Page 114 of Fe
He helped her put it on and fastened the buttons. Her hands were freezing, so he gave her his gloves, then his hat.
“I think I heard the hockey match had been cancelled,” Fen said.
“Has it?”
“Yes. Let’s go home and check when it’s going to be played.”
To his relief, she let him turn her around and they slowly made their way back.
“Where am I going?” she whispered.
“Home.”
Fen thought how much he’d hate not being able to remember things properly. Forgetting names was one thing but having your memories slowly erode… But did Annie even know? Maybe she was happy enough in her own world. It was worse for Sandra, watching the mum she knew gradually disappear.
When they reached the door, Fen rang the bell. Since they’d seen no sign of Sandra, he had to assume she was either out looking for her mum or she’d not realised she’d gone. When the door opened, Sandra gaped at them in horror.
“Mum? What…?”
“I found her near the high street,” Fen said. “On her way to her son’s hockey match. But I heard it had been cancelled.”
“Hockey? Yes. Yes! It has.” She shot Fen a look of gratitude. “Thank you, Fen. Come in.”
Once they were all in the house, Sandra bolted the door high up. Her mum made her way into the lounge and sat down.
“Is that your coat?” Sandra asked.
“Yes. I bought it today.”
She sagged against the wall. “I can’t do this anymore. I thought I’d bolted the door but I’m so tired.”
“Shall I make you a cup of tea?” Fen asked. “Why don’t you sit with her a minute?”
Sandra looked as if she was going to cry but she dropped down next to her mother.
Fen set his crutch aside. “Milk? Sugar?”
“Milk, but no sugar for both of us.”
The layout of the house was similar to Ripley’s but it was full of clutter: shoes in the hall, kids’ toys all over the place and lots of books piled up. He found mugs and teabags in the first cupboard he opened and moments later slowly returned to the lounge with two drinks. His coat, hat and gloves were on the chair and Annie sat with a blanket wrapped around her.
“Look what Fen’s made you,” Sandra said.
“I put a little bit of cold water in this one.”
“Thank you.” Sandra handed it to her mother. “Aren’t you having one, Fen?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“You must think I’m a terrible daughter. Daughter-in-law, but…”
“Of course I don’t.”
“Who are you?” Annie stared at Fen.
“Fen’s our new next-door neighbour.”
“I want him to go away.”
