Unspoken: A story of secrets, love and revenge by T. Belshaw (best reads of all time .TXT) 📗

Gwen shook her head slowly and laughed.

‘You are a one at times.’

Alice’s gaze once again settled on the large, round, antique wall clock as Gwen emptied the commode and had a general tidy up. There was never much to do, Alice only ever got out of her chair to answer nature’s call or go to bed.

Alice was her last call of the day. A colleague had volunteered to see Mrs Swinston allowing Gwen to get off early. She had organised a baby sitter so that she could go to the cinema with her husband, Gareth.

‘What are you going to see,’ enquired Alice, whose last visit to the cinema was to see The Sound of Music.

‘It’s a war film, dear. Dunkirk I think it’s called. Gareth does like his war films.’

‘I remember it the first time around,’ said Alice. ‘I wouldn’t like to sit through it again.’

Gwen picked up her coat and bag of essentials.

‘Is there anything else I can do before I go, Lovely?’

‘There is actually,’ replied Alice. ‘Could you take that bloody clock off the wall and smash it with a hammer?’

Gwen chuckled as she walked down the passage.

‘But how would you know what time it is? Goodnight, my dear, see you tomorrow.’

The door slammed shut leaving Alice staring forlornly at the clock.

Chapter 8

Alice

On Friday morning, Alice ate a late breakfast; she had felt a little nauseous earlier. Gwen had been concerned but Alice admonished her and told her not to fuss.

‘It’ll no doubt be that cardboard curry you served up last night,’ she said.

‘I’m going to have a word with that company,’ replied Gwen. ‘I know you’re half joking but you should be able to taste the meals. You’re okay with my scrambled eggs, aren’t you?’

The question came with a look of concern that Alice dismissed with a curt reply.

‘The eggs are fine.’

Gwen relaxed.

‘But then again you don’t blast them into the cosmos with radiation.’

Gwen turned to hide a smile.

‘All right, Lovely, you win. No more microwave meals. I’ll cancel the order.’

Alice thought for a moment.

‘If you look inside the store cupboard in the old pantry, you’ll find a three-tier veggie steamer. Some fresh veg would be nice. It might help with the bowels too. As you are fully aware, I haven’t been in a couple of days.’

Gwen disappeared and came back with the dusty, three tier, stainless steel steamer.

‘I’ll give this a good scrub. It’ll only take fifteen minutes to cook the veg tonight, that’s only a little bit longer than the microwave really. What would you like with it?’

‘Gravy,’ said Alice. She licked her lips. ‘Thick gravy, so thick you can almost chew it.’

‘No meat? A pie? I could do one in the oven and freeze half for another day.’ She warmed to the task. ‘Or I could cook a couple at home then bring them here and—’

‘Warm them up in the Hadron Collider?’ Alice interrupted.

‘Warm them up in the oven,’ continued Gwen with a curt nod. ‘How come you know so much about science anyway?’ she asked.

‘Radio Four.’ Alice pointed to the DAB radio. ‘It’s amazing what you can learn when it’s going to be of no use to you whatever.’

Alice watched Gwen busy herself cleaning areas that didn’t really need cleaning, mainly to avoid watching the clock. She was becoming increasingly worried about how quickly time was passing. The dreams were increasing in their intensity and the white light now covered an area larger than the blackness in the tunnel. In recent days she had closed her eyes and tried to will the tunnel into her mind to see if she could see anything beyond the light, but she only ever had flashbacks of her dreams, not new connections.

At nine-thirty, Gwen stopped, looked quizzically at Alice and asked.

‘What time is it, Lovely? Am I late for Mr Hathersage, bless him?’ She hurriedly pushed the vacuum into the cupboard beneath the stairs. ‘Goodness me, I haven’t made your tea and sandwiches yet.’

‘What are you panicking about?’ asked Alice, frowning. ‘There’s a blooming great big clock on the wall here, my only friend in the evening hours.’ She looked at it and flipped a V sign. ‘You have a watch, don’t you?’

Gwen’s head appeared around the kitchen door frame.

‘I forgot it this morning. I’m a bit confused, Lovely, because Jessica is here. She never arrives until I’m about to leave.’

As if she had just been announced at a regency ball, Jessica stepped into the lounge.

‘Hello, Nana. Hello, Gwen.’

Alice studied Jess closely. There was no redness around her eyes and her demeanour was far more relaxed.

‘Good morning, Jessica.’ She motioned her to come close and whispered, ‘you’re early.’

‘I know,’ whispered Jess. ‘Calvin has an IT course and he’s out of the flat until about six tonight, so I can stay all day if you like? Why are we whispering?’ she added.

Alice pointed towards the kitchen.

‘You’ve confused Gwen by arriving early. She thinks it’s ten o’clock or later.’ She chuckled to herself.

‘Nana, you’re incorrigible.’ She called to Gwen in the kitchen. ‘Don’t rush, Gwen, I’m early.’

‘Thank goodness for that,’ Gwen called back, a note of relief in her voice. ‘I didn’t want to leave Mr Hathersage lying in his mess longer than I have to, bless him.’

Jess wagged a finger at Alice, who was biting her lip trying not to laugh.

‘Nana!’

Gwen left at her usual time, leaving Jess and Alice in the lounge with a fresh pot of tea, some wrapped sandwiches for Alice, and a plate of digestive biscuits.

‘I don’t know why she keeps leaving those out for me,’ said Alice. ‘The crumbs make me choke.’

‘She’s being thoughtful, that’s why,’ chided Jess. ‘You are mean to Gwen at times.’

‘She knows I don’t mean it,’ replied Alice. ‘It’s just banter.’ She moved in her seat and stretched out one leg. ‘Ah, that’s better. I thought I was seizing up for a minute.’

She returned to the subject of Gwen.

‘The Social Services, in their wisdom, decided that I needed a full-time carer a couple of