There's No Accounting For Love

Chapter Twenty Eight

While Clare was having a 'Cataclysmic' time in Chester, Alan was having a 'Bummer' of a time in Bristol. He felt he needed someone to talk to and in desperation he decided to have a 'téte â téte' with Clare's mother. He'd always been close to Kathy and as his own mother had died several years earlier, it was comforting to have a mother figure in his life, but he wondered what she would say. Was it really such a good idea?

Alan rang Kathy and asked her if she minded him coming over. She told him she'd bought some shelves and could he fix them up in the kitchen? Alan said he could cope with shelves, although he wasn't really a DIY sort of person. So that evening, while he fixed some shelves for Kathy, they talked about Clare.

"I didn't want her to go to Chester, Alan. I told her it was a stupid thing to do. I don't know what goes on in her head sometimes. When you're going through a bereavement you need all the help you can get, it's no good running away. And Clare is taking anti-depressants at the moment."

"I didn't know that." said Alan.

"I'm not surprised," said Kathy "I don't expect she's even told Angie. She keeps far too much to herself, I've told her that before, but she doesn't listen to me."

"She's stubborn, I know that much." said Alan. "Can you remember the time when we all went to the park and we had to prise her off the railings?"

"No, I can't remember that." laughed Kathy.

"Oh, I'm surprised she didn't tell you. It was very funny at the time." Alan smiled.

"We all went to the park and you told her she must be home by 9 pm at the latest. She told us what you said and we intended to make sure she came home on time. But Clare had other ideas and when quarter to nine came, she climbed up onto the railings on the wall and held on tight and she was so determined it took three strong lads to prise her off. She grumbled and complained all the way home and we laughed at her and she got so mad. Of course, she always was a bit of a tom boy."

"That's typical of my daughter, Alan." said Kathy.

Alan continued with the drilling and fiddled with the shelves until they were perfectly fitted. When he'd finished he swept up the sawdust with a dustpan and brush.

"Thank you, Alan that's lovely. I needed more space. You go on into the lounge and I'll make us a cup of coffee." said Kathy, turning towards the kitchen sink.

Alan wandered into the lounge and sat in one of the chairs. Shortly afterwards Kathy appeared carrying two cups of coffee and she handed one to Alan and sat down opposite him. Alan began to feel awkward, but he had to get this off of his chest, this earth shattering news.

"Kathy, I've got something to tell you. It doesn't sound very good, really. I hope you won't think badly of me?"

"Alan, there's nothing on earth that could make me think badly of you. What is it?"

"Well. I don't know how to begin. You know we were close as children, me and Clare?"

"Yes, of course. I always thought you two might get together, it seemed the way it could be at the time."

"That was my fault. When we moved away Mum kept on at me to contact Clare, but the more she kept on the more I wouldn't do it. I was a teenager at the time, you know what they're like. Anything your mother says if absolutely taboo. I always felt that the only way I could bear being in Canada was to forget my life in Bristol. It was the only way I knew how to cope."