The Breakdown(86)
looking slightly embarrassed, she asks me if I’m feeling better that I suspect Matthew has told her I tried to commit suicide. I don’t have time to ask her what exactly she’s heard so I tell her that I’m almost back to my old self, hoping that will cover it. She invites me in for a coffee and, when I refuse, telling her that I’m in a hurry, I know she’s wondering why I’ve called round.
‘Hannah, do you remember the barbecue you came
to at ours, at the end of July?’ I ask.
‘Yes, of course,’ she says. ‘We had those delicious marinated steaks Matthew bought from the farm shop.’
Her eyes light up at the memory.
‘This might sound a bit of a silly question but was it when we bumped into each other in Nicole’s that I invited you?’
‘Yes, you said you wanted to have us around for a
barbecue.’ She nods.
‘But did I actually tell you when? I mean, did I say to come on the Sunday?’
She thinks for a moment, wrapping her slender arms around her waist. ‘Wasn’t it the next day that you invited us? Yes, that’s right, I remember Matthew saying that The Breakdown
335
you’d asked him to phone as you were busy in the
garden.’
‘I remember now,’ I say, sounding relieved. ‘The
thing is, I’ve been having problems with my short-term memory and there are several things I’m not sure about, whether I actually forgot, or if they didn’t happen the way I think they did in the first place. That probably doesn’t make much sense, does it?’
‘In a roundabout sort of way,’ she says, smiling.
‘For example, I’ve been beating myself up over your invitation to dinner a couple of weeks ago, because I didn’t remember you inviting us—’
‘That would be because it was Matthew I spoke to,’
she interrupts. ‘I’d left a couple of messages, one on the house phone and one on your mobile and when you didn’t phone back I phoned Matthew.’
‘And then he forgot to tell me you’d asked me to
bring dessert.’ I nod.
‘I didn’t ask,’ she protests. ‘He offered.’
To give more substance to the questions I’ve just
asked, I tell her that I may have early-onset dementia and ask her not to tell anyone for the moment as I’m still trying to get used to the idea myself. And then I leave.
24 Jul 15.53
She wants to meet in Bb, sounded upset Any idea why
336
b a paris
24 Jul 15.55
Man from alarm company made her nervous maybe it’s that Can you go?
24 Jul 15.55
Yes, told her I’d meet her at 6
24 Jul 15.55
Let me know if anything we can use 24 Jul 23.37
Hi, how did your meeting with her go?
24 Jul 23.37
Fine, nothing to report, said the alarm man spooked her 24 Jul 23.37
Did she tell you she bumped into Hannah?
24 Jul 23.38
Yes
24 Jul 23.38
Said she told them to come for a bbq Didn’t say when so thinking of using it 24 Jul 23.38
How?
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337
24 Jul 23.38
Not sure
Btw told her I’m going to rig 24 Jul 23.39
How did she take it?
24 Jul 23.39
Not happy, said I’d already told her so she thinks she forgot Wrote it on the calendar in case she checks, I’m a good forger 24 Jul 23.39
Good to know!
*
25 Jul 23.54
Hi, how was your day?
25 Jul 23.54
Fine, missing you though. It’s so hard ?
25 Jul 23.54
It’s only for a couple of months Have come up with great idea for bbq with H&A Need you to phone house at 10 tomorrow, pretend to be Andy
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b a paris
25 Jul 23.54
?
25 Jul 23.55
Just play along
*
26 Jul 10.35
Thanks, Andy!
26 Jul 10.35
Haha did it work?
26 Jul 10.35
Out buying sausages for bbq at this very moment 26 Jul 10.36
She real y believes she invited them?
26 Jul 10.36
Yep!
26 Jul 10.37
Can’t believe it’s so easy
26 Jul 10.37
?
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339
When I leave Hannah’s, I drive to the alarm company
in the industrial estate and go into the reception. A lady looks up from behind an untidy desk.
‘Can I help you?’ she asks, smiling.
‘We had an alarm fitted by your company a couple of months ago. Would it be possible to have a photocopy of our contract? I’m afraid I’ve mislaid ours.’
‘Yes, of course.’ She looks at me enquiringly.
‘Anderson,’ I tell her.
She types it into her computer. ‘Here we go.’
The paper whirs out of the photocopier and she
reaches over and hands it to me.
‘Thank you.’ I look at it for a moment, noting the installation date for Saturday 8th August. And Matthew’s signature at the bottom.