by Paul Edwards
"Your mum does love you; I hope you know that, and for the record, I know that you didn't do it."
She looked up at her father.
"I know, I'm just really upset that she could think such a thing, and I wanted to punish her for it." They had a chat for a good few minutes about the many great things which had happened in family life over the years. Hearing the lavatory door shut from a distance, Kwiatoslaw spoke.
"She's coming back. Just remember she loves you and has already lost her other two children. She needs you know more than ever, so please consider that Sally, you’re a big girl now."
Arriving back her mum looked extremely upset and things were getting really bad. Her hair was a mess and she always took pride in that, she had one ear ring in instead of two which was an obvious accident that they daren't mention to her and not all her buttons were done up on her dress. After another five minutes of awkward silence, Sally blurted something out.
"I forgive you Mum."
Her Mum gave her a big kiss on the head and sat back down. This was the first meal they'd ever had as a three, at least since before Ben was born anyway. It was very unusual. There were two empty chairs around the table and there was a little pink handkerchief on the table near one of them which Kwiatoslaw didn't have the heart to move before the meal when setting the table. The handkerchief was Ann's, which they all kept looking at.
"This feels so, so, well, different" Sally asserted. This set her mother of crying again.
"Sorry Mum" she said in response. Then they stood up for a group hug and they convinced themselves to have a desert and not to be morbid. They had a nice cake between them and tried to act as normal as possible.
"No use in being upset, is there I suppose," Helen said after wiping her tears. "They're in a better place now."
After having their meal, they retired to the sitting room to watch TV together as a family, just as it used to be a decade ago. Sally was smiling, having one of them on either side of her while she sat in the middle.
"I'm so glad we can do this together" Sally said, as they watched the soaps.
"Wouldn't be the same without you" her Mum said.
"Wouldn't be the same without me either, would it?" her husband joked, meriting him another little slap on the shoulder.
"It seems I do still have two children! Haha" she replied, referring to him.
It got to 9PM and the soaps had finished. They were all tired and thinking about going to bed, before going to see Hannah the next morning, presuming she was at home, as they were not completely up to date with the situation yet. Helen couldn’t help but think of her.
"I must ring Hannah and see how she is later, everyone probably blames her for all this because of the bad luck involved and the way it looked. But I know Hannah, she would never have put poison into those biscuits, there must be much more to it. Poor thing."
They accidentally fell asleep on the couch, Sally being once again the centre of attention, in the middle of them being hugged. It got to 10pm and then they all woke up. Kissing each other good night they started walking up the stairs. Halfway up the stairs, Sally, being nearer the top of the stairs than them, suddenly turned around and spoke.
"Mum, Dad. There is something that I need to tell you."
Chapter Nine
At Orangely Hall, Hannah came downstairs and her grandma looked at her from the distance.
"Oh dear, I didn't realise you were back, when did you get home?"
"Yes, I just went straight upstairs, as I'd had an awful day. Got back a good few hours ago. You shouldn't have waited up for me. I thought I wouldn't have been back until tomorrow the way things were going.” I even thought I was going to miss the bin collection."
"Oh, I'm glad you didn't because it was a mess, especially after the police were rummaging through everything. Oh yes, and by the way, you’re lucky I was here when you got back and that the house wasn't taped up. They only investigated the place for a short time thankfully."
"Oh, to be honest I forgot all about that Grandma." Exhausted, she headed up for a bath, wondering when the last bath she ever had might be. Did they even have baths in prison? Who knows, not her at least anyway. Sitting in the bath, with bubbles and water to the top, she started thinking back in time. She started thinking back to when she was nine years old, when her grandfather used to take her to the park, and she would swing on the swings. After this they would get an ice cream from the van and then after they came home her grandma would bath her. When she got older this stopped, but it then continued to a large extent in Jack. She thought back to when he would throw water over her and wash her hair while she was in the bath, then he'd have all her clothes laid out for her so that when she finally decided to get out after he’d left the room, she could easily get dressed. This had changed also; the change was a shock of reality. Getting out of the bath, having to get her own towels when realising one wasn’t in the bathroom and one wasn't on the bed. The clothes were not on the bed as usual, the heater was not blowing to warm her dry, the curtains were still open. Everything had changed.
Having to look after herself was a reality, she would have to act like every other grown up woman this meant from now on, especially once her grandparents went back home. Unless of course, she was to go to prison, in which case there would be a completely different scenario.
On the staircase at Helens house, they were stood there frozen. After a few minutes of shock, Sally was on the top step, her mum a few steps down and her father a few steps below, they both looked at her wondering what she was going to say. Her eyes were staring at them, like in a horror, as if she was about to push them, or say something devastating, or give a completely new revelation. Helen looked over at her husband, wondering whether he was thinking what she was, and then looked back at Sally.
"What is it sweetheart?" she asked. Silence. It seemed like the longest silence there ever was, and they were wondering if what she was about to say might change their lives.
"I k , k, k"
"What is it?"
"I can't sleep alone, they always used to mess around and end up sleeping next to me, and now I'll be all alone." That seemed like the worst part of their lives over, after all that worrying about what she might say.
Being understanding they let her sleep next to them, but Helen insisted she needed to get used to staying on her own at her age, but this night was exceptional. It was partly their fault because for the first few years of her life she kept getting in bed with them, until her siblings started lying next to her. Perhaps it made her feel less scared at night? It would be hard to break the habit of a lifetime, although it would've had to have changed soon anyway at some point, as her brother would've got older in any case, naturally.
Through the night, Sally kept shouting.
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault." This left them terrified. She was presumable asleep. Next, she kicked her Dad and then pushed her Mum as to lie diagonally across the bed. Something was not quite right.
"Sally, what's the matter Sally" they said, but heard no response. As the night continued, she started screaming and shouting all sorts of random things. They had never experienced anything like this before, never.
As the next morning came, over breakfast everyone was silent. Helen had made boiled eggs and toast, not to her usual standard because of the situation.
"There's a spare four eggs in the pan if anyone's still hungry" she then asserted. It was clear to them, that cooking two eggs each she had cooked ten, thinking of how things used to be, but upon dishing it out she must’ve realised what she had done. This made everything worse. Next thing, Kwiatoslaw questioned Sally.
"Last night, you were quite a bit restless, you was shouting quite a lot out, do you remember?"
"No, I don't, but I think I had a rough night. What did I say?"
"Nothing really" Helen said, jumping out of her seat to take her plate to the sink. After this, Helen phoned Hannah and had a chat with her, arranging to go and see her
and have a proper discussion, then she got on the phone to the mortuary, the priest and the funeral director to discuss the possibility of a funeral at some point.
"Let’s go and see Hannah" she said after the call. They all got in the car and drove down to Orangely Hall, with a pain in their hearts, remembering what happened last time they went there. There was a feeling of resistance to going there, but it had to be done at some point, so why not get it out of the way they thought.
At the Hall, Hannah was preparing for their arrival, her grandma was brushing her hair kindly for her and her Grandad was hoovering up. Her son in laws were not around anymore as they went home once the house became a crime scene and didn't bother coming back, due to commitments at home.
"Thanks for all your help, now and always. It was good of you to clean up the mess after the party as well, otherwise it would've been horrific in here now, and I couldn't have guests around like that, could I?"
"Don't mention it" her Grandma said.
"How much are you going to pay us?" Her Grandad then joked, over the loud sound of the hoover, causing them to look at him and then back at each other to carry on with serious womanly talk. A few minutes later they all sat down, to be interrupted. ‘Beep beep beep,’ a horn sounded from outside.
"That must be them Grandma, I'll open the door if you wouldn't mind putting some fresh coffee on."
Opening the door, the three of them came up the steps into the house.
"How are you all?"
"Erm, well" Helen attempted to reply.
"Sorry" Hannah said.
"No no, don't be, we had a nice journey" Helen said, distracting from the obvious to be polite. Then she continued. "Anyway, it's us who've come to see how you are, especially since you were arrested."
"Well, I think I'm also not doing too well, but I can't complain because I'm still alive. Just a moment while I make sure my Grandma is using the coffee machine properly, you know what Grandmas are like with new technology." Hannah dashed of the kitchen, leaving his Grandad with them awkwardly while he was on the other side of the room.
"Nice journey you say?" he said, looking over at them.
Chapter Ten
In the kitchen, Grandma had got the coffee all wrong, there was coffee all over the floor and the liquid was overflowing. They had a quick taste of what was there to see if it would do.
"Revolting" her Grandma admitted, as they both pulled an awful face after having a little sip.
"Let me show you how to do it, you've used too much coffee and too much water. We've all done it before.."
"No wonder it's to strong and overflowing then." While she was showing her what to do, at the same time as discussing how awkward she felt, not knowing what to say to them, Grandad was keeping the guests entertained, or at least trying to.
"Our journey was OK thank you, much better than our last few ones anyway. It's so hard getting used to an empty car when your used to being full with three kids" Helen responded. Next, he turned to Sally.
"What year are you in at school now?"
"Year ten, going into my last year in September."
"Interesting, I was just about finishing school when I was your age, we didn't have it like you lot." In stepped Grandma with the coffee, smiling.
"That's why you'll be a lot more educated than him Sally" she joked.
Thank goodness for children and elderly people, without them there would be no conversation starters and nothing to talk about Hannah was thinking. Nothing but awkward silence between middle aged people.
"So" Helen started speaking, "the funeral will be on the 15th May, all being well, or should I say, the double funeral. I left it two weeks just in case they needed to investigate the bodies for a long time. Hope you'll be there." Hannah was wondering whether she would even be in prison and was so stressed she hadn't even thought about the concept of arranging a funeral for her husband.
"I feel awful, it must be so hard the concept of having to bury your own children, and two on the same day. I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry Hannah" Sally interrupted. Helens eyes opened wide.
"Go and play in the games room Sally." As a result, into the ‘games room’ she went, playing on the computer, emailing her school friends telling them what'd happened to her and playing card games on an app on the computer. Meanwhile the adults were discussing nothing but how bad their lives had been. Things suddenly started to turn nasty when Helen asked them why Sally felt the need to apologise.
"Probably just because she's a compassionate girl!" Helen stood up and said. She then sat back down, leaving more awkward silence in the room. Her Grandma broke the silence.
"Tell them how your police interview went, while I go and get some more coffee."
"About that" Hannah said, "they seem to be determined I'm to blame for everything. Apparently, they've even got witnesses. As if anyone would say bad things about me to the police?"
Helens eyes opened wide once again, like they often did when she was shocked. A revelation was coming to mind suddenly.
"The other day, near the hospital we saw Alison"
"That disgusting thing?"
"Yes, and she said she had spoken to the police and encouraged us to do the same, but we didn't of course."
"That interfering witch! I'll kill her!" Everyone looked shocked for a moment, then she added, "Not literally, of course."
Hannah felt she'd had it up to here with Alison, always sticking her nose in where it wasn't wanted. She was always jealous of Hannah. Grandma came back with more coffee and suggested they all sit in the garden, which they all did.
"It's nice to pretend that everything is normal" Helen said as they sat around the garden table, listening to the sound of the birds, while they were drinking coffee and enjoying the bit of sun that there was, all as if nothing had happened. The sky was blue, and for April is was a good heat. With a big smile on her face, Sally decided to come out and sit with them. Helen put her arm round Sally.
"Have you had a good time in the playroom?"
"Yes, thank you, I've cleared my head in there a little."
"Then thank Hannah for having it there for everyone."
"Thank you, Hannah.”
"Anytime" replied Hannah, "as long as I don’t get banged up and the house is still standing, hahaha."
After drinking their coffee, they had a few pieces of cake which had been baked by Hannah’s Grandma, and some scones, after discussing whether they should put on the jam or the cream first, an answer which Jack would no doubt have had. Grandma then disappeared, and just as they were thinking about leaving, she came back. Out came a tray with a tea pot and five mugs. Helens eyes went wide, again.
“Oh, we'll be stopping for the toilet on the way back no doubt. Thank you for all your generosity, after this one we'll have to get going."
"Pleasure, that’s what Grandmas do, for everyone not just their family. It’s called growing old Helen. Have another piece of that cake Sally."
This made them all laugh, because Sally started to cut the cake the wrong way around, not that it made much of a difference, but it was more difficult for her. Five minutes then went by, and off disappeared Grandma again, causing Grandad to joke about her.
"Don't bother asking where she's gone, she never sits down haha."
Out she came, with a flask in her hand, she opened the empty tea pot and then poured hot water into it. Grandad joked again, "I'm always at the toilet, especially after guests have been round" causing a stare from his wife, who stuck her tongue out at him and told him to be quiet. Everyone stood up as Helen was planning on going, and then all of a sudden, John turned up, one of the sons of Jack, while they was talking.
"Hello everyone" he said, then looking at Hannah, "hello you."
"What do you want John?"
"Just coming to check how everyone is, especially after what's happened to us all. No additional motive.” He then had a massive grin, causing her to pull her face at him.
"I'll deal with
you in a minute John. See you later Helen, by Sally and, erm, sorry, Keow..."
"Kwiatoslaw, don't worry about it. I'm known as Helens wife, that’s all I'm known for hahahahaha."
They all went home while John sat himself down and made himself feel at home. He sat on the garden chair and put his feet up on the table, after Hannah’s grandparents had gone inside.
"How are you doing, Hannah? If you need someone to talk to, I am here you know, or if there is anything I can do to help, let me know. I can stay over if you want if it's getting lonely."
"I'm fine thank you; my grandparents are here at the moment. Unless you know someone who can prove me innocent, then there's not much you can do I'm afraid, but thanks for asking."
"Well I could just say it was me if you want?"
"Don't you dare!"
She went inside, after telling him to clean everything away to make life easier for her grandma, all the cups, the tea pot, the plates and everything on the garden table and also the other cups in the parlour where they had sat. The house was excessively big, so it was hard for her to maintain by herself. Jack organised a cleaner to come in normally, but she didn't know her number, or the number of the gardener or how to contact any of the people who helped out. Once her grandparents were at home, even if she remained a free woman, there would be a lot of organising and hassle to deal with. There was a temptation to just sell up, but that would be a disgrace to Jack and to the family.
After cleaning the house, John kept smiling at Hannah, she walked into the dining room, he followed her in and sat opposite her, smiling.
"Haven't you got somewhere to be?" Hannah said.
"I've not got no rush to be anywhere" he said, leaning back casually, making her pull her face.
"You do know, I've always admired you Hannah, I know it's inappropriate timing, but I have to say that. I've always been willing to do whatever it takes to have you, Hannah."
"What do you mean, whatever it takes? What have you done John?"