Page 9 of The Old Gals’ Bucket List
The persistent ringing of her phone jolted Sandra out of a deep sleep the next morning, the best she’d slept for a long while.
For a few seconds she was startled, wondering why someone was phoning her in the middle of the night.
Then she opened her eyes and was surprised to see that the bedroom was flooded with sunlight.
Goodness, what time was it! She glanced at the clock.
Nine fifteen! Every day since Brian had died, she’d tossed and turned half the night and finally got up at seven, knowing she wouldn’t sleep any longer.
Mind, the two cocktails they’d had yesterday probably helped.
She and Patti had giggled in the back of the taxi all the way home.
The ringing continued. She groaned, she bet it was Don, he always checked in on her first thing.
He’ll be thinking she’d tripped over something and was lying injured on the floor.
She sat up, rubbed her eyes and reached for the phone, her heart lifting when she saw that the incoming call was a WhatsApp video call from Becky.
She did a quick calculation, it must be about eight thirty in the evening in Australia.
Funny to think that in another few hours it would be Wednesday for Becky, a completely different day.
‘Hello. You caught me having a lie-in,’ she said as Becky’s cheery face appeared on the phone.
‘Good for you, Mum. Sorry I disturbed your sleep. I thought you’d be up.’ Becky had been living in Australia so long her voice now had a distinctive Aussie twang to it.
‘Normally I am, and please don’t apologise. I’m always pleased to hear from you.’
‘How are you doing? Don tells me you’re all moving to Cambridge.’
Sandra brushed away the flash of irritation at Don’s presumption that she would fall in line with his wishes, reminding herself that he was just trying to look out for her and that he and Laila had been there for her whilst she’d coped with the trauma of Brian’s death.
‘I haven’t decided what I’m doing yet. Don, Laila and the children are definitely going but I might not be. I’m happy living here.’
A frown crossed Becky’s forehead. ‘You’ll be a bit lonely there without them, Mum. You see a lot of them, don’t you? And you know how much you love the kids.’
‘I do, and I love living near them. But I love it here too. And what if Don is offered another promotion and has to move away again? I can’t keep following them around, Becky.
I’ve got to think about this carefully.’ She edged herself up on her right elbow.
‘I bet he’s phoned you and told you that I’m being “awkward” and will you help him persuade me to see sense. ’
Becky grinned. ‘Spot on. I know what a fusspot Don is, but I can see his point. I worry about you, Mum. Truth be told, I hate to think of you on your own in that big old house since Dad died.’ Her voice wobbled a bit.
‘It’s always reassured me that Don isn’t too far away and can get to you quickly if you need help.
And it is nice that they want you to move by them.
A lot of parents complain that their grown-up kids don’t bother with them. ’
‘I know. And I am grateful, really I am, but I have to do what’s best for me. I can’t allow myself to be railroaded into a decision I might regret. It’s a big upheaval.’
‘Of course not, but please think it over carefully.’ Her eyes met Sandra’s through the screen.
‘I know it’s a lot for you to leave that house, Mum, it holds so many memories for you.
We had some happy times as kids and it’s great to come back and visit you there.
But it might do you good to start afresh in a smaller, more modern place. ’
At least Becky understood how precious this house was to her and that she didn’t want to erase all the memories. Although, even she seemed to think that Sandra should move on.
‘Look, if you feel like you want to get away from it all, you can come over here. Stay as long as you want. We’ve got plenty of room. You’ve got an open invitation.’
Sandra knew that Becky and the family had been looking forward to seeing her and Brian this year. ‘I will when I’m a bit stronger,’ she said. ‘I promise.’
‘Good. Now what have you been up to?’
Sandra sat up straighter, grimaced at the image of herself in the bottom corner of the screen and ran her hand through her hair in an effort to tidy it.
‘Mum! Is that a tattoo on your arm!’ Becky squealed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.
‘What?’ Fourteen-year-old Honey ran over to join her mum on the video. ‘Let me see, Nan!’
Sandra held her arm up straight so that they could see her tattoo, which was still red and raised.
‘Cool! And it looks like you’ve only just had it done! What does it say? I love the butterfly, but I can’t read the words,’ Honey asked.
‘It says “Embrace change, love life”,’ Sandra told them. ‘Which is what I intend to do.’ Then she remembered the Insta photo. ‘Are you on Instagram?’
‘Yes, we have a family account. Why?’ Becky asked.
‘My friend Patti had a tattoo as well, she had hers done on Saturday and Paul, the tattoo artist, took a photo of us both when I had mine yesterday. He said he was going to put it on his Instagram account.’
Honey’s mouth dropped open and her eyes widened. ‘You’re on Insta? Nan, that’s so cool. I’ve got to see that! What’s the name of the tattoo studio?’ She grabbed her phone.
Sandra told them. Honey tapped away then shouted, ‘I’ve got it!’
‘Let me see.’ Becky peered over her shoulder. ‘Oh, Mum, that’s a smashing photo. You both look great.’ She glanced up. ‘Have you seen it?’
‘I saw it in the tattoo shop but I don’t have Instagram.’
‘I’ll screenshot it and send it to you after this phone call then you can see the caption as well.’ Honey’s face almost filled the small screen.
‘Thank you, love.’
‘Now who’s Patti? I can’t remember you mentioning her before.’ Becky’s face appeared on the screen now.
‘She used to work at the supermarket with me years ago but then she moved away.’
‘The cashier with the loud laugh?’ Becky asked.
‘That’s the one. Well, she’s moved back into the area. She’s just recovered from cancer, and she’s so upbeat, so determined to live her life. It got me thinking, your dad is gone but I’m still here. He would want me to pick myself up and carry on living.’
‘He definitely would, Mum. You’ve got to live your life for both of you now.’
‘That’s what Patti said.’ She told them about Patti having a tattoo to celebrate recovering from cancer. ‘We’ve both come up with a bucket list of things we want to do and visiting you in Australia is top of mine.’
‘Really! That’s great, Mum. It will be so lovely to see you. It sounds like you’re picking yourself up now.’
Sandra felt a surge of guilt as she saw the tears welling in Becky’s eyes.
It must have been hard for her to see Sandra so distraught in the early days after Brian’s death, with her living so far away and not being able to help.
She remembered how Becky had hugged her tight on the day of Brian’s funeral and told her she wished she could be there for her more.
‘Yes I am. I’m feeling much stronger now, and it’s so lovely to have Patti living nearby.’
They chatted for a while, exchanging news, and Sandra felt a lot lighter when the call had ended. She always did after talking to Becky. She missed her daughter so much.
Then she remembered the screenshot Becky had sent her.
She opened her message and looked at it, smiling again at the photo.
Written across the top of it in white capital letters on a black background were the words ‘You’re never too old to ink.
’ She wondered if Patti had seen it yet. She sent it to her with the words:
Sandra
We’re Insta famous!
Patti messaged back a few minutes later.
Patti
Kit spotted it on her Insta last night. She said it had over fifty likes. She said that we should open an Instagram account.
Sandra
Isn’t it just photos? What on earth would we put on it?
Patti
Pop around for a cuppa in a bit and we can chat about it?
Sandra glanced at the clock. She needed breakfast and a shower, in that order. Her tummy was rumbling.
Sandra
Eleven okay?
Patti
Perfect. I’ll have the kettle on.
She got out of bed, pulled on her fluffy dressing gown, and went downstairs, Becky’s words about living her life for both her and Brian resounding in her mind. She and Brian had been so looking forward to going to visiting Becky, Hogan, Zac and Honey, in Australia this Christmas.
Was she brave enough to go by herself?