I received a call from Robert at around 8.00am telling me that Jane's mother Robin had died, and asking me if I could look after Nick. I told him I would be ready in 10 minutes. I was as good as my word, albeit I still had a piece of bread and cheese to consume when Jane arrived. I put the bread and cheese in the fridge and left some unfinished coffee. When we got to Carlingford Nick was exceptionally quiet just lying on the sofa sucking his thumb. I asked him several times if he wanted a drink or something to eat but each time the only reply I received was a shake of the head. The only spoken response I elicited from him was that he was tired. And indeed he spent the bulk of the day on the settee, either dozing or cuddling Jingles.
Jane phoned around midday to say that she had finished at the hospital and asked if Nick would like to go with her to her parents' house, again I got a shake of the head. Nick also refused to talk to Jane on the phone and latter in the day when Robert phoned also declined to speak to him. He also turned down my offer of playing football. Flowers arrived from the school, Jingles was fascinated and got up on his rear legs to sniff the buds. Sarah called round with a bag of goodies including chocolate, fruits, crumpets, cookies, crackers and such to sustain Nick and Jane. Jane eventually returned and Robert came after work. The funeral is set for next Tuesday. Slowly Nick started coming to and tucked into some spaghetti then tac kled the chocolate, and as were leaving was imploring his mother to go outside and play tennis with him!
Robert took me down to the Eastwood where I had a seafood basket with chips along with a beer, and read my latest acquisition from the charity shop in Eastwood, The Boy Who Would Be King. I then walked home. I think I might have an early night tonight.
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