“Is that a yes, then?” Donald asked in a teasing voice.
“I suppose so,” Fenella said, sighing.
“You don’t sound excited,” he said.
“I just hope I can get some sleep between now and then,” she replied. “I’m sure I’ll have more fun if I can keep my eyes open.”
Donald laughed. It was a sexy sound that made Fenella feel slightly tingly. “I’ll see you Thursday night around seven, then,” he said.
Fenella put the phone down, feeling slightly on edge. There was something about Donald that made her nervous and slightly giddy, but she also worried that she couldn’t trust the man. A night out at a charity fundraiser wasn’t a big deal, she told herself firmly. She took two steps toward the bed when the phone rang a third time.
“What?” she said this time, feeling quite fed up with all of her callers.
“Maggie? Are you okay?” Jack asked.
“I’m fine,” she said, feeling even more exhausted.
“It isn’t like you answer the phone like that,” he said. “Are you quite sure you’re okay?”
“I’m just tired. A friend of mine had an accident last night and I spent several hours in the emergency room with him. I didn’t get home until well past my usual bedtime.”
“Him?” Jack said. “What sort of accident?”
“He was accidently knocked down a flight of stairs,” Fenella said. “But he’s fine now. In fact, I have to leave soon to go to the hospital to pick him up.”
“Why isn’t his wife doing that?” Jack asked.
“He isn’t married,” Fenella replied.
“How old is he?”
“He’s a few years older than me, he’s single, he’s good-looking and we’ve been on a few dates, but it isn’t anything serious,” Fenella told the man.
“I don’t think you should be dating other men,” Jack said. “It doesn’t seem fair to them, really, seeing as you’re still recovering from our break up.”
Fenella nearly laughed out loud. “That’s a decision for me and for Peter,” she said after a moment. “And Donald and Daniel,” she added impulsively.
“You’re dating three different men?” Jack asked, his voice rising to an angry squeak.
“Jack, what do you want?” she asked.
“I want, well, that is, I was calling to see how you are,” Jack said. “I worry about you, and clearly for good reason.”
“Yes, well, you’ve no real cause to worry about me. I’m fine and I’m enjoying life, thank you very much.”
“Yes, well, I suppose I’m happy for you, although I think it would be more seemly if you were a little bit more upset about the unexpected demise of our relationship,” he said stiffly.
“I hope you’re moving on as well,” Fenella said. “How are Hazel and Sue?”
“They aren’t speaking to one another,” Jack said, sounding bewildered. “Hazel brought some homemade cookies to my office yesterday, and while she was there Sue stopped by with a box of chocolates that she thought I might like. They started shouting at one another, and in the end the dean had to step in to separate them. I don’t know what they were fighting about, really. Something to do with buying affection with laundry, from what I could make out.”
Fenella thought about trying to explain it all to the man, but she simply couldn’t find the energy. “It might be safer if you stopped accepting presents from both of them,” she suggested. “And stopped getting them to do your laundry and grocery shopping.”
“Yes, well, I don’t know. It’s ever so much easier this way.”
“Well, good luck, then,” Fenella said. “I have to go.”
“Wait,” he said quickly. “It’s the middle of the night over here and I simply couldn’t sleep. I had this idea, you see, that it’s my sister’s birthday soon, but I can’t remember exactly when.”
“Your sister’s birthday is in June,” Fenella said.
“Oh, so I haven’t missed it? Excellent.”
“It’s your mother’s birthday that’s in April,” she added. “You did remember to send her a card, didn’t you?”
“When in April?” Jack asked.
“The tenth,” Fenella said. “You’ve missed it.”
Jack sighed. “I can’t believe that you abandoned me like this,” he said. “How am I meant to keep track of such things?”
“You know the calendar in the kitchen?” she asked the man. “The big one on the wall next to the refrigerator?”
“Yes,” he replied.
“Before I left I wrote the birthdays of everyone you know on that calendar,” she said.
“Oh,” Jack said.
“I have to go,” Fenella told him. “It’s nearly time for me to head to the hospital.
She hung up the phone before he could protest. Every time Jack called she wondered again why she’d stayed with him for so long. And she remembered why they’d each had their own little houses rather than moving in together. While she’d sometimes stayed at his home and he’d often stayed at hers, that was as far as she’d been willing to go. “And that should have told you something about the relationship,” she said to her mirror image. Her reflection stuck out her tongue, making Fenella laugh.
After a shower and some breakfast, she called Shelly, who sounded far more awake than Fenella felt. They agreed to go together to pick up Peter from Noble’s. Fenella did a bit of tidying around her apartment while she waited for Shelly. When the other woman knocked, Fenella was quick to lock up and follow her to the elevator.
“I’m so glad Peter is okay,” Shelly said as they rode down to the parking garage. “It could have been so much worse.”
“Yes, he sounded pretty good on the phone this morning,” Fenella said. “I just hope he takes it easy for a few days until he’s back to normal.”
“I’m not sure Peter was ever normal,” Shelly said with a laugh.
The day was sunny and bright and the drive to Noble’s didn’t seem to take long at all.
“I hope he can walk a bit better than he was doing last night,” Shelly said once she’d found a parking space. “It’s a long walk to the car park here.”
“But it’s a beautiful day for walking,” Fenella said. Spring was finally in the air. Fenella was wearing a light jacket, and for the first time in a long while, she didn’t feel chilled when a breeze blew past.
“We need to get out this afternoon and enjoy this weather,” Shelly said.
“I’m up for a long walk on the promenade,” Fenella said.
“Oh, let’s do something more interesting than that,” Shelly replied.
They’d reached the front door of the hospital now and took turns to get through the slowly revolving door.
“Did Peter tell you where to find him?” Shelly asked.
“No, and I didn’t think to ask,” Fenella said.
The woman behind the reception desk was happy to point them in the right direction. “Take the lift to the second floor and follow the signs,” she said cheerfully.
A few minutes later, they were greeting their neighbor who was sitting in a chair in his room.
“Someone is supposed to be here any minute now to give me my instructions and let me go,” he told the women. “I hope you don’t mind waiting.”
“Of course not,” Shelly said. “But how are you feeling?”
“Quite a bit better,” Peter said. “And I’m only seeing one of each of you, as well.”
“That is good news,” Fenella laughed. “I do think one of me is quite enough, anyway.”
“Before I forget, I must tell you about the very strange dream I had,” Peter said. “Your Aunt Mona came to visit me.”
“Did she?” Fenella asked.
“Yes, and I have to say, she looked wonderful. She didn’t look a day over thirty. It’s odd that I dreamt of her being younger, as I didn’t know her in those days, but it was definitely her.”
“How nice,” Fenella said faintly.
“We had a lovely lon
g chat, all about you,” Peter continued. “And that was odd as well, because she knew all about everything you’ve been doing since you arrived on the island. Isn’t it strange what the brain does when it’s asleep?”
“Especially after a bump on the head,” Fenella said.
“Yes, especially then,” Peter agreed.
The nurse who arrived a moment later had several photocopied sheets of instructions for Peter. Shelly and Fenella waited patiently while she went over them with the man. When she was satisfied that he understood all of the necessary precautions for dealing with his head injury, she smiled.
“You can go, then,” she said. “I’m sure you’re eager to get out of here.”
Peter grinned. “I’m sorry to say it, but yes, I am.”
“Everyone always wants to leave,” the woman said. “I think it’s the food that puts them off.”
They all laughed. Fenella wasn’t sure how steady Peter was on his feet, but he did well walking to the elevators.
“I should go and get the car,” Shelly said as they rode down. “It’s miles away.”
“I’m quite happy to walk,” Peter said. “They kept me in bed all night and most of the morning. Some fresh air and exercise will do me a world of good.”
“If you change your mind when we’re halfway across the car park, do let me know,” Shelly said.
The pleasant morning was turning into a very nice afternoon. The sun was shining and it definitely felt like spring or even summer was right around the corner. Although they walked fairly slowly, Peter did well. The drive back to the apartment building didn’t take long and Shelly insisted on dropping Fenella and Peter at the front door.
“I’ll go and park the car,” she said. “You get Peter up to his flat and get him settled.”
“I’m quite capable of looking after myself,” Peter said.
“But you’ll let us fuss over you, because you know we’re worried about you,” Shelly replied cheerfully.
Fenella kept out of the argument, but she stayed close to Peter’s side as they crossed the lobby and rode the elevator to their floor.
“You really don’t need to come in,” Peter said as he unlocked his door.
“I could make you a sandwich or some soup,” Fenella offered.
Peter opened his mouth, and then shut it and swallowed hard. “That was me, swallowing my pride,” he told her. “If you’re sure you have the time, I would be grateful if you could heat me up a tin of soup or something. My head is pounding again and I really just want to sit down.”
Peter’s apartment was similar to Fenella’s, but on a smaller scale. From what she could see, it only had one bedroom, and while the kitchens were virtually identical, Peter’s living room was noticeably smaller. Everything she could see was clean and tidy, with only an odd book and a few pieces of mail lying out. It didn’t take long for Fenella to put together a sandwich and to heat up some soup. Shelly joined them in time to help and they had Peter sitting down to lunch within minutes. He ate everything he was given.
“Would you like something else?” Fenella asked as she cleared away the dirty plates.
“No, I’m nicely full, thank you,” Peter said. “It was lukewarm oatmeal for breakfast, so I didn’t eat. I didn’t think I was hungry, but clearly I was.”
“Would you like us to stay and keep you company?” Shelly asked as Fenella loaded the dishwasher.
“I’m going to take a nap,” Peter said. “And then I think I’ll watch some mindless television for a while. You two go and enjoy the beautiful day.”
Shelly and Fenella exchanged glances. “We’ll come back and make you something nice for dinner,” Shelly said. She opened Peter’s refrigerator and studied the contents. “Maybe a nice shepherd’s pie, as you seem to have the ingredients.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Peter said. “I love your shepherd’s pie.”
“We’ll be back in a little while then,” Shelly told him. “You get some rest. Would you like to give one of us your spare key so we can let ourselves in, just in case you’re still sleeping?”
“I suppose I should,” Peter said. “One of you should have a spare anyway, in case I lock myself out.”
He disappeared into the bedroom and came back out with a key on a ring. “I lost the spare keycard ages ago,” he told them. “But the old key still works in the lock.” He looked at Shelly and then Fenella. “I don’t know which of you wouldn’t mind having it,” he said.
“Give it to Fenella,” Shelly suggested. “I think she’s home more than I am.”
Fenella took the key and dropped it into her bag, feeling slightly uncomfortable about the whole thing. Hoping she’d never need the key, she snapped her bag shut and then followed Shelly into the corridor.
“Do you have things you need to do?” Shelly asked after Peter had shut the door behind them. “Or should we go and enjoy a few hours in the sun together?”
“Oh, let’s do that,” Fenella said quickly. “That sounds much better than doing laundry or research.”
“I was thinking we should go to Onchan Park,” Shelly said. “We could get lunch in their café and play some crazy golf, maybe even go for a boat ride if they’re running.”
“I’m not sure about the boat ride,” Fenella said. “I’m not a good sailor, remember?”
“These are tiny little motorboats on a very small pond,” Shelly said with a laugh. “We won’t be moving enough for you to get seasick.”
Fenella wasn’t sure about that, but she was eager to get out and enjoy the weather. Seeing more of the island was another bonus. After Fenella stopped home to give Katie some lunch, Shelly drove them to the park, which wasn’t very far away.
“I thought there would be a noticeable divide between Douglas and Onchan,” Fenella said as they got out of the car.
“Oh, no, they run right into one another,” Shelly told her. “It might simplify things if they merged into one large city, but there are all sorts of reasons why they never have.”
Shelly led her through a large playground full of various equipment for children of all ages and abilities.
“I’ve never seen such wonderful playground equipment,” Fenella said. “It sure has changed a lot since my childhood.”
“Some of the swings are specially designed for special needs children, and the roundabout is wheelchair compatible,” Shelly said, pointing out the items.
“I think we’d call that a merry-go-round in the US,” Fenella said. “I can’t remember what I called it when I was little, but we had them in all the parks. I remember them being situated on concrete pads. Nothing like tripping and falling and being dragged over concrete because you didn’t let go of the bars.”
“Well, they’re a good deal safer now, being built over foam or rubber pads, and that one is completely flat to the ground. When I was still teaching I used to come over with the special needs children, and it was lovely that the children in wheelchairs were able to enjoy themselves as much as their peers.”
Shelly led Fenella to the café, where they both enjoyed baked potatoes stuffed with cheese. When they’d finished those, Shelly easily persuaded Fenella to indulge in some local ice cream.
“Now I’m too full to want to move,” Fenella complained as she wiped her mouth and her fingers after the ice cream.
“Then let’s sit in a boat,” Shelly suggested.
Fenella eyed the small lake warily. The park was fairly quiet and most of the other visitors were mothers with small children. Only two boats were puttering their way around the lake. Both boats had older couples in them, riding around and enjoying the nice weather.
“Come on,” Shelly urged. “You can see how small the lake is. We can stop at any time if you start to feel sick. You’re never more than two minutes from the dock, even at the incredibly slow speed these boats travel.”
Fenella laughed. “Okay, we can try,” she said.
Shelly paid for twenty minutes of rental time and then she and Fenella made their
way to the small dock.
“Here we are, ladies,” the man on the dock said. “We’ve just finished getting the boats cleaned up and freshly painted for the new season. You’re the first passengers in this one.”
He steadied the boat with his foot while Fenella gingerly stepped inside. The boat rocked back and forth a bit, but it wasn’t as bad as she’d feared. Shelly climbed in next to her and then sat behind the steering wheel.
“Did you want to drive?” she asked Fenella as the man pulled the cord to start their engine.
“Oh, goodness, no,” Fenella said.
After a few minutes, Fenella was relieved to find that Shelly had been right. She felt absolutely fine as they slowly circled the small lake. As they went along, Fenella enjoyed the scenery, which mostly consisted of views of the café, the putting green and the miniature golf course.
“Isn’t this nice?” Shelly asked after about ten minutes.
“It’s lovely,” Fenella told her. “And the perfect weather for it.”
“That’s because there isn’t any wind,” Shelly said. “You wouldn’t believe it, but it can get quite windy out on this tiny lake.”
“It certainly feels like spring today.”
“I think they’re giving rain for tomorrow, unfortunately,” Shelly told her. “And for the weekend as well.”
“I’m surprised the park isn’t busier, then.”
“Most people have to work,” Shelly said with a laugh. “The mums will all be leaving soon as well, as they’ll need to collect their older children from school before too much longer.”
“It will probably get busy once school is out for the day,” Fenella speculated.
“I’m sure lots of neighborhood mums will stop here on their way home from school,” Shelly agreed. “Nothing better than letting the kids have a run around before you take them home for dinner and homework.”
“Do all the kids get picked up at the end of the day?” Fenella asked. “I mean, I know you don’t have school buses, but what happens when both parents have to work?”
“Schools have after-school care,” Shelly told her. “And lots of mums use childminders who collect all of their charges from school at the end of every day. There are all sorts of options for child care. A lot of women take extended maternity leave as well. I believe women can get up to a year of paid leave.”
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