‘I don’t know him.’ She poured out the last of the tea. She’d have to go to the bathroom again in a minute if she drank much more. It was certainly a full tea pig. ‘I had to interview him when I went to Hertfordshire.’
‘Wow.’ Sally ogled the magazine some more. ‘He’s so good looking.’
‘It was work.’ But Lydia couldn’t help the corners of her mouth turning up just a little.
‘Work, my arse. Interviewing him would be one hundred per cent pleasure.’
Lydia laughed. ‘Come on, I’ll pay for this as you paid for the taxi last night, and then I’m going home for a sleep.’
‘Old lady. Big night catching up with you is it?’ Sally picked up her bag and when Lydia had paid and left a tip in the jar on the counter, they emerged into the May sunshine.
‘You’re two weeks older than me,’ Lydia quipped, hugging her friend tightly.
‘True. Actually, I might have a snooze myself.’
Lydia walked home slowly, taking the long way round, through the park so she could see more of the blooms daring to raise their heads and take a look at the new season that was upon them. She almost reached for her phone to check if Anita had been in touch, but she’d set a time limit today. She’d look at four o’clock when Theo should be well and truly settled in the care home.
Care home. The words still sounded wrong.
Lydia let herself in to the house and stepped in to the hallway, a bright sun casting a glowing strip along the wooden floors. She stopped, leaned against the front door as it clicked shut. This time, walking in to her home felt in some ways like the first step in moving forwards. But she still had no idea whether it was a step she was really ready to take.
