Satin Doll

“Nancy, I feel alive!”

“Do you, Tess, that’s lovely, darling. How about we get you onto the bed? There we are.” Nancy poured a glass of water and placed it on the bedside table. “So, what’s got you all excited then?”

“It’s Jim. Jim the Gem, I call him.”

“Ah, I thought it might be something along those lines. Well you be careful! He’s new — we don’t want any broken hearts.”

“You’re a good girl. But you should tell him that! He brought me flowers this morning, look.” Tess pointed past the bottom of her bed, and she bounced with delight as Nancy cooed. 

“From our garden. But I see he knows your colour. Well, you keep happy then, Mrs Brook. I’ll be back in a few hours with a cup of tea.”

*

The telly blared in the living area, and some watched as others dozed. A man was muttering to himself, sitting close to the screen, and he occasionally struck the floor with his stick. 

“So, Jim, what brought you to our neck of the woods?” The words had come from Martin, a thin and friendly man with eager eyes, who sat between Jim and Tess. 

“Err… I needed a break from the family.” Jim spoke slowly and carefully, and Tess liked that. 

Martin guffawed knowingly and patted Jim’s shoulder. “You chose a good place. We’ve got it all here: telly, sofas—“ He paused. “A cup of tea. And on Wednesdays a lady comes round with chickens.”

“Chickens?”

Tess interjected. “Oh yes. A big group of hens, but we don’t see the cockerel much. They march around, and they’re very docile. We get given a bunch of eggs.”

“It sounds like fun.” Jim smiled. 

“And Mart forgot to mention Saturdays.”

“What happens on Saturdays?” The two men spoke in unison, and Martin laughed. 

“Well, we can have a drink for starters. Through a bit of persuasion, and it took a bit of persuasion, we’ve managed to get half a bottle of wine each. Then there are games — karaoke, poker, that sort of thing.”

“Really? Half a bottle?” 

“Yes, Martin. Every Saturday for the last year.” Tess smiled at Jim. “Of course not everyone joins in, but it’s a bit of fun.”

“I think I might take it easy to begin with. I’ve got this old liver, you know?”

“Oh, sure. We know, don’t we Mart?”

“My body’s a temple, thank you very much.” Martin leant back in his chair with a silly grin on his face. 

*

“Have you got everything you need then?” Nancy fussed a little with the sheets.

“Yes, thank you. We had more chats today.”

“Did you? With Jim? You’re very sweet, Mrs Brook.”

“He’s very nice, isn’t he?”

“He does come across like a kind man, yes.”

“I like that he’s nervous. I’m nervous too. It’s strange to be shy. But fun too!” Tess coughed. “He’s a hunk!”

*

Monday came and went, and the next morning was bright and warm so the residents sat outside. Martin was lying on the lawn as requested, watched closely by Yuri, the head carer. Martin had done some crying but now he appeared to be lying peacefully. 

“Is he often like this?”

“How do you mean?”

“Well… he seems like quite a highly strung man.”

“Yeah, that’s got it about right. Mart’s a nutcase! I think he might have dementia, I’m not sure.”

“Right.”

“But don’t worry — when he’s happy, he’s happy.”

“And what about you? Are you a nutcase?”

Tess turned to fully look at Jim. “Not as much as I’d like to be.” She rolled her eyes. 

Yuri moved to comfort Martin as the man wailed on the grass. 

“Jim, did you have a job? Were you, hold on let me guess… were you an actor?”

“No, not an actor.”

“A window cleaner? — a gardener?”

“Neither of those.” Jim showed his teeth as he lightly chuckled. 

“Go on, tell me.” Tess had ridden up in her seat. 

“I was and I suppose I still am a doctor. It doesn’t leave you, even if I’m not working any more.”

“Oh my. What sort of doctor?”

“I was a surgeon. I did a few thousand heart transplants. Only a few mistakes.”

“Oh Jim, I can’t believe it. That’s — that’s really something.”

“It’s just work.”

“I suppose so.” 

Tess carried on as Jim stayed quiet. “I was a teacher for fifty odd years, primary sort of age. I had some lovely kids. And there were some bastards too! Don’t let them off the hook, little bastards.” Jim shuffled himself as if to stand up. “Will you be joining us later? There’s a chicken with your name on it.” Tess spoke coolly. 

“I’ll come along.”

*

“You were right, this is fun. They’re very friendly.” Jim was stroking the neck of a hen that had closed its eyes in gratitude. 

Tess watched from a sofa with her hands neatly folded in her lap. “Aren’t they? Why don’t you bring her over. I want to talk with you.”

“Sounds ominous.” Jim carried the hen gently to the sofa. 

“Why are you here?”

“I told you, I think. It’s a family thing.”

“No, no. Why are you here?”

“I hope you don’t mean philosophically — I’ve never been one to think about all that stuff.” The hen bounced her inquisitive head towards Tess, and she allowed the warm feathers onto her lap. “Have you heard about Martin?”

“Oh, he’s okay. Mart’s always up to stuff like this.”

“If you say so. He’s been in the medical unit for a while now.”

“You’ll see.”

The living area was warmed with the sounds of the chickens, and the occasional squawk brought similar shrieks of pleasure from the residents. 

“What school did you work at?”

“Parkview Academy it was called.” Tess relaxed a little as the hen settled down into her lap. “Bastard kids. There was one boy called Trevor, I had him for three years, and then he came back as a TA! — I’ll never forget him. He was a talker. Either he’s a politician now or I did my job wrong.” She laughed. “And I had a good house. I kept a good house.”

“Did you marry?”

“I had a husband, yes. He was a little like you, if you don’t mind me saying. George. He was a gardener, and he was very good with his hands. He used to make little things in the shed.”

“What sort of thing did he make?”

“Toys, I remember he made our eldest a mechanical mouse. A wind up thing, you know. It was wooden and he’d painted it beautifully.”

Jim leant back. “And how are your kids?”

Tess dipped her eyes to the chicken on her lap. “I think they’re well enough. They come and visit every so often.”

“That’s good.” 

“Do you have kids?”

“A couple.”

“So you’re married?”

“Until my dying breath.”

“That’s lovely. You’re lovely, Jim. Who’s the lucky lady?”

“Well, she’s around. Maybe you’ll meet someday, I’ll see if I can arrange it.”

*

“Nancy, he’s so nice.”

“I’m so glad it’s going well. Have you asked him much about what he used to do? I remember you said he was a surgeon?”

“He’s nervous, and so am I. I don’t want to press it, any of it. But it would be nice to have someone else in this bed. Just to cuddle, mind. I don’t want you thinking I’m out for blood!”

“I don’t think anything of it, Mrs Brook. Let’s just see how it goes, hey?” Nancy finished signing the nightly form and counted out four separate pills. “Goodnight, Tess.”

“You sleep well too, darling.”

*

Martin was back on the straight and narrow. He had spent two days in the unit, but Tess took a morning tea with him on Tuesday. 

“I’d rather be here, I tell you. I’d rather be here than anywhere else.”

“That’s lovely, Mart.”

“I’m serious! Whatever they did to me in there I feel great now — I feel on top of the world, I tell you.”

Tess watched as Jim was talking with Yuri by the door to Yuri’s office. They shook hands and Jim waved towards where Tess and Martin were seated. 

“Oh hullo Jim, how’s it going?”

“Glad to see you’re doing okay.” Jim sat. 

“I was just saying how glad I am to be here. What a place, eh?”

“Yes. It’s a lovely place.” Jim glanced at Tess, who seemed reserved. “Morning, you look nice today.”

“Thank you, that’s nice of you, Jim. I saw you were talking to Yuri. What were you talking about?”

“Oh, nothing. Nothing to worry about, at least.” Jim lifted his cup. “Tess, you seem a little agitated today—“

“What were you talking about?”

Jim smiled at Martin who lifted his whole head back in sudden laughter. “I was saying how much I’m enjoying my time here. I thought it right that I should say something.”

There was silence at the small, round table. After a minute or two Martin leapt up with surprising youthfulness and announced he was off for a biscuit. 

*

Tess was outside, by some young trees and not far from the beach. She had walked from the garden, out through a gap in the hedge, and unaided she was almost at the sand. She slowly buttoned up her cardigan as she saw the lapping sea, but a voice came from behind and she saw Yuri running towards her. 

“Tessa, Tessa. We can’t have you walking like this. You must come back to the house.”

“I’m off to the sea. I’m off to have a look at the sea. George used to like the sea.”

“Tessa, please. It’s a sunny day, yes, but it’s not so warm. You need to follow me back inside.”

Tess stood shivering as her robe billowed from a gust of wind. “I—“ “Come on, now.” “I think this is a little improper, to say the least.” “You’ll be inside with a nice cup of tea in a second, Miss Brook. Let’s get you in. I know Jim will be pleased to see you.”

*

At breakfast Martin had produced a grimy coin, which he claimed to have found digging around the garden. There were specks of dirt on the corners of his face, and his fingernails were black. 

“It’s fucking Roman! I’m telling you it’s Roman.”

“Martin, please. No language.” Yuri had shouted in response to Martin’s outburst. 

“It’s an effing Roman coin, then, happy?!”

“It looks nice, Martin.”

“Thanks, Jim. I found it in the rose bed.”

“I hope you didn’t hurt the flowers.”

“No, I was very careful. You go see and have a look, I did a great job.”

Jim nodded as he sipped his coffee. 

“So, Jim, have you ever sung at all?”

“What a lovely question.” Jim beamed. “I used to, yes, years and years ago. I was in a band.”

“Jim?”

“Hello.” He laughed. “No, seriously. But it wasn’t a band, it was more of a group, a troupe. We played funk, a bit of jazz.”

Tess made a face at Martin. “I only ask as we have a karaoke machine, and Mart was thinking of firing it up later in the week.”

“I’d be up for a sing song.”

“Mart takes it quite seriously.”

Martin nodded enthusiastically. 

*

The living area had slightly dimmed lighting and music played. The room had a low buzz of conversation and there were tables laid out from the cupboard. Yuri had given a small speech, along the lines of ‘we don’t want any mess — but you’re all clean and tidy, so I don’t expect it’, and Tess had made sure to find an empty table. She ushered Jim to sit with her. 

“So, heart surgeon, eh?” Tess poured herself a glass, and filled another for her acquaintance as he nodded. “I knew a heart surgeon. Wonderful lady.”

“What was her name?”

“Kimberly — I want to say Kimberly. She used to live on our road.”

Jim smiled and he took a sip of the wine. “It feels like my liver deserves better, after all these years.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I could check to see if we have anything else? I’m sure we might have something else.”

“No, no. This is just fine. Is Martin okay? I heard he’s back at the medical unit.”

“Oh, Mart’s fine. He’s a tough nut, that one.”

The song changed. “Now, this is music. Do you know this one, Tess? Duke Ellington.” Tess watched from behind her glass as Jim steadily got up. “I used to dance to this! Care to join me?” Jim held out an arm. 

“What’s the song called?”

“I’ll tell you if we can have a dance.”

“What’s the song called?” Tess had another sip of wine. 

“Come, here. I won’t move fast — I’m not sure my legs can take anything too feisty.”

“Okay, if you insist.” Tess busied herself quickly before she rose and took Jim’s hand. The rest of the room was seated and the pair slowly lifted their limbs. 

*

“Nancy, I feel alive!”

“Do you now? Well, what’s got you feeling this way this time, eh?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t want to know.”

Nancy stopped and smiled at the old lady in her bed. “Try me.” She grinned. 

“There’s this new man, he’s a right hunk. I call him Gem, at least to myself.”

“Oh yeah? Is he Jim then?”

“That’s the one.”

“And how’s it been going then?”

“He’s being nervous. I’m nervous too, and I don’t know. Darling, I don’t know.”

“Tess, hey, there’s no need to worry. You’re all tucked in now. I’ll see if I can get you a hot drink, it’s Horlicks you like isn’t it?”

“No, I hate the stuff. Get me a sweet cup of tea though darling, thank you.”

“You mustn’t worry. Jim isn’t going anywhere.”

“Well, we're all going somewhere, my sweet.”

*

“Good morning. I opened the curtains, I hope you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine.” Tess lifted her eye-cosy to see Jim standing at the window in his pyjamas. 

“Shall we get some breakfast? I’m famished.”

“I’d rather wait a minute or two. Is that okay?”

“Of course. I’ll take a shower.”

Tess lay blinking at the window, over through the budding trees towards the sea. She lay, wrapped a little tighter as she watched the distant waves pull and heave.