A Change for the Better? (17 page)

Katie was indeed ensconced on the sofa after helping herself to a bowl of soup and a large chunk of crusty bread as a tapping sounded at the
back door. Knowing this could only be one person Katie dragged herself out of the sofa and let Mary in the door. Katie had realised soon after moving in that Mary, who was a genuinely lovely and caring soul, if a little bossy, especially to Ken, was also capable of talking at great length on any subject whether she actually had any knowledge about it at all. So Katie’s heart sank slightly as Mary made herself comfortable in the armchair, this wasn’t going to be a fleeting visit then!

“So Mary, how are you and Ken?” Katie enquired politely as she brewed a strong cup of tea for Mary and a slightly less scary one for herself.

“Actually” Mary started “Ken’s not so well at the moment, he’s worn out and a bit off colour. I came round here to give him a bit of peace and quiet – sometimes I can go on a bit you know” Mary said without a hint of irony. Katie smiled to herself at such a marvellous piece of understatement.

“Has he seen the doctor?” Katie asked

“Oh no, not Ken, he doesn’t hold with modern medicine. Plenty of rest, good food and some fresh air he thinks will cure anything. I suppose he’s right really. Most of those medicines the doctors give you are just to make you think they’re doing something aren’t they? He’ll be fine in
a few days” Mary looked at Katie for reassurance. It seemed that perhaps Mary wasn’t quite as convinced by Ken’s cure as she was saying.

“Well, I’m sure seeing the doctor won’t do any harm, but sometimes we all just need a bit of a rest and some TLC.” Katie tried to be reassuring and Mary’s anxious look passed as quickly as it had arrived.

“Of course, I don’t know why I’m fussing. It’s not like he’s ever been ill in his life, so it must have worked so far. Anyway I came round because I wanted to give you these. Mo asked for them last time I popped in to see her” Mary waved a cluster of pamphlets that Katie took and quickly glanced through. They were an assortment of glossy brochures for various retirement homes around the area.

The Hawthorns – Residential Home for the elderly

Cheadle House – Independence with security and peace of mind

And the unfortunately named

Gilly Rock Bottom – First class care in a first class home

Katie was slightly thrown by this development, although Mo had mentioned some convalescence care after she was able to leave hospital, this seemed to suggest she was thinking about something
more permanent. Katie couldn’t really reconcile the lively and mischievous Mo with living in one of these places. To be fair they all looked more like four star hotels but they also all seem like the final stop on the bus route. Mary must have picked up the look of slight horror on Katie’s face.

“I’m sure she’s just having a look at what’s available. Mo’s got many years ahead of her yet.”

“Oh yes I know, it just took me back for a minute. Maybe this accident has affected her a bit more than she’s letting on” Katie said thoughtfully. But just as the mood was about to get melancholy Mary jumped to her feet, clapping her hands, causing Katie to drop all the glossy pamphlets on the hearth rug.

“Goodness me!”
Mary exclaimed, “Is that the time? It’s Eastenders in five minutes. I must be off. See you later dear.” Mary was out of the door before she’d even finished the sentence. It was only the pamphlets scattered all over the floor that left any sign she had been there at all. Katie sighed and was just about to start picking them up when she realised it was nearly time for the second raft of refreshments.

“Shit” she said under her breath as she burnt her finger on the kettle as she rushed to prepare fresh pots of tea and coffee for the Spring Fayre Committee. Sneaking in the back Katie tried to be invisible as she placed the pots on the table. It seemed the meeting had been going quite well. Hermione was summing up;

“So we’ve covered all the points, we’ve agreed the number of stalls and each person running them. Lily’s going to arrange the licence for the temporary bar through her own licence.” Hermy smiled at a rotund lady in the
corner. Presumably
the landlord’s wife, Katie thought.

“And we’ve agreed on the entertainment for Friday and Saturday evening. Evelyn is kindly going to book them. We are going to ask the vicar and his wife to be the judges for the baking competition and the children’s fancy dress. I think that covers everything – Yes?” Hermy looked around the group with enquiring eyes.

“Oh actually, there is one thing” Lily sprung forward from her seat, remarkably sprightly for a lady of her size, “we need someone to run the refreshments and we need somewhere to put them. We’ve always used our back room but, as you know, it’s out of action.”

“Oh my, how could I have forgotten” Hermione was horrified, whether it was more at her forgetting or the lack of sustenance for spring fayre visitors it wasn’t clear. “Is there anybody interested in doing refreshments?” Hermy passed hopeful eyes across the group.

“I think we’ve all got our hands full Hermy” Cliona replied.

“Oh yes of course, do we know anyone? They need to be organised, available and a dab hand at catering.” Hermione looked expectantly, as if awaiting an answer from on high.

“Well, I might” Cliona answered, with a huge grin on her face, “Why don’t we ask Katie to do it?” Cliona turned and looked straight at Katie as she tried to back out of the room unobtrusively, clattering into the door handle with a startled yelp as Cliona looked at her. Feeling like a deer caught in the headlights, Katie thrashed about for a polite way to say no.

“Oh I don’t know, I mean I’ve no experience of this sort of thing. I wouldn’t want to make a mess of it.”

“Nonsense” Cliona replied briskly, “hasn’t she done a wonderful job tonight Hermy?
– and the other week for the party?”

“Oh absolutely” Hermy agreed readily, “it’s been wonderful. Would you do it Katie?” The whole group turned to look at Katie, pinning her to the wall with the varying degrees of pleading in their eyes. “Probably to get themselves off the hook”, Katie thought, and even as she was forming a polite but firm way to decline, Cliona, who was fast becoming her nemesis, jumped in.

“Of course she’ll do it, you were only saying this morning you wanted something to focus on” Cliona looked the picture of innocence as she looked at Katie, then at the committee. They all started to murmur their assent and gratitude and Katie could see all her roads of escape disappearing swiftly. With a resigned sigh Katie said,

“Well, if you’re sure you want me I’ll give it a go.” She managed to pull a face at Cliona as the others returned to their original positions now that the catering problem was solved. Cliona simply smiled and winked. Katie was just about to leave as Hermy said

“Well Katie, welcome to the Spring Fayre Committee, take a seat and we’ll fill you in on the details.” Katie knew she was beaten but as she sat down she gave Cliona a huge pinch on the arm causing her to jump into Evelyn who was sat next to her.

The following day Katie recounted the full story much to Mo’s amusement as she visited her in hospital. Mo let out a deep throated chuckle.

“Good for Cliona – it’s about time you got involved in something. Take your mind off …..”

“Take my mind off what?” Katie countered defensively.

“Oh this and that, wallowing round the flat won’t help – getting involved is just what you need, besides Katie K, you love baking and you love organising things. So you’ll love it” Mo wasn’t one to tactfully beat around a subject.

“Okay” Katie conceded “and it might help take my mind off these too!” Katie dumped the pamphlets Mary had given her the night before on Mo’s bed. Setting them down like a gauntlet thrown. Katie raised her chin and waited for an answer.

“Oo great” Mo rubbed her hands together, “I wanted to get a look at these.” Mo picked up the first glossy brochure and flicked through the pictures oh-ing and ahh-ing as she spotted dining rooms, cultivated gardens and other dazzling amenities. Katie was flabbergasted!

“You’re actually interested in going to one of these places” she gasped “I can’t believe you’re looking at these seriously.” Katie was actually quite upset at the thought now that it was a real possibility. Mo was her tower of strength, invincible, fearless, the thought that she was getting older and frailer was a scary proposition. Mo, sensing the unquiet in Katie, patted her hand gently and said

“Now don’t look so worried, I’m not putting myself out to pasture just yet – although there’s plenty who think I’m a bit of a cow.” She added under her breath, making a slight nod towards a rather prim looking lady in the end bed. Katie smiled and relaxed a little just as Mo had intended and then continued

“I need somewhere to convalesce for the next month or two; my hip isn’t going to be up to running up and down the stairs at Tolpuddle House or to tripping up the road to get what I want.”

“But I’ll look after you Mo. I can do whatever you want” Katie cut in.

“I know you would sweetheart” Mo answered, “but I don’t want to have you running round after me like I’m some sort of invalid. Look at these places, they’re like hotels. Bert says his home is like five stars, and it’s not all institutionalised – you get your own space and freedom. Bert says I should take a look round his home, he says I’d love it.”

“Hmmm, it seems like Bert says quite a lot” Katie said wryly, stealing a sly glance at Mo’s animated face, “so which establishment is this paragon of luxury?”

“Cheadle House” Mo answered, waving the brochure in Katie’s face, “and I need you to go and take a look at it for me” she added.

“Me” Katie said, taken aback, “why do you want me to look at it?”

“Oh you know just make sure it looks alright, make sure it’s clean, no bodies in the basement, that sort of thing.”

“Mo you want me to go snooping basically” Katie sighed

“Absolutely, I mean you wouldn’t want your old gran ending up in some dodgy establishment now would you?” Mo pointed out very reasonably.

“Mo, I don’t want you ‘ending up’ in any establishment, dodgy or otherwise” Katie countered with spirit, “but if you’re determined to go through with this, then I guess I’d better go and take a look, see if they’re up to looking after you. Although to be fair,” she added, “I’m more worried for them than for you!”

Mo grinned,

“Oh yes, I’ll keep them on their toes alright, isn’t that right Bert?” she asked as Bert wandered up behind Katie.

“They won’t know what’s hit them, Maureen; you’ll knock them off their feet – just like you did me.” He said and winked conspiratorially at Mo. Katie was amused and a little taken aback to see a slight flush fill Mo’s face as she smiled back at Bert. Mo had been alone for a lot of years now. Maybe a bit of companionship was just what she needed. As Katie pondered this, Mo signalled Bert to pull up a chair.

“Anyway that’s enough about me – now tell me, apart from signing up for the spring fayre what else have you been up to? Have you seen
anymore of Ben?” Mo poked, in
a none
too subtle way. Katie groaned and rolled her big brown eyes to the ceiling.

“Oh yes I’ve seen Mr Wilson, but hopefully I won’t be seeing him for some time to come” she added.

Mo, knowing there was a story to come asked Bert to pass her a drink of orange, pretended to make herself more comfortable and then looked expectantly at Katie.

“Okay, okay” Katie conceded and proceeded to tell Mo and Bert about her recent confrontation with Ben and her indignation at not being able to get her own back. Mo listened and Katie could soon see her shoulders heaving as she tried, pretty unsuccessfully, to stop herself from laughing. As she wiped her eyes surreptitiously Katie stopped and demanded to know why everyone thought that this was so funny.

“Ben Wilson was totally out of order, unreasonable, unfair and rude – and I think you should all be on my side.” Katie was aware she sounded like a seven year old again but she was getting fed up of no one rising to her defence.

“Oh Katie love, I’m always on your side, you know that.” Mo sympathised, “but this isn’t a proper argument. Poor old Ben had been run ragged by that precocious little sister of his and you got on the wrong end of it. I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”