Page 114 - My Home on the Earth

‘Helen! She lives with me. I can’t do anything these days. It’s much better, and cheaper than going into an old folks’ home. We get on well. My son handles the financial affairs and pays her a salary. Our food is delivered, and last week, we had a new television.’
On the far wall, a huge screen glowed at them. ‘It’s just like sitting in the cinema,’ she laughed. ‘We watch loads of films together.’
Constance smiled at them and spoke with Marjorie for a while about their friends – who had died and who was left. ‘We’re the last two, I think,’ said Marjorie. ‘But enough about death. We’re here to speak about the now. Alice thinks there is a woman living here who used to live in the same village as her daughter, Emily. Emily lives here with her husband and two children. We have a photograph to show you to see if you recognise her.’
‘Helen! Come in here, please,’ called Constance. ‘I know names but not faces – not any more.’ Helen came in and took Alice’s mobile and sat down to take a closer look.
‘I’m sure I’ve seen her before.’
‘In the town or maybe on the bus?’ suggested Alice. ‘No. I think she lives here.’ A silence followed before
Helen spoke. ‘Downstairs! I saw her downstairs putting a bag of rubbish in the brown skip. I held the door open and said good morning, but she put her head down and didn’t reply.’
Marjorie sighed and turned to Alice: ‘OK. You know she is here, but you still don’t have a name.’
‘Oh, but I do. It’s Melanie Cooper, Jake’s mother,’ Alice replied.
108