Loving Memories and Lamingtons

“Eve, you do make an old woman happy,”

Eve was sitting next to old Mrs Pecker who was having a steaming hot cup of chamomile tea and some of Eve’s most famous and tasty lamingtons. Mrs Pecker had a hard life. When she was a girl, she did nothing but work. When she was an adult, she did nothing but work. Now she was 87 and nearing the end of her life and all she asked of Eve was to come visit her every day and bring her delicious lamington squares and they would talk over a cup of tea.

  Eve did enjoy coming to Mrs Pecker’s every evening and she wouldn’t forget to whip up a batch of lamingtons to take to Mrs Pecker. After the long hours at work, she went to Mrs Pecker’s and they kept each other company.

“I’m sorry Mrs Pecker, I have to go. Enjoy the lamingtons!” said Eve heading for the door.

“Ah it was lovely having you, please come again,” smiled Mrs Pecker.

Eve waved and shut the door. Mrs Pecker watched as she climbed over the gate and walked back to her house. She sighed and sipped her tea.

  Eve got home and thought she better make a start on the food. Mia was coming to dinner and she expected macaroni. Eve turned up the heat on the stove and started cooking.

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  Eve had finished making macaroni when she heard her cheerful ringtone from the sitting room. It was Mia. She answered the call.

“What do you mean you’re not coming?!” she shrieked. “I made mac and cheese!”

“I know and I’m sorry but I can’t come, haven’t you seen the news?”

Eve grabbed the remote and switched on the television. She flicked through the channels until she came to the news channel. 

“There has been a deadly disease in our area. The government has been warning everyone to stay indoors and not go outside at all. Wash your hands frequently and don’t go near anyone because it can spread. Already the are more than 10, 962 deaths worldwide. Stay safe and healthy.”

With a sinking feeling, Eve wrenched her gaze away from the screen and hung up the call. How would she go to work then? How would she visit dear Mrs Pecker who loved her lamingtons? 

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The next morning, Eve opened her laptop. Her boos had told her that she was to start working at home due to the disease. Eve typed away for the whole afternoon.

  When evening came, Eve made some lamingtons to remind her of Mrs Pecker. She sat on her favourite chair and nibbled on a lamington, wishing she could see Mrs Pecker and wondered how she was getting on.

  Unfortunately, Mrs Pecker was getting on badly. She hadn’t got a television to watch the news and she didn’t like reading newspapers so she knew nothing about the disease. Plus, she had no phone so Eve couldn’t call her to warn her about the disease. Mrs Pecker sat on her rocking chair missing Eve and her delicious lamingtons. A small tear trickled on her cheek thinking Eve had forgotten her.

  The old lady, forgetting she was 87, got up with great effort and went to get her cloak. She wasn’t going to give up seeing her favourite person. She groaned heavily in pain and she put her weight on her legs. She didn’t walk very much but she didn’t know it was going to be her last.

  The walk between Eve and Mrs Pecker’s house was about one minute. But it took Mrs, Pecker at least 10 minutes to get to Eve’s. Eve was so surprised to see dear Mrs Pecker coming up to her from her window. 

“No!” she shouted. “Go home, please!”

But Mrs Pecker didn’t want to go after seeing Eve for just one second. She wanted to have a lovely chat with some delicious lamingtons and perhaps a pot of tea.

  A boy with scruffy hair ran up to Mrs Pecker. 

“Get away!” exclaimed Eve. 

  The boy gave Mrs Pecker a big hug and kissed her on the cheek.

“Ooh,” said Mrs Pecker, thinking it was a pleasant surprise. 

“No!” shouted Eve, tears pouring down her face.

“There, there,” said Mrs Pecker. “It was just a hug. Now would you open this door, dear?”

“There’s a disease. You have to go,” she began.

  The boy who kissed Mrs Pecker started shaking violently. He dropped to his knees and fell on his face. Mrs Pecker ran to him and turned him over. The boy’s breathing grew shallow and his limbs twitched. He was affected by the disease, thought Eve.

   Mrs Pecker looked in horror at the dead boy.

“Oh my” she gasped.

Eve heard a horrible wailing coming from the back of her house. She ran to the back door but it was only the radio producing those noises. She ran as fast as she could back to the front door and looked out of the window, hoping what she thought wasn’t true.

  It was true.

  Mrs Pecker was dead.