One Last Love (12 page)

‘Well, we’ll just hide here until they’re finished,’ she said.

‘Used to do the same when I was travelling,’ Bonnie said. ‘They always wanted to clean my hotel room in the morning. Never in the afternoon while I was sure to be out. Must be a regulated morning thing this cleaning and pottering around stuff.’

‘True Bonnie. Even hanging the do not disturb sign wouldn’t ward them off,’ Charlie said.

‘So you’re both seasoned hotel guests then? Never got the chance very often myself,’ Madeleine said.

‘Oh Madeleine, didn’t you know Charlie and me were rock ‘n roll stars and stayed in expensive hotels almost every night for years. Always having to put up with all those pretty groupies banging on our door. Isn’t that right Charlie,’ Bonnie asked.

‘Oh, Bonnie, your sense of humour is rather remarkable,’ Charlie said with a reserved laugh.

‘So tell me more about these groupies then Bonnie,’ Madeleine said as she poked him gently in the ribs.

‘Oh, I had to shoo them away after I’d let in two or three of the best lookers.’

‘So were you a guitarist or singer then?’

‘Neither. Drums,’ he said and winked.

‘You must have had longer hair back then,’ Charlie said at an attempt at humour.

‘Down to my ankles in fact Charlie.’

‘You are a card Bonnie,’ he said as he sipped his tea with his little finger raised.

‘When it grew any longer, I’d just tuck it in my boots.’

‘Oh stop Bonnie! You’ll have me choking on my tea,’ Charlie laughed.

‘I’m watching your nose grow now Pinocchio,’ Madeleine said with a warm smile.

‘Well, ok. I exaggerated a little. Only two groupies at a time and my hair was only down to my waist.’

‘And the drums?’ Madeleine asked.

‘Ok, you caught me. I played the spoons in fact. But exceedingly well.’

‘I’ll have to start doubting some of your little stories now I’m afraid Bonnie,’ Charlie said.

‘Oh? Can’t understand why,’ Madeleine said with a grin.

‘Do you smoke Charlie?’ Bonnie asked.

‘No. Always found it a rather repugnant habit.’

‘So, you won’t be joining me on the terrace for an after coffee fag then?’

‘Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to sound pious Bonnie,’ Charlie said.

‘No worries Charlie. I was just pulling your leg,’ Bonnie said with a friendly smile. ‘But I think I might nip out to the terrace for a smoke.’

‘Doesn’t seem so long ago when everyone smoked,’ Madeleine added as if she was talking to herself.

‘Oh yes’ Charlie agree. ‘I always felt I was the odd one out.’

‘Well, you’re on the winning team now mate,’ Bonnie said.

‘Yes, times have changed.’

‘You know, I might nip out with you,’ Madeleine said. ‘Wouldn’t say no to a cigarette. I mean, no damage it can do,’ she said and stopped herself from adding now to the end of her utterance.

‘Actually I’ve got a couple of letters I want to write,’ Charlie said as he finished his tea. I’ll let you enjoy your smoke.’

‘Thank you Charlie,’ Madeleine said as Charlie rose to leave.

‘Take care hey mate,’ Bonnie added.

‘Perhaps see you at dinner then?’

‘Sure mate,’ Bonnie said as Charlie turned to leave. As he walked out the doors, Bonnie turned to Madeleine and nodded his head towards the dining room terrace. She nodded back and rose from her chair as Bonnie started wheeling himself towards the terrace.

‘You really tease poor Charlie,’ she said after they had lit their cigarettes and taken a puff or two.

‘Ha, I play no favourites.’

‘True. You’re very even handed with your brickbats.’

‘He’s a nice fella. Just a bit stuck up, so can’t help myself.’

‘You know what Bonnie?’

‘What?’

‘You’ve got beautiful blue eyes.’

‘Eh,’ Bonnie started and was unusually lost for wards for a minute, but recovered. ‘The used to be brown, but I spent too much time in chlorine swimming pools.’

‘Do you have a serious bone in your body Bonnie?’ Madeleine smiled.

‘Did have, but had ‘em all cut out.’

‘Bonnie?’

‘Yes?’

‘Have you ever wondered what comes after the happily ever after bit at the end of fairy tales?’

‘Screaming kids, a mortgage and plenty of arguing, like it is for everyone I suppose.’

‘Probably,’ she said as she finished her cigarette, then they sat in silence for some time. Bonnie finally breaking it.

‘The rose garden?’

‘Yes, I’d like that.’

*****

Bonnie and Madeleine stayed for an hour or so in the rose garden before the sun became a little warm for them both. They went back inside, happy, and read in the living room for a while. Charlie joined them to catch up on the day’s newspapers.

‘I just have to pop off and take my pills Bonnie. I’ll be back in a minute,’ she said as she rose from her chair.

‘Alright. You’re coming back for lunch?’

‘Yes, see you shortly,’ she said, smiled, then walked away slowly. Resting more heavily on her walking stick with each step she took. Bonnie noticed. Charlie sat quietly, apparently engrossed in what he was reading. Bonnie went back to reading the book he had chosen from the bookshelf. Black and Blue by Ian Rankin.

Lost in his reading, he didn’t notice the time until Charlie said he was off to his room for lunch. Bonnie looked up at the clock on the mantle piece. Ten past twelve. ‘Odd,’ he thought. ‘I wonder what’s keeping Madeleine?’ He closed his book and popped it on his lap and wheeled out of the living room and turned towards the dining room to see if Madeleine may have gone there directly. She wasn’t there. He turned and headed past the nurses’ station, up the hall and turned right in the direction of where he knew Madeleine’s room was. He passed two occupied rooms, then arrived at the door of an empty room and noticed Madeleine’s walking stick leaning against the bed. ‘I wonder where she could’ve got to?’ he thought and was about to turn back when he heard her voice coming from just a little further up the hall. He pushed the wheels of his chair slowly towards where he heard her voice coming from. Past two doors and then at the third stopped, as he saw Madeleine sitting beside Angeline propped up in her bed.

‘Oh, look who’s here,’ she said with a smile and beckoned Bonnie to come in.

‘Hi Bonnie,’ Angeline said with a smile that told Bonnie she wasn’t feeling all that well.

‘Angeline was explaining hip hop music to me,’ she said.

‘Hip replacement is about all I know about,’ he said with a smile. ‘Looks like they’ve got you a bit hooked up there Nancy.’

‘Oh I’m used to it Bonnie. A bit like a fill up at a service station.’

‘Well, I wondered why you hadn’t been around bothering me,’ he smiled.

‘Don’t worry, as soon as I’m unplugged, I’ll be after you,’ she said but it was clearly an effort for her to speak.

‘He doesn’t move very fast dear, so I’m sure you’ll run rings around him,’ Madeleine said. She was holding Angeline’s hand and gave it a little squeeze.

‘Well, if they’ve got pork roast on for lunch, I reckon you’ll be outta here in a flash to steal my bloody crackling.’

‘A thief has to work you know Bonnie,’ she smiled but struggled to say more.

‘Well, I’ll tell Fagin you’ll be back hard at work soon then.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Having a party are we?’ Odele said as she entered.

‘Would do but there’s no bloody beer,’ Bonnie said while Madeleine and Angeline smiled.

‘Not sure about beer, but I might be able to rustle up some lemonade,’ Odele replied.

‘Peanuts?’ Angeline managed to say.

‘Them too,’ Odele said.

‘Well, we’d better be off,’ Madeleine said sensing that Odele needed to attend to Angeline.

‘Yes, I can hear them cutting through the crackling,’ Bonnie said and gave Angeline a wink. She smiled back. As Madeleine stood and Bonnie turned his wheel chair, Dr. McManus appeared at the door.

‘You’re popular,’ he said to Angeline. She smiled but couldn’t hide her discomfort.

‘See you later dear,’ Madeleine said as she patted Angeline’s hand.

‘Catch me if you can,’ Bonnie said, smiled at Angeline, then turned to leave Odele and Dr. McManus to what they had to do.

Madeleine and Bonnie made their way down the hall to the nurses’ station in silence, then turned towards the dining room. Charlie was already eating.

‘Think I might just have a cup of tea,’ Madeleine said as they entered.

‘Yes,’ was all Bonnie said as he made his way to a vacant table as Madeleine went to get her tea.

‘Good?’ Bonnie asked Charlie who was sitting at the next table, half way through his lunch.

‘Had better.’

Madeleine sat down and sipped her tea while Bonnie wondered if he had any appetite at all. Both thinking about Angeline.

‘Hey Bonnie, good news,’ a female voice rang out from behind the servery. Bonnie looked up to see one of the orderlies behind the counter.

‘Yes?’

‘Look,’ she said as she held up a six pack of beer. ‘The pixies came this morning,’ she said with a beaming smile.

‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ he said.

‘But I suppose no sign of any Bloody Mary’s,’ Madeleine asked.

‘Sorry love. Maybe with the next pixie delivery.’

‘Oh, I can wait.’

*****

It was a very hot afternoon. Bonnie was feeling tired after lunch so he and Madeleine went back to his room so Bonnie could lie down for a while. Madeleine sat with him by his bed for a while, chatting about everything except Angeline, then when he was asleep, she moved to the sofa and read. Looking out the window from time to time and hoping the heat wouldn’t damage the rose buds. She realised she still hadn’t run into the gardener to check if he’d fertilised the roses.

She’d picked up Bonnie’s Ian Rankin book but for some reason, the more she read, the less the words entered her head. Lost in her thoughts, the words just failed to register. She looked over at Bonnie who was sleeping soundly. A light snore from time to time. She sighed as if resigning herself to a truth she had avoided admitting. Bonnie had touched her heart in a way no one had done since Yves. She thought about the years she had been married to Paul. Some could say wasted years, but they were safe, secure and comfortable. They’d never been blessed with children, but they had both learned to live with their disappointment. He was much older than her and in a way, in the end, it was a relief when he passed away. ‘Had it been nearly twelve years?’ she thought to herself. She was wondering why she’d never felt guilty about feeling this way. Perhaps because they had never really been in love. Just comfortable.

A flash of a nurse’s uniform passing the door quickly took her attention away from her thoughts for a moment. She tried reading again but the words still failed to register as her mind began wandering and wondering once more. Half an hour later she fell asleep.

She woke with a start to find Bonnie sitting next to her.

‘Oh, I must have dozed off.’

‘Well it doesn’t hurt to rest your eyes for a while in the afternoon. Feel better?’

‘Yes, thank you.’

‘Rankin’s not your cup of tea then?’ he said noticing his book closed on Madeleine’s lap.

‘Oh, I think I’ve read too many Inspector Rebus stories.’

‘Up to a cup of tea?’

‘Yes, that’d be nice.’

‘I can get you one from the dining room if you like.’

‘No, I’ll come with you. I think I need to stretch my legs a bit. You doing ok?’

‘Hard to keep an old dog down.’

‘Well, grab your bone Fido, I’m ready.’

‘Right. Just get my wheels on,’ he said as he pulled his wheel chair closer and moved himself into it.

‘Would you mind if I popped my head in on Angeline on the way?’ Madeleine asked as she stood up and steadied herself with her walking stick.

‘Of course. I’ll come with you.’

Angeline was sleeping when they arrived, so they turned and went to the dining room for their afternoon tea and found it unusually empty.

‘Do you think we’ve scared ‘em all off?’ Bonnie asked.

‘Doesn’t seem likely Bonnie,’ she said as Charlie appeared in the doorway with another man.

‘Oh hello again,’ Charlie said as he entered. ‘Have you met Claude? He only arrived yesterday evening.’

After polite introductions, they shared afternoon tea over Charlie’s excitement that an election had been called and that his Beatrice was at the centre of all the political action and that she had been on the telly that morning. While Bonnie would normally have had enough after five minutes, he stayed, feeling that Charlie deserved a little time to express how proud he was of his daughter. He knew he would have done the same if it were Colin. ‘Must be going soft,’ he thought to himself as the afternoon tea conversation meandered along politely with agreeing nods and the occasional ‘Oh, is that right?’ and ‘Yes, I agree.’ He reflected on his last few days. Henry who he’d failed to meet. His short time with Danny, who he would have spurned at any other time in his life but for some reason found a way past his prejudices. The innocence and courage of Angeline, who he would’ve intentionally ignored and passed in the street just a few days ago, and the bitter truth that she was soon to be cruelly robbed of her adulthood. And even of Charlie. Pompous prat that he was – and had probably never ever sat in the public bar of a pub in his life – now finding a way into Bonnie’s acceptance. 

‘Penny for your thoughts,’ Madeleine whispered.

‘Oh nothing. Just listening,’ he whispered back.

He looked at Madeleine as she rejoined the conversation with polite nods and agreement as Claude and Charlie dissected the current political situation. He knew she had somehow stumbled into his heart, which no one had managed to do since his first years with Carol, but he couldn’t help thinking about the absurd sense of timing of it all. They were both far too old to feel and act like this.

‘I’ve popped them in the fridge love,’ interrupted his thoughts as the orderly from the servery walked past him smiling. ‘Just ask whoever’s serving tonight.’

‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘I’ll make sure I’m on time for dinner then.’

‘Sorry, it’s only light beer though love.’

‘That’ll be fine. Thanks for going to the trouble.’