Free Crappily Ever After by Louise Burness

begin. ‘I know it’s the second time this week I’ve been late, but…’
    My senior, Ellie, stands up.
    ‘Lucy…’ She pauses, breathes deeply and closes her eyes: ‘Harry’s gone.’
    I stare at Ellie, confused for a moment. A sea of concerned faces all around me. This isn’t real. Not my Harry. This can’t be happening. I run from the room and down the corridor, tripping over a discarded hoist and bump my forehead on the skirting board.
    ‘Lucy?’ shouts Maisie, from somewhere behind me. I pick myself up and keep running until I’m outside. I take in huge gulps of freezing, drizzle-soaked air.
     He came to say goodbye.  
     
     
                                                   Chapter Five          
                                       
    It has been two weeks since Harry’s funeral. His only living relatives, the niece in London and her family, want his remaining money, but no personal items. This angers me so much. After hearing this, I walk out of the handover meeting at the beginning of my shift and storm along to Harry’s old room. I glower at the picture his great niece has done. Where are you now? Where are any of you? You will never know what you’ve missed. I hope you enjoy your money. I angrily punch Harry’s bed before sitting down and picking up his photograph; Jimmy and Harry, now together with people who really care. Ellie appears at the door, silhouetted against the bright light behind her, making it impossible to read her expression. I sigh wearily and ask her if I may have the photo? I hear a smile in her voice as she tells me it’s mine, I look down at it again and when I look up, she has gone. I rummage around in Harry’s bedside drawer and find a sticky bag of boiled sweets covered in fluff from being in his dressing gown pocket. I won’t eat them, of course, but it was just so Harry. He used to suck them in bed, even though the night staff confiscated many bags as it was a choking risk. Today we are having a clear-out of Harry’s things. There’s a lady moving in tomorrow. This is the last day I can sit here and feel like I’m totally with Harry. Come tomorrow, the new lady will be busying herself with turning the room into hers, and trying to get rid of the old man smell that so reminds me of Harry.
     
    His niece didn’t attend the funeral. Only Care Home staff and a smattering of Harry’s old Navy friends, including one elderly lady nicknamed ‘Vera Lynn’. Fond of the Navy boys in her younger days, she had entertained the troops in a whole different way to the real ‘Forces Sweetheart.’
    The organ played the opening bars of Abide with Me and the choir joined in. I stared sadly at the stained glass windows, my chest tight with the grief I wouldn’t let go, and thought how ridiculous it was that the closest I have got to my George Bailey was an eighty seven-year-old man. Albeit dirty-minded, but one who was charming, funny and kind. Harry wasn’t religious but the ceremony was, as he hadn’t stated what he wanted.
    ‘I’m not going to be at the party, so why would I care?’ he had said.
    At the end of the service, I walked over to the coffin and popped a half bottle of whiskey at Harry’s side. He looked peaceful – a cliché, I know – but he really did. A small smile seemed to have been playing on his lips when he went.
    ‘I’ll miss you, old bugger,’ I smiled sadly, ‘don’t go terrorising those poor angels too much.’          I kissed his cold cheek, feeling the roughness of bristle from an overdue shave that never arrived.   
     
    Things settle back down at the Care Home and I don’t hear from Paul again. I heard that he was spotted out with another poor unsuspecting soul, both looking miserable as they drank their pints. I swear off men for a good long while. Instead, I seem to have a different view of life. Maybe, after Harry, I realised how quickly