‘Well, I can give you a hand with that, if you like. I’ll be collecting Bo again tomorrow. We could bring them back here and let them play while we get stuck into it.’
‘Oh no, I couldn’t let you do that. Thanks, though.’
‘It’s no bother. I’m very nosy, as you’ve probably noticed,’ Sheena said with a cheeky smile. ‘I love going through other people’s stuff.’
Lou didn’t think she was nosy at all, just interested in people.
‘No, really. I appreciate the offer, but…’ Lou trailed off, squirming uncomfortably.
‘Okay. No pressure. But if you change your mind, just shout. I’d be happy to help. I’m a dab hand at decluttering and I actually enjoy it. It’s a lot easier when it’s someone else’s stuff.’
‘It should be. But I feel guilty getting rid of her possessions when I didn’t even know her. It feels sort of… disrespectful, I guess? Like I’m deciding it’s all worthless junk, all these things that had some sort of meaning for her.’
‘Well, it’s not as if Noreen is around to care,’ Sheena said. ‘Now, how about that tour?’
‘I want to do some painting,’ Lou said as she led Sheena around the house. ‘But first I have to get everything cleared out. There’s still a lot to do.’
‘Yes, I can see that,’ Sheena said as Lou showed her into the box room. ‘Is that lot for the dump?’ She pointed to the refuse sacks by the window.
‘Those ones are, and the ones on the other side are for recycling. There wasn’t room for them all in the bins, so I’ll have to get rid of them in stages. The ones downstairs are for the charity shop. I brought one lot this morning on my way to school.’
‘You don’t have a car?’
Lou shook her head. ‘Not yet. I’m planning to get one, but it’ll have to wait until the end of the month. I can’t afford it just yet.’
‘What are you looking for?’
‘A bargain,’ Lou said with a laugh.
‘I’ll ask around. I might know someone. In the meantime, I’ll get rid of that lot for you.’ She nodded to the bags. ‘And the rest.’
‘Thanks, but it’s not necessary.’
‘It won’t take me any time in the car. I’ll drive over tomorrow after school and we can load it up.’
Lou felt there was no point in arguing the point any further. Sheena seemed determined to be helpful. And it would be nice to get some of the bags out of the house. It didn’t feel like she’d made any progress when they were still sitting around cluttering up rooms.
‘Okay, thanks. That would be great.’
Lou led the way downstairs again and they went out into the garden, where Bo and Jack were running around in the long grass.
‘This needs a lot of work too,’ Lou said. ‘I want to dig some beds and grow vegetables and herbs. And I have to cut back the jungle, obviously. There’s an old mower in the shed, but I don’t think it works any more.’
‘I think it’s more a combine harvester you need for this,’ Sheena said with a laugh. ‘But I can lend you a mower.’
‘Thanks, but there’s no rush. It can wait until I get one myself.’
Sheena frowned. ‘This is a hell of a job for you to tackle on your own. I’ll get my lot to come round and give you a hand with it.’
‘Oh, I couldn’t let you do that.’
‘They’d be happy to.’
‘I’m sure they have better things to do in their spare time than work on my garden. And I couldn’t pay them.’
Sheena tutted. ‘No one expects you to pay them. Honestly, just give them a few beers and some sandwiches and they’re anybody’s. It’ll take you forever to get it all done on your own, and you’d be better off getting it sorted now before winter sets in. Then it’d be all ready for spring. You might even be able to get started on some planting. I’m sure there are some vegetables you can grow at this time of year. We can ask Aidan – he knows about that stuff. I’m more of a flower person myself.’
Lou cringed at the thought of Sheena roping Aidan in along with his whole family. She didn’t want him to think she was taking advantage of his mother’s generous nature.
‘It’s really kind of you, Sheena. But I really couldn’t ask them to do that.’
‘Don’t worry, you don’t have to. I will.’
