A fortnight shy of retirement, and his body, like a precision alarm clock, was tel ing him that it was just the right time. The back pain and the talk of retirement cottages abroad had begun on almost exactly the same day... He straightened up, his noisy exhalation echoing around the almost deserted car park. They'd probably talk about it again tonight, the two of them, over a bottle of wine. Sheila was leaning towards France while he fancied Spain. Either way, they would be off. There was nothing to keep them, after al . The three children he'd had with Emily were grown up and producing kids of their own. He'd miss the grandchildren, of course he would, ut it wasn't like he and Sheila were going to be far away. They had no real ties. ? . He fumbled for the key to the Rover, pushed it towards the lock. Sheila would probably get her way in the end of course, she usual y did. It had to be said that more often than not she was right. She'd been right this morning, tel ing him that it was going to freeze, that he needed to wrap up warm.
