Winnie smiled and sipped her tea, her silence encouraging Lisa to continue when she hoped to leave the conversation there.
‘We chatted; it was… nice.’Perfect, like old times, once we both relaxed.
‘Uh-huh.’ Winnie smiled.
‘Nathan and I…’Nathan and I?That sounded way too couply. ‘Nathan thoughtit would be nice if we saw each other again…’ Lisa was about to add as friends, but realised that would imply they had once been more than friends.
‘Well, I’m pleased for you, my lovely.’
Phew, well navigated, Lisa.
‘And when are you seeing him again?’
Or not!‘Oh, I don’t know.’
‘Why not? Lisa, my lovely, when I saw you that first day, putting up youradvert in the post office, you looked like a lost soul. Look at you now – there’s a glow to your cheeks and a twinkle in your eye. Don’t let the offer of friendship slide when it comes your way.’
Lisa felt a pang in the pit of her stomach; letting friendships slide was what she had done too much of in the past and she was not going to do it again. She had promised herself that. ‘Well,he texted yesterday.’ Lisa had ignored the text until now, but with Winnie’s words fresh in her mind she took out her phone. ‘He asked if I wanted to go to the fireworks on Saturday night, for old times’ sake.’ Finding Nathan’s message and deciding not to think on it any more, Lisa hurried off a text saying it would be fun and pressed send.
‘Ooh we all deserve some fireworks in our lives,’Winnie chortled.
Oh Lord!Lisa needed to change the subject before Winnie got too carried away. ‘And how about you – spoken to your son?’Ah ha, Winifred Adams,if I have to sort my life out then so do you!
Winnie’s eyes welled up. ‘I wrote him a letter.’
‘Oh.’ Lisa put her cup down and held Winnie’s hand – papery, cool skin over knotted bones.
