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Chapter no 54 – No Longer Here

The Midnight Library

As soon as Nora entered Oak Leaf Residential Care Home, and before sheโ€™d even reached the reception, she saw a frail elderly man wearing glasses whom she recognised. He was having a slightly heated conversation with a nurse who looked exasperated. Like a sigh turned into a human.

โ€˜I really would like to go in the garden,โ€™ the old man said. โ€˜Iโ€™m sorry, but the garden is being used today.โ€™

โ€˜I just want to sit on the bench. And read the newspaper.โ€™ โ€˜Maybe if youโ€™d signed up for the gardening activity sessionโ€”โ€™

โ€˜I donโ€™t want a gardening session. I want to call Dhavak.ย ๎ขis was all a mistake.โ€™

Nora had heard her old neighbour talk about his son Dhavak before, when she had dropped o๏ฌ€ย his medication. Apparently his son had been pushing for him to go to a care home, but Mr Banerjee had insisted on holding on to his house. โ€˜Is there no way I can justโ€”โ€™

He noticed, at this point, that he was being stared at. โ€˜Mr Banerjee?โ€™

He stared at Nora, confused. โ€˜Hello? Who are you?โ€™

โ€˜Iโ€™m Nora. You know, Nora Seed.โ€™ย ๎ขen, feeling too ๏ฌ‚ustered to think, she added: โ€˜Iโ€™m your neighbour. On Bancro๎‚ย Avenue.โ€™

He shook his head. โ€˜I think youโ€™ve made a mistake, dear. I havenโ€™t lived there for three years. And I am very sure you were not my neighbour.โ€™

๎ขe nurse tilted her head at Mr Banerjee, as if he was a confused puppy. โ€˜Maybe youโ€™ve forgotten.โ€™

โ€˜No,โ€™ said Nora quickly, realising her mistake. โ€˜He was right. I was confused. I have memory issues sometimes. I never lived there. It was

somewhere else. And someone else. Iโ€™m sorry.โ€™

๎ขey resumed their conversation, as Nora thought about Mr Banerjeeโ€™s front garden full of irises and foxgloves.

โ€˜Can I help you?โ€™

She turned to look at the receptionist. A mild-mannered, red-haired man with glasses and blotched skin and a gentle Scottish accent.

She told him who she was and that she had phoned earlier. He was a little confused at ๏ฌrst.

โ€˜And you say you le๎‚ย a message?โ€™

He hummed a quiet tune as he searched for her email.

โ€˜Yes, but on the phone. I was trying for ages to get through and I couldnโ€™t so I eventually le๎‚ย a message. I emailed as well.โ€™

โ€˜Ah, right, I see. Well, Iโ€™m sorry about that. Are you here to see a family member?โ€™

โ€˜No,โ€™ Nora explained. โ€˜I am not family. I am just someone who used to know her. Sheโ€™d know me, though. Her name is Mrs Elm.โ€™ Nora tried to remember the full name. โ€˜Sorry. Itโ€™s Louise Elm. If you told her my name, Nora. Nora Seed. She used to be my . . . She was the school librarian, at Hazeldene. I just thought she might like some company.โ€™

๎ขe man stopped looking at his computer and stared up at Nora with barely suppressed surprise. At ๏ฌrst Nora thought that she had got it wrong. Or Dylan had got it wrong, that evening at La Cantina. Or maybe the Mrs Elm in that life had experienced a di๏ฌ€erent fate in this life.ย ๎ขough Nora didnโ€™t quite know how her own decision to work in an animal shelter would have led to a di๏ฌ€erent outcome for Mrs Elm in this life. But that made no sense. As in neither life had she been in touch with the librarian since school.

โ€˜Whatโ€™s the matter?โ€™ Nora asked the receptionist.

โ€˜Iโ€™m ever so sorry to tell you this, but Louise Elm is no longer here.โ€™ โ€˜Where is she?โ€™

โ€˜She . . . actually, she died three weeks ago.โ€™

At ๏ฌrst she thought it must be an admin error. โ€˜Are you sure?โ€™ โ€˜Yes. Iโ€™m afraid I am very sure.โ€™

โ€˜Oh,โ€™ said Nora. She didnโ€™t really know what to say, or to feel. She looked down at her tote bag that had sat beside her in the car. A bag containing the chess set she had brought to play a game with her, and to keep her company.

โ€˜Iโ€™m sorry. I didnโ€™t know. I didnโ€™t . . . You see, I havenโ€™t seen her for years. Years and years. But I heard from someone who said that she was here . . .โ€™

โ€˜So sorry,โ€™ the receptionist said.

โ€˜No. No worries. I just wanted to thank her. For being so kind to me.โ€™ โ€˜She died very peacefully,โ€™ he said, โ€˜literally in her sleep.โ€™

And Nora smiled and retreated politely away. โ€˜๎ขatโ€™s good.ย ๎ขank you.

๎ขank you for looking a๎‚er her. Iโ€™ll just go now. Bye . . .โ€™

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