The Last Conversation

The Last Conversation

‘Hey, you!’ said Jade. She was in a private room. ‘I didn’t think you’d come.’

‘Why wouldn’t I?’

‘Your wife, maybe?’ Jade let the barb fly.

‘She’s cool with it.’ Barney told his wife and she accepted it with good grace.

‘She’d be less cool if she knew what we used to do.’ Jade blinked her eyes in memory.

‘Fleur called me. She suggested I came tonight.’

‘They operate tomorrow. I’ve got a bad feeling, Barnes.’

‘You’ll be bouncing around like a spring chicken in no time.’

‘We both know that’s not going to happen.’ Jade sniffed loudly. ‘What about you? Still working?’

‘The company was bought a year ago and I’m hoping for a payout. All I have to do is be a dick for the next year.’

‘Shouldn’t be hard.’ She knew how to needle to Barney.

‘My accountant crunched the retirement numbers. I’m in decent shape.’

‘It’s so good to see you.’ Jade held Barney’s hand. ‘You’re a great friend.’

‘We did business together first. We became lovers and finally friends. You bent so many rules for me to buy those first houses.’

Jade worked for a residential estate agent. She needed to find clients quickly for cheap, terraced houses in Sheffield. Barney was looking for somewhere to buy. She got him a mortgage with very little deposit, people to renovate it, told him where to buy carpets and windows to make it was habitable.

Barney took a major risk. He begged Jade to sell him another house and rented the first out. Eventually, he owned four houses. He sold the first to pay down some debt.

To thank her, he invited Jade for a drink. They went to a pub in Dore. They kissed in the bar and Jade put her hand on Barney’s thigh. Their next kiss, in the car, was far more passionate. He left Jade’s house after breakfast, armed with three hours sleep.

‘Do you remember our weekend in Buckden?’ she asked.

‘How could I forget?’

‘How many times did we have sex?’

‘You were in bed when I arrived.’ Barney opened his Coke and sipped the cold drink. ‘Twice on Saturday, if you exclude the afternoon overlooking Grafham Water. You made a move on me.’

‘And out of nowhere, the car park filled,’ she smiled. ‘You told me to stop.’

‘I didn’t want kids to see what you were doing.’ Barney was embarrassed.

‘Why did we break up?’

‘You wouldn’t commit.’

‘Then you met your wife.’ Jade lay on her back, drawing breath. It seemed a little pained.

‘Do you need to rest?’

‘I’m fine.’ She inhaled. ‘What did you do with the houses?’

‘I sold them and bought a bigger place. I got pissed off with bad tenants, debts, trashed houses and evictions. Took me a year to get one house back and thirty grand.’

‘People like that know what they’re doing. You can tell them a mile off. Their history is sketchy at best.’

‘What about your houses?’ asked Barney. ‘That was a portfolio and a half.’

‘That was the price for losing my parents. Fleur runs them now and we both get a good income. I won’t be around to spend it, Barnes. I’m not going to survive this. I’ve never regained my strength since last time.’ Jade shuffled across under the sheets. ‘Put your hand on my thigh.’

Barney lifted the sheets and put a hand where Jade told him.

‘Higher. You always held me that way.’

‘I’d kiss you except they’ve got me wearing this nose nappy,’ he pointed to the mask.

‘Like it’s going to make a difference.’

Barney checked there were no nurses at the station. He removed the mask and kissed Jade. Her lips were still strong. She kissed him back.

‘It should have been me,’ she said.

‘It would have been if you hadn’t kept ending it.’

‘I thought it was lust. Only after we broke up did I realise it was love.’

‘You never told me,’ whispered Barney, kissing her again. ‘Could we do a Godfather and take the bed out of here? We’d be at our pub near City Hall before they’d noticed you were gone.’

‘A couple of glasses of wine then you have me in the car park before going home?’

‘Or the time we were in your office and you forgot the police were doing obs from the room next door. They said a couple were at it in the office.’

Jade’s pale skin flushed.

‘Jesus! How do you remember this stuff?’

‘Because I loved you.’

Jade looked at Barney. ‘I want you to look after Fleur.’

‘She’s older than you were when we dated.’

‘She needs guiding and I trust you. She can trust you too.’ Jade squeezed his hand under the bedsheets.

Barney watched the minute hand tick past eight. ‘I’d better go before they lock me in.’

Barney held her face and stroked her hair, kissing her once again. Jade’s finger gripped his shoulder and her nails scratched his skin.

‘Tell her you had me,’ she smiled.

‘I will, next time.’

Barney thanked the nurses and walked out. The Hallamshire was nice, but hospitals never held good memories for Barney.

‘How did it go?’ asked Paula.

‘She doesn’t look strong. There’s a syringe driver in. Tomorrow’s the big day.’

‘Do you want to visit her?’

‘I’ll sneak in at six. They won’t allow me in the room, but I can see her. She might know I’m there.’

Paula held Barney until he went to sleep. He awoke a little early, booted his computer up and smashed through emails from South East Asia. They’d appreciate the reply.

At seven, Barney put his gym gear on and went for a walk. He wanted to be ready for his regular eight o’clock start.

‘Hi, it’s Barney,’ he said into the phone.

‘It’s Rosie Swift.’

Barney’s heart stopped. He knew Rosie was Jade’s oldest friend. They’d known each other since school days. Barney knew he was on the list of people o call.

You know she left a provision for you. Jade wanted someone to keep an eye on Fleur. She made you a shareholder in her property business.’

Barney sat on the bench overlooking Dore Moor and the stunning Derbyshire Peak District. The wind blew coldly across the landscape. The trees were bereft of leaves and the stick-sized branches swayed.

The inscription on the bench read In Loving Memory of Jade Currie. Hello, you!

Barney donated half the price of the bench. There were flowers around the stone flags.

‘Hello,’ said Barney into his phone.

‘Bit bloody windy,’ said the voice. ‘Have you thought any more about our offer?’

‘Give me two more months’ salary and I’ll be out of your hair by Christmas.’

Barney went to the pub over the road and ordered a Guinness. Jade always bought him a Guinness.