Break Point by Kate Rigby Read Free Book Online

insistent. I'm coming! I'm bloody
coming!
    "Couldn't you
hear me? I was banging for ages ... don't you know that it hurts my
hands ... anyway I just thought we could try Anne. See if she's
back yet. Then perhaps you'd get me something to eat if it's not
too much trouble. It's gone six-thirty."
    "D'you want to
speak to Anne yoursen?"
    "Of course.
Take me into the sitting room. I'll talk to her while you start on
my tea. Some nice fish, I think."
    I help Gwen
out of bed. "There's some pilchards or some kipper."
    "Too rich.
Didn't you go to the fishmonger's this morning?"
    "I only went
to the corner shop today."
    "Dear oh dear.
I could have asked Mrs Parrott if I'd known. It'll just have to be
kipper then. Kipper and mashed potato. Do you think you can manage
that?"
    *
    "Oh Anne ."
Gwen is in raptures as I peel spuds in the washing-up bowl. "Can
you come over tomorrow? Would you? You see I'm ill and need more
help than usual and it would be so nice to see you anyway, and how
is your mother? Good. Only it's been utter chaos here while you've
been away."
    *
    Gwen's tray is
full of unfinished kipper and tea slops when I come to collect it.
She blows her nose hard until it trumpets, then she wipes it this
way and that. "Rosemary used to bring me my food on a tray when I
was ill. She was such a devoted daughter ... until she had other
ideas ... "
    I sit down on
the bed, attentive, because you have to capture the moment with
Gwen. In the time it takes to clear away the tray, Rosemary can
disappear without trace.
    "What
ideas?"
    "Oh ... going
off to teacher training college and all that."
    "Wasn't that
good?"
    "All I wanted
was to see Rosemary settle down with a nice husband and children.
That's why I like to see young people in love, like you and
Gordon," she says, though I didn't have her down as a romantic.
"Oh, do let me meet Gordon. I do need the garden doing, and then,
if I'm well enough, we can all have a spot of lunch together. What
do you say?"
    "I'll see what
I can do. Though I can't promise."
    Gwen's looking
sleepy now, as I slip out with the tray and wash the
dishes.
    "Gwen, I'm
just nipping up the corner shop. Won't be a minute."
    Gwen gives a
few vague nods, her eyes now closed. I hurry along the road and go
to the phone box across the road from the corner shop to phone
Elliot.
    "Bobbie. How's
it going, duck?"
    "Listen, I've
not got long. I'm in t' call box. Gwen wants someone to do her
garden on Sunday. But if your back’s not up to it - "
    He mulls it
over. "She'll pay the going rate?"
    "Handsomely is
what she said."
    "You're
on!"
    "There's just
one snag, promise you won’t laugh - but she thinks I've got this
boyfriend called Gordon."
    He cracks up
laughing. "How come?"
    "I just said
the first name that came into me head. Just don't say owt funny if
Gwen starts on about me boyfriend, right? Anyway, I’ll call you
tomorrow.
     
     

MIDDLE
SATURDAY
     
    On Saturday
morning, after her breakfast, Gwen feels her chin. "Pass me my
mirror,” she says. “Pass me my tweezers. There's a few ugly great
brutes that have sprouted in the night." Pluck pluck. "Anne's
coming this afternoon. I must get up for Anne." Cough cough. "Help
me to the penny bazaar and then run my bath, will you? I want to
wear my paisley dress and a spot of lipstick to put the colour back
into my mouth."
    Together we
spruce her up for Anne's visit. Anne the Infallible, and Gwen gives
me a shopping-list as long as me arm because Anne likes China tea
and semi-skimmed milk and Hob Nobs, and then Gordon's coming over
for lunch tomorrow, isn't he? After he's done the
garden.
    Gordon or more
likely Elliot, I tell her. Gordon may be working this Sunday. He's
got the chance of some overtime, I say, but my brother Elliot can
come. He needs the money and all.
    I see, says
Gwen, and after the shopping I dust and buff and though I can't
shine things up like Anne or put together fussy little fairy cakes
like Mrs Parrott, I've got the edge in other departments. I've