Pictures of You

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I looked down at my feet, I looked up to the sky. Anywhere except for at him.

'Gladys, so good to see you,' Karen said. 'I don't see you around town as much as I used to.'

'I'm always busy at the pub, or helping Walter out with his jewellery stall.'

'Oh, how is Walter? I feel like I've not seen him in forever too.'

'Walter is Walter. You know what he's like. He'll never change.'

'I wouldn't want him to.'

Whoever this woman was, clearly knew both Walter and Gladys really well. My curiosity got the better of me and I looked up. The man she was holding on to was probably in his early-twenties; so maybe mother and son. But why was she holding onto his hand like that? I hadn't held my mother's hand like that in public since I was a toddler.

He wasn't looking at me. It was like he didn't recognise me at all; not in the way I recognised him.

'How are you Andrew?' Gladys said, addressing him for the first time. Andrew nodded, but didn't speak.

'He's a bit grumpy today because I got him up to go shopping,' Karen said. 'He's been stopping out quite late, so I can never get him out of bed in the morning. I figured if I started getting him up early, then he might get back into a normal routine again.'

'That sounds like a good idea,' Gladys said.

'Well it's good to see you,' Karen said.

'Yeah. You and Andrew should stop by the pub sometime, have a cup of tea or a bite to eat.'

'That sounds good. I'll give you a call.'

The two women said goodbye and parted ways. Gladys looked back at me to check I was still with her. 'Ash,' she said. 'You look white as a sheet. Whatever's the matter?'

'Who were those people?' I asked.

'Karen's an old friend of mine,' she said. 'She actually used to own the pub before me. That's why I wanted to ask them over. I know Andrew misses living there. It was such a shame that they had to give it up. Poor love didn't have time to run the place after what happened.'

'What did happen?' I asked.

'Well Andrew, that's her son, he was involved in a really awful car accident. He was such a bright lad. Had his whole life ahead of him. But he's never been the same since. He had such a terrible bang to his head. Doctors hoped he would slowly recover, but it just doesn't seem to be happening.'

Suddenly it all fell into place. Andrew was without a doubt the guy who had been standing outside my window. But he didn't recognise me when he saw me in the street today. That was because he was looking at me. He didn't know it care who I was. It was just because he had lived at the pub before the time of his accident and missed the place.

I was deep in thought and didn't notice Gladys looking at me. Just as the pieces were falling into place in my head, she seemed to do the same. 'Oh,' she said, 'it was Andrew who you saw in the street.'
I nodded. I felt ashamed for jumping to such conclusions. That poor guy was craving his old home, and I chased him away on that first night.

'I'm sure he didn't mean to scare you,' Gladys said.

'I know, I can see that now,' I said.

'Please apologise for me when you see them. I didn't mean to scare him either.'

'You weren't to know,' she said, 'but I will.'

We walked back to the pub in silence. I took the bag through to the kitchen. 'enjoy your breakfast,' I said, 'and Michael.' I winked at her.