For Life

Part 38

"Yeah" Dec nodded "days like today have been fun...but unfortunately not all of them have been like this"

"Hey" Ant smiled "don't get sad eh?I know its hard,but you're doing great with keeping yourself busy"

"I'm trying" Dec agreed.

"Well,a lot of people are probably just sat on their arses watching telly during this lockdown" Ant shrugged.

"Well,we do a fair bit of that too" Dec laughed.

"Nah,not that much" Ant protested "not you anyway with your cooking shows,running,politics and Arabic lessons and all that"

"Yeah" Dec nodded "and do you know what?"

"What?" Ant smiled and kissed Dec's cheek.

"Using that part of my brain again seems to have awoken something in me" Dec stated "and my need to write songs has returned"

"I know" Ant beamed "I've seen you busy scribbling away and tinkling on the piano,everything seems to be going well under the circumstances isn't it?"

"Well,maybe not everything" Dec laughed "I'm struggling with the Arabic a bit"

"I'm not surprised" Ant laughed "how many languages can float around one person's brain?"

"Yeah,maybe I was a bit over optimistic" Dec frowned "but I might as well keep at it for now"

Dec looked sad for a moment.

"What is it baby?" Ant asked "why so sad all of a sudden"

"Was just thinking about my family" Dec sighed "especially my Mum,I hate not being able to see them during all this,its so difficult"

"I know" Ant smiled sympathetically and ran his fingers through Dec's hair "once all this is over,we'll go and visit them okay?"

"Yeah" Dec nodded "its just made a million times harder by Mum being so ill,I'd give anything to just be able to give her a hug"

"You'll be able to soon" Ant stated "I promise"

Dec spoke to his family most days,but that often made him even sadder knowing that he couldn't be with them and he worried constantly about whether Anne's health would deteriorate suddenly and he wouldn't be allowed to be with her.

"What if she dies?" Dec asked tearfully "and I never even got a chance to say goodbye?"

"Hey" Ant replied gently "she's doing okay at the moment isn't she?but why don't you go and facetime her or something,might make you feel better"

"Yeah,I think I will" Dec smiled.

So Dec called his dad in Paris and was devastated to discover that all of them,including Anne had contracted Covid.

"How?" Dec wept to Fonsey "how did that even happen?you've been careful haven't you?'

"We've been extremely careful" Fonsey informed him "all of us have,I have no idea where we got it from,but we've had to go out for food and stuff,I guess that's just how this stupid virus works"

"But you've been wearing your face masks haven't you?" Dec queried.

"Of course I have Declan" Fonsey frowned "I'd never do anything to put your mum at risk,you know that,we'll never know for sure where we got it from"

"She's staying home though isn't she?" Dec asked.

"Yeah,of course she is" Fonsey replied "she hasn't been anywhere for weeks and you know your mother,its driving her nuts"

"Yeah,I can imagine" Dec frowned "but at least you've got the garden,a lot of people don't even have that"

"True" Fonsey smiled "and we're very grateful for that,we're spending a lot of time in it,thankfully the weather has been okay"