Chapter 33

When I got back to Sandra’s flat, I found her engrossed in her nightly ration of soaps. She looked up and waved a greeting vaguely in my direction, then returned her attention to the television.

I waited patiently for an advertising break in Sandra’s latest soap before speaking. “I may have some good news for you,” I said.

“Oh? I was meaning to ask you, how did it go this evening?”

“Quite well. I still have doubts about my dad but I’ve agreed to go back home on a month’s trial. If Mrs Thomas will give me a lift, I’ll leave tomorrow so I’ll be out of your hair.”

To my astonishment, Sandra actually looked sad at that. “I’ll miss you,” she admitted. “I’ve sort of got accustomed to having you around. You’ve set a very high bar against which to judge my next boyfriend.”

That surprised me because we’d spent very little time together and had very few conversations of any length. “At least I’ll no longer be in the way of you getting that next boyfriend,” I volunteered.

“They don’t exactly come along like buses these days,” said Sandra, turning her head away not quite fast enough to hide that she was blinking rapidly.

“Would you mind calling Mrs Thomas for me so I don’t end up speaking to Dex?”

“Of course not,” Sandra replied. “Can it wait until after this programme?”

“No hurry,” I replied, and retreated to my room where I immersed myself in the medical text book again.

Some time later, Sandra knocked gently on my door. “Jon, I’ve got Claire on the phone,” she called.

“Thanks.” I opened the door and took the phone. “Hello Mrs Thomas, it’s Jon. I’m sorry to bother you again but this evening’s meeting went well and I’m hoping to return home tomorrow. Please could you pick me up from Sandra’s flat? I’d like to get home while my parents are at work so they don’t learn about all the help you’ve given me.”

“No problem,” replied Mrs Thomas. “I’ll be driving to the shopping centre in the morning for a few things anyway. I’ll call you when I’ve finished my shopping so you’ll have a few minutes’ warning.”

“Thank you.”

“Dex will be glad you’re home again. He’s missed you.”

“I’ve missed him too. I haven’t been a very good friend to him recently,” I admitted.

After the call ended, I let Sandra know I’d be leaving the next morning then went back to the medical textbook until I was ready for bed.

After another uneventful night, I was woken by Sandra making a lot more noise than usual as she prepared for work. Taking the hint, I hurriedly joined her for breakfast.

“What should I do with the key after I’ve locked up?” I asked. “Should I give it to Mrs Thomas to return to you?”

“You’re going home on a month’s trial, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t need the key at the moment. Why don’t you keep it for a while in case things go wrong and you need a bolt hole. I’ll let you know if the situation changes,” Sandra replied.

“Okay. Thanks,” I said, surprised by the offer, especially after her complaint about the cost of having the locks changed whenever a boyfriend left and took a flat key with him.

After breakfast, Sandra put on her coat and dashed out without saying another word. If she hadn’t just entrusted me with her flat key, I would have thought she was upset with me. As it was, I didn’t know what to think.

I cleared up the breakfast debris then finished packing my things in the suitcase Janey had ‘borrowed’ for me. The three Russian doorstop novels were already in their box. Since I had time to kill before Mrs Thomas arrived, I set about the chores, knowing I might not have time to finish them.