Page 9 of Lessons in Life

‘Mum, when Robyn arrived home from school yesterday, Sorrel wasn’t in.’

‘Sorrel is sixteen next month. I know she should be getting in some early nights if she’s going to do her best at this audition in London, but she’s been a different girl lately. She’s really buckled down to her schoolwork. You know that. Look how she’s doing in maths with you and Matt.’ Lisa snorted somewhat disparagingly. ‘Dean would never have had the brainpower to help Sorrel with quadratic equations.’

Ignoring Lisa’s dig at her absent husband while attempting to big up Matt, Jess tutted. ‘You do know Joel was set on the night before last?’

‘Yes, of course I do. It was the main story onFocus Northlast night. And it was all Robyn could talk about once she was back from St Mede’s yesterday afternoon. But you know, while I’ve said all along that the Sinclairs are a bad lot, Robyn appears to really like Joel. When I raised doubts about him, she said to give him a chance; not tar him with the same brush as his notorious family. Sorrel tells me they’re just mates. Nothing more.’

‘She does always say that, yes, I know.’ Jess folded her arms. ‘But, Mum, either way, the last thing she should be doing is always hanging around with him.’

‘They said exactly the same thing about me and your father.’ Lisa found herself suddenly changing her tune with regards her youngest daughter’s friendship with Joel Sinclair. You shouldn’t judge a sixteen-year-old by his family. Look at how judgmental the Foleys had been the one time they’d met Jayden. And it was only the once: she’d been warned never to bring that ‘scruffy, druggy half-caste into our family home ever again’. So, instead, she’dleftthe family home. Gladly, willingly. Never to return.

Goodness, how times had changed in the thirty years since. No one, but especially educated and professional people like Adrian and Karen Foley, would ever dare speak of someone in such degrading and racist language.

‘Yes, and we still do,’ Jess was saying, bringing Lisa back to the present.

‘Still do what?’

‘Say exactly the same about you and Jayden. Robyn and I’ve been telling you for years to get Jayden out of your life.’

‘Jess, I may have spent too many years waiting for your dad to come back to us, but at the end of the day he’s provided for us when I’ve been unable to work. I’ve not had to chase him through the Child Support Agency for money. Right, enough of me and your father. What can I do to help here today?’

Jess smiled. ‘I never for one minute thought you’d be back again, Mum. Thought one day here would be enough to put you off for life.’ She paused, thinking. ‘So, you could shadow Bex if you want. She’s just finishing off breakfasts at the moment. Don’t forget, you will need to check with the residents before you go into their rooms…’

‘Of course.’ Jess did have a tendency to treat her as some sort of bumbling halfwit.

‘Their dignity and safety are the first things you should be considering. Oh, hang on, Denise looks like she needs something. Denise is Mason’s granny, Mum.’

‘Ah, I was hoping to meet her yesterday. You know how much I like Mason.’

‘He’s back with his wife, Mum. Don’t get your hopes up.’

‘One should always have hope.’ Lisa grinned, heading for the breakfast room. ‘Look at Pandora.’

‘Would you mind helping to serve hot drinks, Lisa?’ Bex, Lisa could see, was torn between wanting to show this ‘helper’ that she, herself, was in control of breakfasts, while being seen to defer to her boss’s mum. ‘We’re very late this morning. It’s already after ten and we’re still at the toast and marmalade stage.’

‘Of course.’ Lisa smiled. ‘Just show me the best way to go about it, would you, Bex?’

Lisa spent the next fifteen minutes pouring tea and coffee at the ten tables of four occupants, passing over jugs of cold milk and bowls of sugar while making small talk and steadying cups in shaking hands back onto saucers.

‘Ah.’ A beautifully turned-out woman pointed a red-varnished talon in Lisa’s direction. ‘Someone new. Lovely! Someone to have a decent conversation with round here instead of being thrust in front of the box to watchHomes Under the Hammer.’ She sniffed disdainfully at the elderly man next to her who was dribbling tea down his front. ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake…’

‘What do you want to chat about, Christine?’ Lisa asked cheerfully.

‘Oh, the state of the economy, Brexit, you know…’

‘No one here to do that with you?’

‘All gone to the fecking turf club,’ Christine said crossly. She manoeuvred her wheelchair at speed away from the table, winked at Lisa and,Telegraphto hand, made her way from the breakfast room.

‘We seem to have lost one,’ Bex was saying, frowning.

‘Out the front door again?’ Lisa asked. ‘Shall I go and look?’

‘Possibly. It’s Eloise up on Daffodil level.’

‘Sorry, I don’t think I know who you mean. Did I meet her yesterday, I wonder?’

‘Possibly not,’ Bex said. ‘She’s only been with us since just before Christmas and has been getting very distressed when we’ve tried to persuade her out of her room to join the others at mealtimes or for activity sessions.’

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