The Last Letter from Juliet - Melanie Hudson Page 0,54
together before Christmas, he was hoping to be back to take me flying for my birthday, but …’ A cloud crossed Juliet’s face before she rallied. ‘There’s a picture of him, over there. He’s the man with the ridiculous beard …’ she rolled her eyes playfully. ‘Pass it to me, will you Katherine?’
I handed her a photograph of a man wearing a Royal Navy uniform. He was standing next to a fighter jet, his flying helmet in his hand. Juliet stroked the man’s face, kissed the photo and handed it back.
‘You’ll know what he looks like now, when he pitches up.’
‘Yes,’ I said, thinking of Sam’s blog. ‘I suppose I will.’ I returned the photograph to its prime position before being despatched with a conspiratorial whisper to close the door.
‘Loose lips sink ships,’ she said, as I lowered myself back into the chair. ‘The thing is,’ she began in a semi-whisper, ‘… and I know you might find this a bit odd – but Gerald said you wouldn’t mind helping out with something while you’re here …’
I had to smile. He’d clearly pimped me out to the whole village.
‘Of course. Just ask. Anything at …’
‘I want to escape!’
‘Escape?’
She nodded.
‘It’s impossible to get the staff here to take me out, but there are a few things that I need to take care of, before I go.’
Go?
‘I was going to ask Sam to help, but what with him being detained, and Gerald did say you’d be the perfect person to help me …’ she widened her eyes, ‘to help me go out with a real bang!’
Go out? My eyes narrowed to help my confused brain attempt to understand.
‘I’d like you to drive me around – just to a few places nearby. I’ll tell you where I want to go tomorrow, when we set off.’
My eyes betrayed my concern. She was practically one hundred years old and so very frail. What if she fell? What if she …
‘Oh, stop fretting and relax,’ she added with a sniff, reading my mind. ‘I’m asking you to take me for a run out in the car, not strap me into an abseil and throw me off Gunwalloe cliffs!’
I laughed.
‘Trust me,’ she went on, ‘I’m stronger than I look. I just want to go on a little trip down memory lane, that’s all. There are some things I need to … let’s just say, retrieve.’ Juliet nudged my arm. ‘Just two days together before Christmas, you and me. What do you say?’
I smiled. Hadn’t that been exactly what I had wished I’d had when I thought Juliet had died already? Hadn’t I wished that I had been given the opportunity to get to know this incredible woman in person, before …
‘And if you don’t have a car, we’ll take Fenella’s,’ she added firmly. ‘She never uses it and she’ll be too busy with her gin this week to need it.’
Her eyes pleaded now.
‘Please, Katherine, stop seeing me as an old lady and see me as I really am. The body you see before you does not represent the mind or the soul. I have things I need to do. It’s so very important …’
I rubbed my forehead. Would it really be too bad to give this amazing lady the gift of freedom for a few hours?
There was nothing left to say, other than.
‘I’d love to spend two days with you. Of course, I’ll take you out.’
Juliet relaxed into her chair with a smile. I stood one final time and grabbed my coat.
‘Have you ever felt that you were guided somewhere for a reason?’ she asked as I pushed an arm through a coat sleeve.
I sat back down, coat half on half off.
‘It’s funny you should say that, but when I found your memoirs, I felt that maybe … oh, it’s silly, I suppose, but I felt that maybe I was supposed to read them.’
Juliet nodded her agreement. ‘I know exactly what you mean! When Gerald told me you were coming and staying at the cottage, I had such a feeling that we – you and I –would get along. And when Sam was delayed at sea, I knew for certain that you were the one who was supposed to help me to move …’ She paused. ‘Well, to help me. That’s all.’
I knelt beside her and tucked the blanket down the sides of her legs.
‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ I said, standing up. ‘Shall we say ten ‘o clock?’