Page 234 - The Midnight Library

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No Longer Here

As soon as Nora entered Oak Leaf Residential Care Home, and before she’d

even reached the reception, she saw a frail elderly man wearing glasses
whom she recognised. He was having a slightly heated conversation with a
nurse who looked exasperated. Like a sigh turned into a human.
‘I really would like to go in the garden,’ the old man said.
‘I’m sorr y, but the garden is being used today.’

‘I just want to sit on the bench. And read the newspaper.’
‘Maybe if you’d signed up for the gardening activity session—’
‘I don’t want a gardening session. I want to call Dhavak. is was all a

mistake.’
Nora had heard her old neighbour talk about his son Dhavak before,
when she had dropped off his medication. Apparently his son had been
pushing for him to go to a care home, but Mr Banerjee had insisted on
holding on to his house. ‘Is there no way I can just—’

He noticed, at this point, that he was being stared at.
‘Mr Banerjee?’
He stared at Nora, confused. ‘Hello? Who are you?’

‘I’m Nora. You know, Nora Seed.’ en, feeling too flustered to think, she
added: ‘I’m your neighbour. On Bancro Avenue.’
He shook his head. ‘I think you’ve made a mistake, dear. I haven’t lived
there for three years. And I am ver y sure you were not my neighbour.’
e nurse tilted her head at Mr Banerjee, as if he was a confused puppy.

‘Maybe you’ve forgotten.’
‘No,’ said Nora quickly, realising her mistake. ‘He was right. I was
confused. I have memor y issues somet imes. I never lived there. It was