The events of that night had left their mark on her, too. Maureen had fussed in and out for days afterwards.
Phyllis tried to breathe deeply and heard the rattle in her chest. She’d been so hot during the night but now her arms were covered in gooseflesh. All she could think of was how tired she felt and how noisy the birds were outside. Maybe she’d slip into a decent sleep again before the nurse came to begin the morning routine. She’d been so weary after Lorimer’s visit yesterday. He’d not stayed too long, but he’d told her things about that man, things she didn’t really want to hear. It was over now and all she longed for was the blessed oblivion of a deep, deep sleep.
Phyllis closed her eyes as the blackbird on the lawn opened his throat in celebration of another new day.
‘Sure you’ve got everything you want?’ Lorimer asked anxiously.
‘I’m sure,’ Maggie replied, biting the flesh inside her mouth to stop the sudden tremor in her voice. It wouldn’t do to let tears spill at this stage.
‘Phone me when you get in. OK?’
‘I will. I promise,’ she said.
Lorimer gave her a hug then Maggie turned away before he could see her face.
The slope up towards Passport Control seemed to go on forever.
‘Don’t look back,’ she told herself. ‘Don’t look back.’
At the desk, Maggie Lorimer handed over her passport to a woman in uniform. In front of her a queue was forming at the baggage x-ray. Most of them would be holidaymakers off to Florida for a fortnight of sunshine and Disney. She should feel so lucky, shouldn’t she? After all, she was going to spend the next ten months in the Sunshine State.
Maggie took back her passport and hesitated, just for a moment, then turned her head to scan the crowds below her. The Costa Coffee seemed full of yuppies with mobile phones. Outside the avenue of shops, people were milling around, their holiday clothes bright splashes of colour against the cool airport interior.
Maggie looked and looked, trying to see her husband among the crowd below.
But he was gone.