CHAPTER 10
Several days passed. Marie was working long hours, writing end of year reports, attending staff meetings and parents’ evenings and seeing to all the multitudinous aspects of a teacher’s working life that few outside the profession ever suspect but which take up so much time. At length the pressure eased and she felt able to complete a simple Friday evening shopping trip without wondering how late she was going to be for something else. As she left the supermarket and packed her car with the goods she had bought, she noticed a familiar looking figure far away on the river bank, just by the medieval stone bridge where a small and secluded picnic area had been constructed. She left the car and walked over.
’If you’re contemplating suicide,’ she said, ’I should point out that the water is only ankle deep here.’
’Is that feet first, or head first?’ asked Donald, turning to greet her with a broad smile.
’You look a little pensive,’ she said. ’Are you thinking deep thoughts? I hope I didn’t break the train of them.’
’Not so deep, only up to the ankles, really. You didn’t break anything.
No, I was trying to work out an idea I had earlier, and came here for a bit of ambience. It’s a little love scene and as it takes place by a gently running stream, I thought this may give a bit of inspiration.’
’Did it work?’
’Up to a point, yes, although you have to ignore the shopping trolley in the water as well as the beer cans on the grass and the graffiti on the bridge. I can’t think what they teach them in schools nowadays. Look there, just under the arch, it’s a common enough word to judge by its frequent use in the street, yet it’s misspelt.’
Marie grimaced. ’Perhaps they haven’t all had the advantages of learning Anglo Saxon. How far did you get?’
’Not too bad, I’ve got several pages of notes just while sitting here. They’re not finished, but maybe in another week I shall be able to sit down and write the whole thing out.’
’May I see?’
’Of course.’
As Donald reached out his notebook, a sudden gust of wind caught it and sent it spinning across the water, to rest on a sizeable rock, pages high and dry, but with no indication that the book wouldn’t slip into the water.
’Oh Donald, I’m sorry.’
’What for?’ he asked. ’My fault, I didn’t have a proper grip on it. Er, are you sure this stream is only ankle deep?’
’Yes, I’ve seen the kids paddling in it, looking for sticklebacks, though how they expect to see anything in such murky waters I really can’t imagine. You’re quite safe. Probably, bound to be, almost certain, but don’t worry. I’ll call out the fire brigade if you do get into difficulties.’
’Somehow,’ said Donald, ‘somehow I don’t feel as assured as I should be. Still, I suppose you’re right. It’s only half way up the ducks. On the other hand, it’s half way up the swans and they are a lot bigger. Well, here goes.’
Carefully, Donald used various stones to walk on in order to reach his precious notebook. Not carefully enough. On the way back, a loose stone slipped, turning his ankle with a vicious twist. He fell heavily on to the ground, luckily clear of the water, rolling over to sit there in pain and nursing his foot.
Marie stopped laughing and rushed to his side, kneeling beside him in concern. ’Donald, are you all right? Can you stand up?’
’Cauliflower heck,’ he muttered, then smiled up at her through his pain. ’I may know all the words, but I don’t necessarily use them. Not in public at least. I’ll let go when I reach home. Give me your hand, will you? That’s not a chat up line, however tempting it may be. I really need it.’
Marie was surprisingly strong. She lifted him and helped to support his weight while he tested how he could stand.
’Hm,’ he said. ’It hurts, but it’s not as bad as I thought. There’s nothing broken, not even sprained as far as I can tell. It should wear off quite quickly.’
’Can you drive like that?’
He shook his head. ’I doubt it, but that doesn’t matter. The car’s at home. I walked here.’
’Right then, come over to the bench and sit down. My car’s in the supermarket car park. I’ll go and get it and drive you home or do you want the doctor?’
’No, it’s not that bad. If I give it a bit of rest overnight, it should be back to normal tomorrow.’
Marie left him, coming back a few minutes later. She placed her arm around his waist and assisted him to drag himself to the car, where she opened the door for him, remarking she was only returning the compliment and lowered him on to the passenger seat. Shortly afterwards, she drew up outside his house and helped him inside. Donald sat down on the sofa, and raised his leg along its length. Marie removed his shoes and socks.
’That’s fine now,’ he said. ’Honestly, it feels better already.’
’Maybe,’ she said doubtfully. ’You shouldn’t try to walk on that foot for a while, for all that. Can I get you something, a drink perhaps or are you hungry?’
’A bit,’ he confessed. ’But I can make myself something later on.’
’Not while I’m here to see to things Donald. Let me see, can I use your kitchen?’
’Of course. There aren’t so many cupboards. You’ll find everything needed easily enough.’ The pain was sufficient that he didn’t feel like arguing. Besides, it was rather pleasant to be fussed over.
Marie returned, bearing a plate containing a large omelette, together with a glass of juice, setting them down on an occasional table she found in the corner of the living room. Donald swung his legs around and sat upright, while Marie settled the table in front of him.
Don’t worry, that’s not finger food,’ she said. ’I’ll bring you a knife and fork.’
’Aren’t you taking something?’ he asked.
’Of course,’ Marie reassured him. ’I’ve fed you often enough, Donald Vickers. Now it’s your turn to fill me up, even if I do have to cook it myself. Whatever happened to equality?’
’It’s very good of you, Marie. I do appreciate this.’
’Nonsense, Donald. You’re my friend and I don’t like to see my friends in anything but a perfect condition. Not that you seem to need much looking after. You keep your house in immaculate order, if I may say so.’
’You may. It’s only a small place, of course, so it’s not difficult to keep tidy. You should know that. Yours is not a great deal bigger. Anyway, it’s all too easy for a man on his own to let things slip and not to bother too much about petty detail, like cleanliness, so I make an effort. It’s probably easier in the long run. I like to be able to find things when I want them. It doesn’t work otherwise. At least not for me.’
’I couldn’t help noticing how neatly you keep your papers in your working room. I wish mine were as well organised as that.’
’I suspect that’s because I have only myself to think about and not several hundred pupils.’
’That probably has some bearing on the matter, Donald,’ said Marie. ’But if I may change the subject, with my usual butterfly and volatile mind, I’m planning on visiting my parents next weekend. If you aren’t tied up with anything else, would you like to come with me?’
’Well, a day out in your company is always welcome but what do your parents say about it?’
’They would be delighted to meet you. I mean that. I don’t often take anyone home, but I would like to take you and not just for the day. If you have nothing else planned, we could leave on Friday evening and come back on Sunday. There’s plenty of room. Theirs is a much bigger house than our two put together. Do say you’ll come.’
Donald nodded. ’Alright, yes please. I’ll come. There’s nothing else I would rather do. Not even work. Especially not even work.’ He sighed. ‘I’m not always as self-disciplined as I ought to be.’
Marie glowed with pleasure. ’Good, that’s settled then. I’ll give them a ring and let them know.’
Marie cleared the plates and washed up, then left Donald, after assuring herself that he would be able to manage, telling him she would call in the following morning.
She was as good as her word, staying with him for most of the day, relieved to find that his injury was only slight after all. Indeed, by the end of the day, Donald could manage to walk around the house more or less naturally, taking a simple pleasure in showing Marie his home. She said nothing, but was disturbed when she saw how little he owned. The furniture was adequate, if a little wobbly and clearly bought for cheapness. Curtains and carpets were thin, crockery and cooking utensils minimal in amount. Clean and tidy it was, but there wasn’t a lot to keep clean and tidy. Only his workroom showed signs of money being spent and even there only on the essentials. Obviously he was short of cash. Equally obviously, something had to be done.