Taking a wobbly step onto the low-level stage, her legs were shaking with nerves. The guests were once again applauding and cheering. Looking out at the room of smiling faces before her, her stomach did a flip as Alf took her hand in his and squeezed it. She gazed into his smiling eyes and saw the Alf she’d always known and loved. The Alf she’d spent the biggest part of her life with.
‘Kate, you know how much I love you. I wanted tonight to be a special evening and one to remember. I hope in some way I’ve achieved that. However, there is a reason I’ve asked you up here and that reason is – there’s something special I want to give you.’ Taking a small, blue-leather box from his pocket, Alf nervously held it in his outstretched hand.
‘For you, Kate. Open it.’
Heart pounding so fast it felt like it would burst from her chest, Kate carefully reached out and accepted the box – not daring to breathe as the intense headiness of excitement and nerves swept her up in a whirlwind. It was every bit as magical as she’d hoped for. Silence surrounded her as everyone waited with baited breath.
Gingerly preparing to open it, she bit down on her lip to stop herself from screaming with elation. Vaguely aware of the entrance door opening and closing beside her, her fingers trembled as she slowly flipped back the leather-bound lid.
She let out a gasp. Nestled softly in a layer of cream silk was a perfectly round, shiny and shimmering disk. A single word was etched clearly onto its surface. Before she had a chance to utter the muffled gasp that was forming in the back of her throat, a box was thrust onto the stage by her feet.
Alf bent down and quickly removed the lid, at the same time swiftly collecting the box’s contents in his arms and thrusting it towards Kate. A gasp of surprise swept around the room.
‘In keeping with the theme.’ He winked at the guests. ‘I wanted to get you something that I know you would love and would also be an incentive for us both to take up walking more often.’ The crowd tittered at his joke in surprised amusement.
The tiny Cavalier King Charles spaniel puppy gave a timid squeak as Alf placed him gently onto Kate’s chest. Kate stood shell-shocked, looking at the puppy in a daze of misunderstanding.
‘Kate, meet Sam – our new puppy.’
As a warm, acidic liquid poured out of little Sam and spread across Kate’s chest and down her dress, she swallowed back the ball of disappointment lodging itself in her throat. She managed a quick, trembling smile before being unable to hold back any longer. Meeting Megan’s sympathetic eyes in the crowd, she burst into tears.
This was most definitely not the ending to her night that she had been anticipating.
Easing her small hatchback car into the only spot remaining in the Oak Park Care Home parking, Kate wondered how long it would be until the heavens opened. The Monday morning grey sky conveniently reflected her mood – she’d barely been able to sleep through Alf’s snoring and the puppy’s continual whimpering. Her body felt limp and she could hardly keep her eyes open.
Noting the time on her dashboard, she grabbed her well-worn shoulder bag and the Tupperware tub of birthday cake she’d brought for the residents and dashed towards the entrance – aware that she was already ten minutes late.
Oak Park director, Walter Steinbach, was discussing a matter with the reception staff as Kate tried to inconspicuously hurry past him. Not an easy task, given that all care staff were expected to wear the unflattering fuchsia-pink top and pants uniform that did little to enhance her mood or figure.
‘You’re late,’ Steinbach barked, in the voice usually reserved for non-compliant and unruly kindergarten visitors.
And you’re still alive? Kate felt like snapping back at him. With his hollowing facial features and the sparse few hairs that remained on his head, it was often said he was more ancient than the care home itself. It was just as well he rarely made an appearance.
‘Sorry, Mr Steinbach’ she found herself saying, ignoring his eagle-eyed stare of disapproval as it followed her towards the staff room. Only fellow care-worker Tina was in the staff room as she strode over to her locker to place her belongings and swap her trainers for comfy pumps. Kate exhaled, relieved that it wasn’t anyone else from the team. The last thing she felt like undergoing was in-depth questioning.
‘Morning, good weekend?’ Tina asked, pouring herself a coffee.
‘Yes, fine thanks.’ She closed her locker and readjusted her name plate on the front of her top. ‘Best get a move on. I’ve already had Steinbach on my case.’ Sighing, she opened the door and hurriedly made her way up to the East Wing.
‘Morning, Hilda.’ She tapped gently against the door, awaiting her usual instruction from the other side. Nothing came.
‘Hilda – can you hear me? Is it okay for me to come in?’ Kate asked for a second time, impatient. A faint, desperate rasping could be heard in response and she felt her pulse quickening anxiously as she quickly pushed open the door. ‘Hilda?’
What if this time it was genuine?
Hilda was propped up in bed, wide-eyed and pointing rapidly to her throat whilst continuing with the awful grating sound from her windpipe. Acting immediately, Kate grabbed a nearby glass of water and tilted back Hilda’s small head, instructing her to drink. After just a couple of sips, Hilda’s breathing returned to normal and she cleared her throat.
‘Thank you so much, dear Kate. I was afraid for a moment there that I was about to take my last breath.’ Hilda said in her usual crisp, clear voice. ‘It was a bluebottle, you see.’
Relieved, Kate thought to herself that she really must be out of sorts to fall for Hypochondriac Hilda’s latest stunt. ‘A bluebottle?’ She glanced at the little lady now lying angelically in her blue nightgown, her straight, grey, pixie-cut hair sticking up awkwardly in places.
Clearly recovered and bright as a daisy, Hilda threw back her floral duvet and shuffled her weight to the edge of the bed, gripping Kate’s hand as she struggled to stand.
‘Yes, it’s been in here the whole night buzzing away, keeping me awake. It was only as I heard you on the stairs and was about to call out that it flew into my mouth!’
Helping Hilda walk the short distance to the en suite, Kate returned to the dresser, selecting Hilda’s ‘Monday’ outfit.
‘Goodness, that’s terrible, Hilda. Especially as it’s the third time this has happened. What with the bumble bee and the spider last month…’
A small sigh came from above the washbasin, where Hilda was gently soaping her face with a flannel. ‘I know, dear. I am beginning to wonder if the Lord has other plans for me. Don’t forget the cockroach, either. It’s only a matter of time before those eggs it laid in my ear canal begin to hatch.’
Kate smiled broadly for the first time that day.
Hilda was patting her frail frame dry with a small towel as the first of the questions came unexpectedly. ‘So, dear Kate, you’re ever so quiet and we all know that it was your surprise party this weekend. Don’t keep me in suspense. Anything special happen, dear?’ she asked with a twinkle in her eye.
Kate blushed and inwardly grimaced.
By the time she had helped Hilda to dress and guide her walking frame to the breakfast room to join the already nearly full tables, she had divulged the highlights of her weekend. She wasn’t one for lying – it wasn’t in her