Page 22 of The Old Gals’ Bucket List

SANDRA

‘It’s lovely to see you getting out and doing things again, and now planning on going to Spain with your friend.

We’ve been so worried about you since Brian died,’ Laila said when she popped around to see Sandra the next morning after dropping Kali and Rana off at school.

It was her day off. ‘Don’s fretting about you, of course, that’s his nature.

He’ll get over it. The new job and the move to Cambridge will keep him busy. And it will do you good to get away.’

‘Thank you.’ Sandra had always got on well with Laila, she was calm and level-headed, good for Don who was always too anxious.

Laila stood for no-nonsense, and you knew where you were with her.

Brian had thought she was too outspoken sometimes, but Sandra preferred people to be straight, things got complicated if people didn’t say how they really felt.

‘It’s nice that Don wants to look after me, but I think that it’s best if I don’t make a rush decision to move to Cambridge with you.

I’d like to give you all time to settle down and see how you like living there.

You’re young and can move again if you’re not happy, but I don’t want to be uprooting myself again and again.

I have to make sure it’s the right decision for me. ’

‘Of course you do. We will all miss you, especially Kali and Rana, you’ve been great with them. And I’m really grateful for the free childcare and babysitting you’ve given us, but now it’s time for you to live your life.’

‘Thank you, I’ve been more than happy to do it. Are you sure that I haven’t left you in the lurch with childminding over the half term?’

‘Not at all. I have some time off work, so we’re going to spend the weekend with Don and then my parents have been asking me to visit for ages, so I’m taking the girls down to London to spend a few days with them.’

Sandra was pleased that she was going away because it was setting Laila free to do what she wanted and take the children to see their other grandparents, Sandra realised.

‘I’m delighted to hear that and I hope you haven’t put off visiting your parents because you didn’t like to leave me alone.

You and Don have been such a support to me, but I’m stronger now.

I don’t want you to put your life on hold for me, worrying about me, and thinking you have to protect me.

I’ve been very grateful for you both but I can cope now. I don’t want to be a burden to you.’

‘Of course you aren’t a burden.’ Laila’s voice was soft, kind.

‘Please don’t think that. I didn’t mind at all.

You were our priority while you were working through your grief.

’ Her tone was warm. ‘We’re always happy to help you, Sandra.

You mean a lot to us all. And my parents understand the situation.

It will be good to spend a few days with them though, and to know that you are enjoying yourself too.

’ Laila’s parents owned, and ran, an Indian restaurant in Camden.

It was very much a family business. Laila’s brother worked there too, and his uncle and aunt.

The family were a little disappointed when Laila took a business studies course and got herself a job in Birmingham as a project manager for a manufacturing company, which is where she met Don.

Don and Laila then moved to Worcester a few years later and Laila now worked for a healthcare company whilst Don was still in manufacturing.

Her parents kept hoping that Laila, Don and the children would move down to London and eventually all work in one of the restaurants – they now owned three – but there seemed no likelihood of that happening.

They might do sometime in the future though.

This was one of the things that worried Sandra about uprooting herself to Cambridge, in a few years she could end up being there alone or moving again.

She couldn’t keep following Don and Laila about.

And she wouldn’t do it if Brian was still alive, would she?

He wouldn’t have wanted to uproot himself to follow Don and his family.

They’d just make regular trips to see them and have the children to stay in the school holidays now and again. Surely that’s what she should do?

‘Well if I can help in any way when I come back… I can have the children overnight a few times, so you and Don can go out together when he comes home for the weekend perhaps?’

‘I would really appreciate that. Thank you,’ Laila told her.

‘It will be a pleasure.’ It would too, she wanted to spend as much time with her grandchildren as she could before they moved away.

‘Now tell me all about this holiday you’ve got planned. Whereabouts in Spain are you going?’

‘It’s somewhere in Málaga, on the Costa del Sol,’ she told her. ‘Patti’s brother and wife have lived there a few years now but she’s never been to visit. She’s terrified of flying. So she asked me to go with her.’

‘You two really have got friendly, haven’t you?’ Laila asked. ‘I’m so pleased that you’ve reconnected again. It’s good to have a friend to share things with. I will miss my friends Suzy and Clare, but they’re going to come up for a weekend when we’re settled.’

‘That’s great that you’re not going to lose touch.’ Sandra put her empty cup down in her saucer. ‘And I’m sure you’ll soon make new friends too.’

They sat chatting for a while then Laila had to go. Sandra cleared away the cups then renewed her lipstick, grabbed her tote bag with her swimming gear and set off. She was meeting Patti at the bus stop.

‘Well done, Sandra,’ Tess shouted as Sandra completed her second width.

‘I’m going to try and swim a length now,’ Sandra said, looking across to the other side of the swimming pool. ‘I’m a bit worried about going in the deep end though.’

‘I’ll swim alongside you,’ Patti offered. She didn’t add ‘in case you get into difficulties’, but Sandra knew that was the reason. And she really appreciated it. She was nervous, but she could do it. She was sure she could.

‘Can I make a suggestion?’

Sandra turned to Tess.

‘Start off at the deep end, then if you tire – and you might – you’re in shallow water and can stand on the bottom. It will be less daunting for you.’

That was a good idea. Although stepping down into the deep water was nerve-wracking. It would be easier if she could jump or dive in, but she hadn’t managed that yet.

‘You’ll find it easier if you go down the steps until you’re waist deep then reach out for the bar and hold on to it, put your feet against the wall, press hard and launch yourself off,’ Tess said.

‘I’ll do the same. We’ll launch off together,’ Patti said.

They both padded along the side of the pool to the deeper end. Sandra hesitated as she looked at the mass of water below. It was so deep there was no way she could stand on the bottom if she got tired. What if she panicked? Maybe she should have brought a float to hang on to.

‘I’ll be right beside you and I’ll grab you if you start to go under.’ Patti’s voice was firm and reassuring. ‘I’m sure you won’t though. You’ve got this.’

Sandra looked at the water and at the steps in front of her. You can swim. Don’t think about how deep it is. Just swim, like you do in the shallower end.

‘Want me to go first?’ Patti asked.

Sandra nodded.

Patti turned around to descend the steps and Sandra followed her. As soon as she was level with the bar she reached out and grabbed it, then turned around so her feet were against the side. Patti was doing the same.

‘Ready?’

‘Ready.’ Sandra pushed her feet against the wall, let go of the bar, shot forward and she was swimming. A couple of splashes and Patti was beside her. Grateful for her friend’s reassuring presence, Sandra swam steadily through the water. Patti kept her pace beside her.

Her arms were aching by the time she reached the other end but she felt elated as she touched the bar and lowered her feet so that she could stand on the bottom of the pool.

‘Well done, Sandra.’ Tess looked delighted.

The others clapped and cheered.

‘If you can do that, I can swim without my float,’ Madge said determinedly. It had been an effort for her to get into the water at first but now she swam happily, holding on to the white float.

‘Start small, Madge,’ Tess told her. ‘Remember “achievable aims”. Wait until you’re a little away from the bar, then let go of your float and swim the rest of the way.’

It took Madge three attempts but finally she did it. The look of sheer delight on her face as, with a final lunge, she grabbed the bar, had them all applauding. To think this was the woman who had been too scared to even go down the steps only a few weeks ago.

‘You did great,’ Patti told her. ‘So did you Sandra. A whole length! I think we all need to celebrate with coffee and cake.’

Everyone laughed. They were all used to Patti’s coffee and cake celebrations now. She celebrated every win. Sid jumping in, Bill doing a few strokes, Beryl letting go of the bar. Every week there had been some reason to celebrate.

‘What will you celebrate when we’ve all finally learnt to swim?’ Sid asked.

‘Life,’ Patti said simply.