One Last Love by Derek Haines Read Free Book Online

discards. They’re useless.’
    ‘I though you said Canasta was easy.’
    ‘Ha, a game with no buttons and a screen must be a tough one for a young fella like you to learn huh?’ Bonnie said with a sarcastic grin.
    ‘And I suppose you’re an expert with a Game Boy?’
    ‘What the hell is a Game Boy?’
    ‘A thing with buttons and a screen. I’ll teach you one day,’ Danny laughed.
    ‘Probably just end up electrocuting myself.’
    ‘Oh I could just imagine what’s left of your hair standing on end Bonnie. ZZZzzzzzzzz!’ he said as he wiggled his fingers above his head.
    ‘Well, you’d be holding my hand teaching me young fella, so you’d have sparks coming out of your ears.’
    ‘Bbbbbbzzzzz,’ Danny said as he pointed his fingers at Bonnie like electrodes.
    ‘Bbbzzzzzzzz to you too!’
    ‘Bbbbzzzzzzz!’
    ‘Bbbbzzzzzzz!’
    ‘Are you two crazies bees or something?’ Angeline laughed as she heard the buzzing from the hall and peeked into the living room to see what the odd noises were.
    ‘We’re just electrocuting each other,’ Danny replied.’
    ‘What with?’
    ‘His Game Boy,’ Bonnie laughed.
    ‘I wouldn’t have thought you played Game Boy Bonnie,’ Angeline said in surprise.
    ‘I don’t. Have no idea what one even bloody looks like,’ he said and he and Danny laughed along with each other.
    ‘Oh you two are completely mad.’
    ‘Probably. Wanna join us Nancy? I’m teaching young Danny here how to play Canasta,’ Bonnie offered.
    ‘Do I really have to?’ she said with a smile, but it didn’t hide the pain Bonnie could see in her eyes. Unlike the evening before, she was in a wheelchair, with a drip inserted into the back of her left hand. The plastic bag and the tube feeding her, wobbling from a stainless steel pole above her head.
    ‘Would you mind if I just watched?’
    ‘You can tell me if he’s cheating,’ Danny smiled at Angeline.
    ‘I’ll keep an eye on him.’
    ‘Alright. If we’re all ready, I’ll deal,’ Bonnie said.
    ‘Can I cut first?’
    ‘Oh Danny, and here I was thinking you trusted me,’ Bonnie smiled.
    ‘If you’re anything like my granddad, I don’t. He always cheated my mum told me.’
    ‘It was Henry,’ Angeline quietly said as Bonnie dealt the cards.
    ‘Henry?’ Bonnie asked, still concentrating on counting out fifteen cards each.
    ‘Yes. He was the one who left this morning. I saw them drive him away.’
    Bonnie stopped dealing. He’d lost count.
    ‘His grand daughter was there. She works in a florist shop she told me,’ Angeline continued.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Bonnie said softly without looking up from the one card still in his dealing hand. Not knowing what else he should say.
    ‘I’ll get some tea,’ Danny said. ‘Or would you prefer coffee Bonnie?’
    ‘Coffee. Thanks.’
    Bonnie sat in silence. The card still in between his fingers.
    ‘I don’t mind coffee for breakfast, but then tea for the rest of the day for me,’ Angeline said as she changed the subject. Bonnie noticing how she had opened her thoughts for only a moment, then slammed the door shut on them as if in self protection. She had cleared Henry from her mind it seemed.
    ‘I’ve never been one for tea myself, but my wife Carol used to drink it by the bucket load. Ten cups a day on average,’ he said then wondered why the hell he had mentioned Carol. He’d spent the best part of half of his life trying to rid his mind of her and here he was discussing her with a young girl he hardly knew.
    ‘It’s more addictive than coffee I believe.’
    ‘Yes. I’ve heard that too,’ Bonnie said just before a short silence arrived that lasted until Danny arrived with a tray of tea, coffee and biscuits.
    ‘Here we go then.’
    ‘Always said puftas make bloody good waiters,’ Bonnie said but his mind was still on Carol. There had been happy days.
    ‘You really are an old bastard Bonnie,’ Danny said with a smile.
    ‘So what’s it about, this word pufta I mean?’