How Laura Lewis Met Richard Brown

Chapter Twenty-Two

Laura woke early on Tuesday morning with an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. She woke a full hour before her alarm, the sky still black. The moon shone brightly. For a split second she had the urge to take a photo, capture its beauty, but then reality gripped her. Last night’s conversation played over and over in her mind.

Megan was convinced that Gertie could see into the future, and if Gertie had seen Laura and Richard living happily ever after, then that was what would happen. Laura still couldn’t believe that Megan had no doubts about Gertie’s so-called abilities. Megan was an educated, articulate and progressive woman, yet she chose to believe in all of this seeing-into-the-future nonsense.

Laura had felt a shift between them after Megan had declared the prophecy to be true. There was no middle ground to be found. No room for compromise. Laura had made her feelings perfectly clear — that she did not believe, but she would go along with things for Gertie’s benefit. There was no harm in humouring the old lady.

Megan had not liked this one little bit.

She had wrongly assumed that Laura would be happy — that she would jump for joy at such a promise of a great future — but Megan didn’t know Laura’s history, didn’t know what had happened to her. Plus, Laura was not a romantic. She was a realist and didn’t need a man in her life to make her happy, or to lead a fulfilling life. The more Laura thought about their conversation, the angrier she became. And she couldn’t be angry today. She was on the early shift and she would be working on Gertie’s floor. She needed to relax and focus on the day ahead.

Laura stumbled into the kitchen and turned on the radio to hear the Today programme from Radio Four. She found it a good way to start the day. She then unplugged her phone from the charger and switched it on. It had just gone 6 a.m. She filled the kettle to make her first cup of tea.

The ringing phone made her jump. Laura glanced at the lock screen. It was the home.

‘Hello,’ Laura said, wondering who would be on the other end. She really hoped that it wouldn’t be Hazel, not at this early hour.

‘Hi, Laura.’

Hazel.

‘Hi,’ Laura said, trying not to sound disappointed. She hoped that Hazel wasn’t about to ask her to work a long day. She felt dog-tired and had made plans for an early night. If Hazel asked then she would say yes. That was her problem. She could never say no. She didn’t want to let the residents down.

‘Listen, I know it’s early and that you’re probably getting ready to come on shift, but could you do me a favour? Could you work the late shift instead?’

Laura hated it when this happened, but what could she say? Hazel was her boss and all the care staff worked as a team, covering shifts as and when needed.

‘No problem, Hazel,’ she said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

‘You’re a star. Thank you.’ Hazel ended the call.

Laura sighed, slightly annoyed that Hazel hadn’t even bothered to explain why she needed her to swap shifts.

And now, what to do with her unexpected morning off work?

Go back to bed and have a nap? No, she was up now and there was no way she could go back to sleep.

Laura placed the mobile face down on the kitchen table and decided to have that cup of tea.

Tea, then she’d figure out what to do with herself.

* * *

‘Hello! It’s so lovely to see you in here again. Usual, is it?’ Sue asked while cleaning the counter of non-existent mess.

Laura smiled. ‘Yes, I’ll have a slice of the carrot cake as well, please.’ All thoughts of healthy eating plans were abandoned for the day. Well, she was trying to be good. She had avoided the sticky toffee pudding.

‘I didn’t think I would see you until tomorrow.’ Sue spooned ground coffee into the filter machine.

Laura sniffed, tasting the coffee on her tongue. ‘I was meant to be doing the early shift, but Hazel phoned this morning and asked if I would swap, so I did.’

‘Well, that’s good of you at such short notice. You could have had plans,’ Sue said.

Laura held her tongue, stopping herself from saying, What plans ?

Sue turned back round to face Laura as she passed her the coffee. ‘Will your sister be visiting again soon? Must be lonely for you here without family.’

Laura shook her head, thinking of the phone call she had had with her sister that morning. Lottie had phoned just as she was preparing to leave the cottage, on her way to the café.

Their conversation had been a surprisingly easy one, with Lottie chatting about the children and life back where Laura used to live. Another life. It was only as she’d been about to ring off that Lottie had asked how Laura was. Was everything okay? And that if Laura ever needed her, she would be in the car and on her way.

Laura had reassured her sister, telling her that everything was fine. She had settled into her new working life and Buttermarsh was slowly beginning to feel like home. As Laura had spoken those words, she’d known they were true. Buttermarsh and its people had gradually seeped into her bones, whether she liked it or not.

Laura had hesitated, but then proceeded to tell Lottie about Gertie and her prophecy, stating that the old woman had foreseen Laura living a happy-ever-after life with her grandson.

Lottie had belly-laughed down the phone. Laura had heard the huge gulping breaths as her sister had tried to control herself.

It had been just the tonic Laura had needed.

It was the reaction she had needed from Megan last night.

Lottie had told her that at least it was a distraction.

Laura had laughed, saying that, yes, that was one way of looking at it. They had ended their call and Laura had left for the café.

Now, Laura looked at Sue as she passed her the steaming mug of coffee. ‘I’m not sure when Lottie will next be visiting, but she loves the village and especially your cakes.’

Laura was rewarded with a bashful smile. ‘Oh, that’s very kind of her. Tell her that when she next visits, she can have a cake on the house.’

Laura grinned. Lottie would love that. ‘I’ll be sure to tell her.’

‘Well then, you go sit down and rest your legs and I’ll be over when the soup is ready.’

Laura smiled and turned away from the counter, scanning the room for a vacant table.

Not so many people today, and her favourite window seat was vacant so she went and sat there. She picked up her coffee and slowly scanned the room over the rim of the cup, taking tentative sips of the scalding liquid.

Had she expected to find Richard? Sitting at one of the tables, eating cheese on toast? Waiting for her?

She shook her head. Stupid thoughts. She was letting Gertie into her head. Richard would be at school, probably in the canteen with the kids, tucking into a shepherd’s pie or a cheese sandwich. His thoughts would be as far away from Laura as possible. Why would he even think about her? Other than in relation to his gran’s wellbeing. Why was she even thinking about him?

Laura put her cup down and reached into her bag for her book. She began to read, but took in none of the words.

* * *

By the time Laura arrived at work she knew that she needed to nip this prophecy claptrap, as her mother would call it, in the bud. But as she made her way along the corridor for handover she was stopped in her tracks, quite literally, by Hazel’s vice-like grip on her shoulder.

Laura winced, rubbed her shoulder and scowled at Hazel, forgetting for a moment that Hazel was actually her boss. ‘There was no need for that.’

Hazel ignored the snipe and smirked. ‘You were going the wrong way. You’re on this floor today.’

‘Oh, right, well. Okay, then. It’s just that I was rostered to be upstairs this morning.’ Laura’s heart sank. She wouldn’t get to talk to Gertie until the end of her shift now and most likely she’d be in bed by then. And she needed to have this out with her once and for all, albeit in a nice way. Just politely remind her that this was her life and that although she knew Gertie cared about her, and she thought a lot of Gertie, this was something that she needed to leave well alone. Things had already gone too far.

‘Yes, you were,’ Hazel said. ‘But you are covering me this afternoon and I was rostered to work downstairs.’

‘Oh,’ was all that Laura could say. There was no use in waiting for an explanation of why Hazel needed to swap. The woman didn’t give a damn about anyone but herself.

Laura turned around and headed back down the stairs, Hazel following in her wake.

* * *

The afternoon flashed by with the normal routine, hustle and bustle of care work. Laura enjoyed the basic nursing care that she could give to the residents. It was hard manual work, but it made her feel alive and, more importantly, valued. She missed her work on the wards, which was a different kind of busy, but what she didn’t miss were the hours working short-staffed, grabbing sips of cold tea whenever she could. She didn’t miss the endless note-taking and having to make up duty rotas that consisted of far too many agency staff. She missed none of that. Her work at Cedar House care home was good, honest, basic nursing care, the kind of nursing care that had been drummed into her while training, and she liked going back to the basics. This work suited her. It grounded her. It gave her a reason for getting up in the morning, when for a long time she had questioned if her life was still worth living.

Laura grabbed her bag and coat from the staffroom, said goodbye to Linda, who she had been fortunate enough to share her shift with, and headed upstairs to see if Gertie was free for a chat.

Laura tapped gently on the bedroom door and pushed it open a crack, listening as she did so.

‘Come in, Laura,’ Gertie said. ‘I’ve been waiting to see you all day. I was so disappointed when I found out they’d swapped your shifts.’

Gertie said all this while beckoning Laura into the room with a wave of her hand.

‘Me too,’ Laura said. ‘I’ve been wanting to talk to you all day.’

Laura perched on the side of the bed next to where Gertie was propped up with countless plumped pillows.

‘Well, what I need to tell you is very important. Do me a favour and shut the door, love. Then I can tell you what I’ve found out today.’

Laura did as she was told and shut the door. She would listen to what Gertie had to say and then would lay her cards on the table. Tell Gertie that she would stand for no more meddling. That this was her life.

Laura took a steadying breath before making her way back to Gertie’s bedside.

‘What do you need to tell me, Gertie?’ Whatever it was, the old lady looked ever so serious, as if she was about to discuss life-and-death issues. Laura hoped it wasn’t more bad news. She reminded herself that this amazing old woman was dying and that she probably didn’t have long left. Gertie really didn’t deserve any more bad news.

‘It’s happening again,’ Gertie whispered.

‘What is?’ Laura asked.

‘Things have been moved around my room. The things I can see from here anyway. I was in the day room all morning, but when I got back here, late afternoon, things had been moved.’

‘What things?’

‘My books have been moved — I can tell because they’ve been put back in the wrong order.’

Laura glanced at the piles of books, all tottering piles. But she didn’t doubt Gertie. Laura bet that Gertie knew exactly where every book should be.

‘Can you open the wardrobe door for me? Check that the cardboard box is where it should be?’

Laura opened the wardrobe door wide so that Gertie could see inside.

Instead of the cardboard box being under a pile of clothes, it was now clearly visible.

‘It’s been moved!’

‘Yes,’ Laura echoed Gertie’s shout. An icy chill ran up her spine.

Someone had been in Gertie’s room and had rifled through her stuff. Gertie was a vulnerable woman. A dying woman. She placed her trust in these people, in Laura.

Laura’s mouth went dry.

‘I’ve heard things as well,’ Gertie said. ‘When I was in the day room, I overheard Harold chatting to Margaret who told him that she can’t find some of her paintings. She also swears that money has been taken from her pottery pig.’ Gertie’s voice grew louder with the indignation.

Laura’s pulse quickened. She didn’t like this one little bit. ‘Has anything been taken from your room?’

‘I’m not completely sure,’ Gertie said, ‘but I don’t think so. I only think that things have been moved, but there’s so much stuff I might be wrong.’

Laura’s head spun. What should she do? The obvious answer was to report all of this to Hazel. But, one, Hazel wouldn’t take it seriously, two, Hazel would say she would do something and then do nothing, and, three, Laura suspected that Hazel was behind all of this.

‘We need to catch her,’ Gertie said.

Laura nodded. She knew exactly who Gertie was referring to. ‘But how, Gertie? We can’t do twenty-four-hour surveillance.’

Gertie grinned. ‘Oh, that’s where you are wrong, love. What we need is a secret camera, here in this room, and Richard can help us out with that. He told me so when he was here earlier. He was so upset about it and thought that installing a secret camera would be the best way to catch the culprit in the act. You know, like they do on those awful documentaries.’

Laura sighed. Although this was a good plan, that they could easily put a secret camera into the room, Laura wondered why every conversation ended with Richard?

‘In fact, he was so preoccupied,’ Gertie continued, ‘that he left his phone here. I don’t suppose you could give it to him?’

It was on the tip of Laura’s tongue now to tell Gertie that she knew what she was up to with her matchmaking meddling.

But Gertie spoke first.

‘Has he asked you out yet?’