Sandra read her number out and Patti keyed it in using her index finger, one digit at a time, like Sandra did. The youngsters always used two thumbs and were so fast. A minute or so later a text pinged in from Patti. She opened it to see a hand waving emoji. She saved the number in her contacts.
‘Got it.’
The two friends chatted away then a text pinged in Patti’s phone. She glanced at the screen. ‘Goodness, it’s Kit. I didn’t realise it was that late. I’d better go.’ She grabbed her bag and stood up. ‘Enjoy your weekend.’
‘You too. See you on Monday.’ Sandra waved cheerily as Patti dashed off.
Sandra arrived home feeling a lot lighter than when she’d left. It had been good to get out today. She’d shut herself away far too long.
Later that evening a text arrived from Patti with a photo of her tattoo, it still looked red and raised but the design was clear. She wrote:
Patti
All healing well, and it got the thumbs up from Kit. Thanks for your company again.
Sandra messaged back.
Sandra
A pleasure.
She smiled as she put down the phone. Patti had cheered her up no end. She needed to stop fretting and see what she thought of Cambridge tomorrow. It was kind of Don and Laila to ask her to move with them. She was fortunate to have such a loving son, she reminded herself, some people didn’t have family who cared about them.
4
Cambridge was a beautiful city, Sandra thought. She’d been surprised how many green spaces there were, and bikes! So many people cycling. Don parked up and they had a walk around the city centre, stopping for lunch in a pub overlooking the river. The children ran off to play on the swings in the pub grounds.
‘The area we’re going to live is on the outskirts,’ Don told Sandra. ‘It’s out of the bustle, but not far to drive – or cycle – into the city centre. There’s regular public transport too.’
‘And there’s a very good school for the girls only a few minutes away,’ Laila added. ‘We’ll show you after lunch.’
Remembering what Patti had said about whether they were expecting her to move in with them Sandra decided to clarify just what they had in mind. ‘It seems quite expensive here but hopefully I’ll find a little bungalow not far from you if I do decide to move.’
Don and Sandra exchanged a look.
Then Don leaned forward, rested his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers.Uh-oh, she knew that look. ‘Laila and I, we’ve been talking, and we think that you’d be comfier, and safer, to livein a retirement apartment, Mum. There’s a lovely one in the area we’re hoping to be in, you’d only be a short drive from us. It’s part of a big development called Orchard House, with communal gardens, a communal hall, and an on-site warden. You’ll be warm and will have company whenever you want it. And as luck would have it, a one bedroomed apartment has just become available.’
‘You want me to go into a home?’ Sandra was stunned. She hadn’t expected this.
‘It isn’t a home, Mum. It’s a retirement complex,’ Don patiently explained. ‘You’ll have your own apartment and can come and go as you please. If you don’t fancy cooking, you can eat in the communal hall, and they have all kinds of activities for the residents.’
‘It’s got very high ratings, Sandra,’ Laila added. ‘It’s clean and modern with lots of facilities.’
‘Of course, you can come and visit whenever you want,’ Don added. ‘And hopefully we’ll have a spare room so you can stay over if you babysit, or if not, we can put the girls in together for the night.’
Sandra looked wordlessly at them both. She didn’t know what to say. She had never considered moving to a retirement complex. Never dreamed that Don would suggest it. How long had he been planning this? It was almost as if he wanted to know she was being looked after, so he wouldn’t have to bother. She’d be tucked away in her little apartment and he could come and visit at weekends.
Don’t be silly, he just wants to know you’re safe. Especially as you’ll be in a strange city and won’t have friends nearby.
That’sifI move with them.
‘We’ve gone ahead and booked an appointment so we can have a look around this afternoon. See what you think, Mum. It really is too good an opportunity to miss. And you should have adecent amount left from the sale of your house to keep you in comfort for a few years.’
They really had thought this through, hadn’t they? ‘I don’t think it’s for me, love, but I guess there’s no harm in looking,’ she said.
‘I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,’ Don told her.
It looked like a nice development, modern and clean, and Marilyn, the warden, was warm and friendly. ‘Hello, Mr and Mrs Wheeler, and you must be Sandra.’ She focused her attention on Sandra. ‘I’m delighted that you’re interested in living in Orchard House. Let me tell you about it, then I’ll show you all around.’
