Before I Saw You(63)

‘I don’t want to be a stickler for the rules but someone did promise me a very in-depth entertainment schedule, and so far today we haven’t ticked off one single element of the itinerary!’

‘Ah yes, of course!’ Sarah chirped excitedly. ‘And as it’s my penultimate day here, I think I should be able to choose what we do.’

‘Wait – what?’ The shock was audible in his voice.

‘Tomorrow’s my last day.’

As they lay there side by side, Alice wondered if she’d be able to find a way to imprint every sensation of her friend on to her skin. How could she keep this moment for ever?

‘No way! That’s gone quickly!’

‘I know, and so tomorrow we are celebrating. I’ve already told Alice here that it’s not going to be a day of crying and commiserating. It’s not a final farewell – it’s just a temporary goodbye. So guess what? We are going to have a goddam party, OK?’ As she spoke, her voice grew louder and louder, until she was practically preaching her demands.

‘A party?’ Sharon called eagerly from across the ward. ‘Did someone say party?’

Alice rolled her eyes at Sarah.

‘Look what you’ve done,’ she hissed.

‘Don’t you worry, Sharon, no one in their right mind would think about having a party without inviting you. Nothing could get in the way of you and some Lambrini, and anyone that thinks otherwise is an idiot! We all know that,’ Alfie shouted back.

‘Too right!’ she remarked, clearly content with Alfie’s flattery.

‘You can thank me tomorrow, ladies, with an invite to this exclusive party of yours,’ he whispered.

With that, his wonderfully familiar hand burst through the curtains and he gave them a quick thumbs up.

‘You’re a smug bastard, aren’t you, Alfie.’ Sarah laughed.

‘Wouldn’t have me any other way though, would you?’

Alice smiled.

Not in a million years.

*

Sarah hadn’t been joking when she said they were going to celebrate. She arrived the next morning hidden under bags of food and drink.

‘Marks and Spencer’s finest party collection! Don’t say I don’t treat you.’ Alice rolled her eyes. ‘And don’t you dare look at me like that, young lady. I told you we were celebrating.’

Alice knew there was no point in arguing. Sarah did as Sarah wanted.

‘Salmon blini?’ She stuck the plate right under her nose.

‘Absolutely not.’

‘Don’t tell me you’re too good for a canapé?’

‘Sarah, it’s half ten in the morning.’

‘And?’

Her entire being flooded with love as she watched her friend shove three little pancakes into her mouth at once.

‘You go wild, I’ll join you later.’

‘Well’ – her mouth was still half full of salmon and cream cheese – ‘how about a little Buck’s Fizz then?’

Alice stared in disbelief as Sarah pulled five mini bottles out of her handbag. ‘You absolutely cannot be serious – right now?’

‘I am deadly serious. And guess what? These are just for starters! Look in that bag over there.’

Alice shook her head. She couldn’t bear to see what other contraband items she’d sneaked in. ‘Go on, but don’t make a song and dance over it. If Sharon gets a whiff, she’ll be all over us like a rash.’

‘Did someone just call me?’ Sharon’s confused voice rang out across the ward.

Sarah’s eyes were so wide they were practically popping out of her face.

Like two delirious schoolgirls, they crumpled into a heap of laughter.

‘What the hell is going on in there?’

‘The party has officially started, Alfie.’ Sarah sat up straight, grabbed a bottle of Buck’s Fizz and winked daringly at Alice.

‘Don’t. You. Dare,’ she mouthed. It was bad enough she’d brought the stuff in the first place, but to hand it round like chewing gum – that was going too far.

‘Show me what snacks you’ve got then!’ He sounded like such a little child Alice couldn’t resist it.

‘No,’ she shouted defiantly at him.

‘Aha, I see. Like that, is it? Well, how about I tell the nurses that Sarah over there has smuggled bottles of prosecco into the ward illegally?’

‘You wouldn’t dare!’ Sarah shouted.

‘Oh, I would. Now give me some sweets and I’ll keep my mouth shut.’

Reluctantly, Sarah reached into the bag and pulled out some Percy Pigs. ‘Fine. But that’s all you’re getting from us.’

His hand reached through to grab his reward. ‘Let’s see about that, shall we?’

The rest of the day was a heavenly mix of eating, laughing, and Sarah trying to force-feed Alice illegal alcoholic beverages. The nurses came and went, and every single one of them conveniently happened to miss the bag of bottles lying on the floor in front of them. Alice was beyond grateful at how amazing everyone had been by allowing Sarah to essentially move in as a resident while she’d been here.

As the night drew in, though, Alice’s mind started to switch into panic mode.

How long did they have left?