Thursdays in the Park Read Online Free PDF Page A

years, and so every victory was exhilarating and very sweet.
    But today Jeanie felt stumbling and lumpen, as if someone had tethered her feet.
    ‘Christ,’ Rita shouted when she’d walked away with the first set. ‘Wake up, Mrs L., this is like playing by myself.’
    Jeanie waved her racket apologetically. ‘Sorry, sorry, I can’t seem to get going.’ But the second set was no better.
    They gathered their stuff before the hour was up and went to sit on their favourite bench with a view over the distant city. The sun was setting, bathing the park in a cool, soft light.
    ‘Speak,’ Rita demanded.
    ‘You know we’ve been thinking of getting a weekend cottage for a while.’
    Rita nodded.
    ‘Well, George has taken it into his head that that’s not enough. He wants to sell up and move out of London altogether. He seems deadly serious, and he’s got the rest of the family involved. Chanty started getting at me at Easter. And Alex. They all see it as a fait accompli. Sell the shop, you’re old, you don’t have to work, etc.’
    Rita snorted. ‘Bastards! They can’t tell you what to do with your life.’ She peered into her friend’s face. ‘You’re not falling for it, are you?’
    Jeanie shook her head. ‘They even invoked Ellie, saying it would be good for her to have fresh air and freedom.’
    ‘Ridiculous. It’s never about the children. George won’t sell without your say-so.’
    Rita was married to Bill, who did exactly what she said at all times, without even a whimper.
    ‘I mean, what’s he going to do?’ Rita went on. ‘Drag you off to some muddy cave by your hair?’
    Jeanie laughed. ‘Perhaps you’d respect him more if he did!’
    She knew Rita tolerated George, even liked him, but had never understood why Jeanie gave in to him so much.
    ‘No, seriously, darling, what’s he actually said?’
    Jeanie sighed. ‘It’s not so much what he’s said about the country, it’s his attitude to me, to us. He genuinely believes that we’re old. He actually said it. ‘Now we’re old . . . youwon’t want the shop forever.’ I’m sure he resents me working. He reckons that as soon as I’ve seen sense and quit we can sail off into the sunset and live happily ever after together. Being old.’
    Rita began to laugh. ‘Christ.’
    ‘And it wouldn’t be so bad if it were just him, but when your own daughter tries to shuffle you off, then you begin to think there must be some truth in it.’
    She looked at her friend’s concerned face. ‘I don’t feel old, Rita. I feel fit and full of life. OK, I get tireder than I used to, I forget things more, maybe, but I reckon that’s just finding something to blame when in fact I’ve been tired and forgetful my whole life at times.’
    Rita grabbed her hand. ‘Look at me,’ she ordered. ‘You, Jeanie Lawson, are not old. You’re middle-aged – which may be worse, come to think of it – but by no stretch of the imagination are you old. You can’t be! I’m the same age.’
    Jeanie squeezed her hand.
    ‘I mean, look at you. You’re beautiful. No one would guess for a second that you’re nearly a senior citizen.’
    They both began to laugh. ‘Thanks a bunch.’
    ‘But I’m serious. You could easily pass for forty-eight.’
    ‘So what should I do?’
    ‘This isn’t about being old or moving to the country though, is it?’ Rita’s gaze rested for a moment on her friend’s face, and Jeanie knew what was coming. ‘Let’s shift, I’m freezing.’ Rita was seldom warm in what she termed ‘this godforsaken climate’.
    ‘Don’t start,’ Jeanie replied crossly.
    ‘Well, darling, it has to be said again. You didn’t hear me last time. Why . . . why do you let that man control you? Why do you let him get away with it all the time? You’re a strong, intelligent woman, Jeanie. Wake up. They’re sneaky, these people.’
    ‘What people . . . what do you mean?’
    ‘People like George.’ Her friend ploughed on unapologetically as they