Friday

Not the greatest of starts to the day it has to be said. I don’t understand how I’d failed to see it but Reggie had sent me a message from Audrey’s bedside at The Home yesterday evening. My friend was at “end of life” and could go at any time.

My first reaction was one of guilt at not having been to see her more often. Having said that, the last few times I’d been to The Home she’d been sleeping and was unaware that I was there. She’d been unable or unwilling to get out of bed for weeks and on my last visit I’d been told that she had stopped eating and drinking. She hadn’t been “right” for a while. She’d had some sort of seizure a few weeks ago and had been admitted to hospital only to be discharged within 24 hours.

I’d really enjoyed sitting and listening to Audrey talk on the days when I’d been to The Home to visit my Mum and had found her to be unresponsive. I’d met her the first day that Mum had been transferred to the last nursing home just across the river the summer before last. I’d spoken to her every day even if it was just some silly banter in passing. Not that Audrey had made a lot of sense mind you. But her struggles with vocabulary hadn’t hidden hidden her personality or a huge intellect which she obviously enjoyed being respected. The staff at The Home all told me how excited she’d be after talking to me. They seemed to get as much of a lift from me spending time with Audrey as Audrey did herself and enjoyed listening to the stories she told, especially the one where she recalled a meeting at the House of Lords. I’d been there with her apparently and Reggie has called me Lord Gilmore ever since.

Audrey made me laugh and I’d always felt much better for being with her.

She passed away at 2 this morning. I’m going to miss her.

Her last words to me had been to tell me off for not seeing me more often and to make sure I understood that I should come back soon.

Bloody hell.

Author’s Note

My Mum was in a nursing home in the Thames Valley for a year and a half until she passed away in December 2024. My Father-in-law went into the same home the following January. But Lesley’s sister didn’t approve and made the situation so awkward that he had to be moved. He passed away in March 2025. Names and locations have been changed or hidden to protect the identities of those involved.

Image Credit

Original Image by Nick Gilmore. Extracted from the archive in 2024.