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“Yes, but the reality is he’s already gone. I mean, there are flashes of the man he used to be, like the way he was when he first met you. But they’re few and far between. God, Kate, I wish you could have met him before. He was the most incredible man, clever, kind, funny, generous. He would have loved you.”
“And I’m sure I would have loved him. I can’t believe you spent so much time helping me settle in when you had all this going on. I feel a real arse for taking you away from your dad.”
“Kate,” said Bob, brushing away his tears and looking up at her. “Don’t you get it? I wanted to do those things. You gave me the chance to forget all this shit even if it was just for a few hours.”
“And the calls you kept getting? All the times you had to rush home?”
“From the carers when they couldn’t cope.”
“Oh, Bob, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I’ve been trying to protect him, or the memory of him at least. I want people to remember him as he was, not the man he is now. This is a small town, Kate, and he was always such an important part of it. He’d hate people to see him like this. I thought I could manage between me and the carers, but it doesn’t feel like I’m managing right now.”
“Well, now you’ve told me, I’m here to help.”
“You’ve got enough on your plate already.”
“Yeah, well my own mess feels completely utterly insignificant right now. So, I’ve lost a couple of friends, in the grand scheme of things that’s not such a big deal. I have you, Flo, and Joy. You’re all so amazing wanting any more friends would quite frankly be a bit greedy.”
Bob looked up at her and smiled for the first time since she’d arrived.
“Bob? Kate?” Joy’s voice held a note of panic and they ran through the house to find out what was wrong.
Joy and Sheila were stood at the bottom of the stairs, worry etched across their faces. “He’s in the bathroom,” said Sheila. “Bob, can you help him? I think he’s had an accident and I’m not strong enough to lift him.”
“Sure,” said Bob, squeezing his mum’s hand. “Look, I think it might be best if you two go now, but thank you so much for coming and being such amazing friends. I’m sorry I’ve not opened up to you sooner.”
Kate pulled him into a hug. “Call me any time,” she said. “And if you ever need a break, you know where to find me.”
*
A week later, Kate and Bob strolled arm in arm down the camel trail. “Is it ever going to stop raining?” she asked, a tiny circle of face visible beneath her waterproofs.
“This is Cornwall, it never stops raining,” laughed Bob. Kate loved that he was smiling. “Seriously though, spring is just around the corner. You’ll see Bodmin in a completely different light once the leaves come back and green shoots start popping out of the ground.”
“I love it already.”
“Really?”
“Yes, don’t sound so surprised. It feels like home, and I’m always a sucker for an underdog.”
“I’m not sure I’m happy with you calling my hometown an underdog.”
Kate laughed. “It’s a good thing. Let all those tourists squish themselves into Padstow and St Ives. We’ll keep this place to ourselves.”
Bob laughed. “We could cycle to Padstow one day if you like? It will be busy even at this time of year, but not unbearable like it is in summer.”
“I’d love that. Anyway, how’s your mum and dad?”
“Same old, except Mum’s agreed to come with me to look round some homes.”
“Really?” asked Kate, stopping to look at him. “That’s a massive U turn, isn’t it?”
“Yes, and I’ve got Joy to thank for it. I don’t know what she said to Mum when you came around, but that evening she was looking up care homes on her iPad.”
“Good old Joy. She’s a marvel that woman.”
“She certainly is. Anyway, how have you been? You said you had news?”
