look after our elders now.’
‘But we can’t unless we give up work, then what?’
‘We were told she might get a place further away. Even out of Cornwall.’
Sophie’s eyes widened. ‘They can do that?’
‘Yeah, they moved Shaun’s gran to a place in Hastings. Some home the council are in association with. Mum would flip if they tried to move her further than Penzance.’
‘What about your brother? Can’t he help?’
Fat chance!
Ginny didn’t like to badmouth him, even though he deserved it. Lee had done bugger all to help their mum, and he was the one she doted on.
‘Oh, he lives too far away, chick.’
And the last time she tried to involve him, he told her quite bluntly to use her own money to pay for their mum’s care.
She glanced at her friend clearing the plates, wondering if anyone else thought she should use her money to pay for a private care home. The sale of the flat might buy her mum a few years somewhere nice, but then what? And could she really go against her dad’s wishes? He was so adamant in the letter he wrote accompanying his will that not one penny of his money was to be spent on Birdy. The curse words that followed were embedded in her forever. Whatever happened between them, one thing was for sure, they hated each other.
Talk about rock and hard place.
‘You want some afters, Gin?’ asked Sophie, head in the fridge.
‘Sure, whatever’s good.’ Something sweet was in order to help cheer her weary soul, especially as her next stop was her mum’s. She already knew she would hit the pillow later and cry.
Sophie plonked some chocolate cheesecake on the table. ‘Why don’t I come with you to your mum’s after this. I can help you put her to bed, have a tidy-up, put on a wash, whatever. I don’t mind.’
Ginny’s tears almost surfaced there and then. What a wonderful offer and so utterly and completely needed, but she had to refuse. There was no way she wanted Sophie to hear the way her mother spoke to her. No one could know. The shame was too much to bear.
Pretending the task was not a big deal, Ginny politely declined and cut herself a large slice of cheesecake and quickly shoved some into her mouth, making the most of the sweetness.
Chapter 5
Will
The weekend had arrived and the Jolly Pirate pub was packed for the Halloween party. The lively atmosphere and people dressed up in costumes filled Will with a sense of community as soon as he entered the beer garden out front. Everyone was on top form, singing karaoke inside, laughing and taking photographs, enjoying the food coming from the outdoor grill area.
One thing Will loved was belonging somewhere, and since leaving the navy he hadn’t found connection, even when part of a mountain rescue team. It was strange to think he didn’t fit anywhere.
Jed approached him before he’d even had a chance to check out the bar. ‘Will, glad you came. And you dressed up. Look at you. Who are you supposed to be?’
Will looked over his attire. ‘A zombie groom.’ He laughed along with the old fella dressed like a rather sophisticated vampire. ‘There wasn’t much left in my size at the fancy dress shop, so I opted for make-up and a wedding suit.’
‘This is what happens when you’re all muscle.’
Will laughed, flexing his biceps. ‘I’m not that big.’
Jed showed off his own firm arm. ‘Not bad for seventy.’
‘It’s all that fish you eat,’ Will joked.
‘I keep telling folk that,’ said Jed seriously, making Will’s smile stretch.
