Fantasy House

by Ruth Hay

If the co-housing venture failed, his mother would undoubtedly fall back on her son to advise and comfort her. Then he would be in the position to commandeer some finances. The thought cheered him somewhat. He consulted his phone for social plans in the coming weeks and found he could cancel the weekend barbecue at a pal’s Muskoka cottage. He was in no mood for booze and bombast around a smoky fire with mosquitoes swarming up from the lake. He had more important trips to take out of town. He would use the excuse of his mother’s failing health. That should garner some sympathy.

  Perhaps all was not lost, just yet.

  He went to make himself a strong drink and sit out on the balcony for a while. The cacophony of the rush hour traffic far below the 25th floor had now dissipated, and a clear sky promised a pleasant evening.

  His noisy, disruptive roommate was out on a date with three friends. He was unlikely to make an appearance until after midnight at which point his entry would wake Desmond who would haul himself out of bed to ensure the door had been locked behind him. Hopefully, he would not find a drunken figure splayed comatose on the white sofa with his face in the designer pillows. One more incident like that one, and Desmond Dempster would need to do something drastic.

  Chapter 4

  Hilary decided it was time to schedule the reveal for her tower room. It would not have the impact of Vilma’s but it would be good to get it done. She approached Eve about arranging a light lunch in the kitchen just before the reveal and was pleased to find Eve was willing to help with the lunch and also to take this opportunity to reveal her own room to the others.

  Hilary admitted to some curiosity about this, since a furniture van had unloaded a large amount of furniture recently and the issue of the complicated access to the house had arisen at that time. The preferred route was for the delivery men to drive up to the garages then unload their cargo onto their wheeled platform and roll it along the path to the rear patio entrance where they could lift the items through the window wall and up to the elevator. The process had worked for Hilary’s, Mavis’s, Eve’s and Vilma’s furnishings although some of Vilma’s arrived in larger sections and took a considerable amount of time and ingenuity to load.

  On each occasion this required alerting Honor to the disruption in her work day. The elevator was not large enough for several bulky items to be loaded at once. The men were obliging and had been paid to set up Eve’s furniture which arrived encased in packages of plastic and strong cord. General curiosity was aroused by this operation and Hilary was not the only one who was anxious to see what Eve had purchased.

  A day was set for the double reveals and everyone attended except for Vilma who had an appointment to view prospective dog candidates out of town. She was promised private showings at a convenient time and the rest of the women began by making plates of do-it-yourself sandwiches and crudity dips served with cold drinks which Eve set out on the long kitchen island.

  The weather was warm and the patio doors opened wide so several could sit outside. Hilary stayed indoors at the table and chatted with Honor. She wanted to ask if the furniture moving had caused any problems in her routines.

  “Really, I have been glad of the breaks. It gives me a chance to walk around outside for a few minutes which is good for a number of reasons. I need to be more active and a stroll around the gardens is such a pleasure.”

  She looked across the table into her companion’s eyes.

  “Hilary, you must know how fortunate I feel to be in the lower level. It suits me very well indeed although it is a privilege I do not deserve.”

  “Nonsense, Honor! The objective was to find accommodations to suit all of us and I feel we have managed that. Nothing is carved in stone and adjustments may have to be made at a later date, but for now, everyone seems to be content. When you the see the ridiculous amount of space I have, you may feel a bit better about your situation and I do not have to suffer the constant interruptions you have tolerated so patiently.”

  * * *

  After lunch, the women decided to take the elevator to the bedroom level where Hilary insisted on going first. She did not have anything startling to show, other than the sheer luxury of space and light, but her suite was warm and comfortable and well organized which everyone agreed was a mirror of Hilary’s personality.

  It was Eve’s room that surprised them. It was new and fresh and light and Eve was justifiably proud of the results. For the occasion, she was wearing around her head as a bandana, a pale yellow silk scarf that allowed her longer hair to curl pleasingly on the nape of her neck. It drew attention to her face which had relaxed from the tense lines carved in it from a life of stress. She looked years younger and her smile was genuine.

  “This is lovely!” exclaimed Mavis. “I am so pleased you opted for this look. It is all about your new start in life.”

  “Well done!” was the general comment. Honor admired the unusual wall decoration and asked what Eve might want to place above her bed.

  “I am waiting for one of you to paint something from Mavis’s garden for that particular spot.”

  They looked at each other to see who was likely to be the required artist, but no one volunteered.

  “No rush!” declared Eve, with another contented smile. The unspoken comment was that she had waited many years for her present happy circumstances and a few more months for a painting to arrive was quite insignificant in comparison.

  Mavis noted that she and Jannice were the last to invite the ladies to see their rooms. Honor’s accommodations were on constant display so nothing formal was required there.

  She planned to talk to Vilma about Jannice’s room. Doubling up took the stress from Mavis and she was willing to share the next reveal. She chose not to ask Jannice directly if she was ready, sensing that Vilma would be better advised about her present situation.

  As it happened, there was one more surprise in the day. Later in the afternoon, Vilma arrived at Harmony House in a state of excitement. She left her car outside the garage and ran to the front entrance where she stopped to catch her breath then yelled into the hallway,

  “Anyone home? Come out to the front porch for a minute. There’s someone here I want you to meet.”

  As she had expected, her voice echoed around the upper level as well as through to the kitchen where Mavis and Hilary were having tea with Jannice. Eve popped into the elevator as a fast way to inform Honor and she was not the only one who remembered the effect of a similar call to assemble, when Mavis first introduced Andy Patterson to the group.

  When they were all seated, Vilma appeared, walking along the path with not one but two doggie companions on a double leash.

  “Hello All! Let me introduce you to our newest housemates. This is Astrid with the red collar, and her brother Oscar in the blue collar.”

  The two medium-sized dogs seemed to know it was an important moment for their new owner. They sat obediently on the path and looked over the assembled women with a quiet air of expectation.

  Hilary was the first to recover the use of speech.

  “But, Vilma….two dogs? Two largish dogs at that. What were you thinking?”

  “I know! I know! I did not set out to find two dogs of this size, but truthfully I did not choose them, they chose me. I saw Oscar first at a Dog Rescue Farm out in the countryside and was overcome by his beauty and his calm nature. He was formerly owned by a couple who brought him up from a puppy. The wife could not keep him after her husband died and she decided to move to Alberta to live with her daughter who had very young children.”

  Vilma was rambling on at great speed but her audience was captivated by the way the two dogs remained seated patiently by her side.

  “That explains Oscar, Vilma,” interrupted Mavis, as soon as Vilma took a breath. “What about the other one?”

  “Well, this is the amazing part. I was just signing Oscar’s papers when the kennel maid emerged from the office and said to Elizabeth, the Rescue Farm owner, that she had just received an email with the details of a
nother Australian Shepherd dog, who, according to the attached description, seemed to be related to Oscar.

  As, you can imagine, everything and everyone stopped dead at this announcement. The email was retrieved and the details examined and they confirmed the two dogs came from the same litter. Elizabeth, a lovely older lady who clearly adored animals, begged me to wait for an hour while she talked on the phone to sort out what had happened to the pair of litter mates.”

  This long story was becoming difficult to follow and Vilma was at last beginning to lose steam.

  “Look! I won’t bore you with all the details, suffice to say the evidence is before you all.

  These are now my dogs!”

  There was a stunned silence.

  Mavis wondered how Marble would cope.

  Hilary pondered adding a clause to the co-housing agreement to limit the number of pets.

  Jannice thought this generous act was typical of her friend.

  Honor, who had once been bitten by a large dog, felt a shiver of fear when Oscar’s light blue eyes fell upon her.

  Eve recovered first. “Vilma did you say Australian Shepherds? They are quite beautiful and seem to be obedient which is remarkable considering they hardly know you. What was it like when they met?”

  “Oh, Eve, that moment was what convinced me this was meant to be. It was magical! Astrid came out of Elizabeth’s car and stood still sniffing the air, then she made a beeline for Oscar and the two jumped around like puppies licking each other and trying to knock the other down but it was all in silence. Elizabeth says it’s a trait of the breed. They are bred for silent pursuit.

  Honestly, ladies, all of us who saw this wonderful reunion were in tears. I could cry again now, just thinking about it.”

  Honor wondered what these dogs were in ‘silent pursuit’ of. Hopefully, it was not humans.

  Hilary, as ever, was thinking ahead. “I can imagine that was a powerful feeling, Vilma, but what about the realities of two strange dogs joining our household? “

  “Ah, Elizabeth advised me on what to do. I took both dogs with their documents, to her trusted vet and had them checked over completely for shots and fleas and any possible issues. The vet said they are in excellent condition and he gave me a booklet about the breed. He declared Oscar and Astrid to be the products of a renowned breeder and said they were about three years old and past the difficult stage and, if I promise to exercise them well, will be superb pets and guard dogs for many years to come.”

  Eve liked the guard dog information.

  Mavis liked the quiet aspect.

  Jannice had never seen such handsome dogs before. She found herself longing to stroke that lovely light grey, brown and white brindled fur and made a silent vow to help Vilma out whenever she needed it.

  Honor still believed such light coloured eyes on an animal had a touch of the unworldly. As far as she was concerned, the dogs were untrustworthy.

  Vilma was sensing a mixed reception to her news.

  “I know this is unexpected. Please reserve your judgment for now. Stay seated while I take the dogs indoors to my room to get settled. I will introduce them to you all later. I assure you they will remain leashed and under control while inside and for as long as it takes for me to complete a training course.

  Thank you for listening and giving all three of us a chance to be part of your lives.”

  With that heartfelt speech, Vilma tugged on the leash and the dogs went up the stairs and into the house by her side as if they had always lived there.

  There was a general sigh of mixed relief and surprise circulating around the remaining housemates. Eyebrows were raised but nothing more was said. Vilma had made her case and it would be up to the dogs to show her faith in them was justified.

  The coming days would be interesting.

  * * *

  As Vilma was totally absorbed in establishing good dog routines, it was several days before Mavis got a chance to ask about Jannice’s room furnishings. They arrived in the kitchen at the same time one afternoon and Mavis grabbed the opportunity while they made drinks together. Vilma washed her hands and cut slices of some ginger cake Eve had made.

  “I did talk to Jannice about furnishings. She is sleeping on a mattress on the floor at the moment. Most of the stuff from her old house went to the young O’Connor couple who bought it. She even left her bed behind, which was very generous, but does not leave her much money to play with. I know she is concerned about the monthly bills and I don’t want to press her.

  “We can’t have her sleeping on the floor! What can we do without offending her pride? Eve managed to find some nice stuff in the big box store. Would she be interested in that kind of thing?”

  “I doubt it. Her style is more antique than contemporary.”

  Vilma stopped and thought for a moment. “Mavis, could I ask you to scout out some second-hand stores for me? At the moment I am too involved with dog training and I need to be consistent with my routines. If you find anything promising we could invite Jannice to take a look and gauge her reaction.”

  “I’d be happy to do that, Vilma. It’s a good idea. I’ll let you know what I can track down. I could take some pictures of any likely candidates with my phone. That would save you a trip.”

  “Wonderful! Now I have to take the dogs out for exercise. I think I will be the fittest I have ever been in my life with these two. Thanks again, Mavis.”

  She was off with her coffee cup in her hand. Mavis watched her go, admiring the younger woman’s energy and love of life. She was a lesson to all of them. She seemed to survive with optimism, and a positive attitude no matter what life threw at her and was still able to take on new challenges. Mavis hoped this attitude could be infectious. She had an uncomfortable feeling that the Harmony House inhabitants were only at the beginning of their venture together and there was a long way to go.

  If recent events were anything to go by, more surprises could be on their way.

  Chapter 5

  “Dennis dearest, did you see what just went by? One of those women next door has two dogs!”

  Dennis Ridley put aside his newspaper for the length of time required to make a show of caring about his wife’s concerns. “What about it?”

  “Really? Can’t you see the problem caused by two animals running around and ripping up our lawns?

  I do wish we had enclosed our property with fencing like I wanted. Goodness knows what might happen with two animals running wild.”

  From behind the newspaper came the slightly bored voice of reason.

  “Are the dogs running wild at the moment, Louise?”

  “Well, no. Not at the moment, but anything could happen if they got loose and it’s just another indication of trouble. You know I was never happy with so many women moving next door. What if all of them have pets? It could be like a zoo? We could be overrun!”

  “Calm down, Louise. You are jumping to conclusions again. Did you take your pills this morning?

  Have a nice cup of decaf tea and sit down. I am off to work shortly. I’m sure everything will be all right.

  Call me on my cell phone if you are too worried or call Dr. Liston. Perhaps you should get out of the house later today. You know you get up tight when you are indoors all the time.”

  Most of this was said as he walked out of the kitchen and headed for the garage door. He was out and into his car before his wife could respond with more of her imaginary worries.

  He drove off toward London. It was too bad Louise had not made friends with the new neighbours. She really needed a female friend or two. The other families in the crescent had grown tired of her constant nagging about trivial problems. The thought crossed his mind of inviting the new neighbours to a barbecue or something. He decided to ask his secretary, May, if she had any ideas on this. It would need to be a catered event as Louise could not take the strain of planning something larger than a shopping expedition for clothes. The weather was much improved now. It might work out for all con
cerned.

  He would talk to May at the first opportunity. No dogs invited of course.

  Chuckling under his breath he turned his mind to the day’s challenges with a sense of relief.

  * * *

  Louise Ridley nibbled on her thumbnail. It was so disappointing. She had been pleased when the house sold. It did not look good for the crescent to have a house empty with a large sign on the lawn. It was an invitation to some nefarious persons to break in and who knew what that might lead to? She had watched as agent after agent brought buyers to view but nothing had emerged from those viewings. All through the winter she had watched and worried. And now, instead of a nice quiet family, she had so many neighbours going in and out she could hardly keep track of them. Really, dogs were the final straw.

  It was all very well for Dennis to ignore her concerns. He was not home all day. He was off about his own business, with his own work colleagues and nice business lunches in the city. Why had she persuaded him to buy this property so far away from downtown? She used to pop into his offices once in a while when she was in the area but that was impossible now. She really had no excuses for going downtown any more. Everything she needed was available in Byron or Colonel Talbot Road or online. The parcel delivery was the highlight of her life these days. Was the saving of money on the house purchase worth this isolation? The neighbours on her other side seemed to be busy with work all the time. The only person she saw on a regular basis was Andy Patterson. Yesterday, after he had finished the lawns, she tried to engage him in conversation. Just a snippet of information about the dogs or their owner would have been a consolation, but Andy was very closed mouthed. All he would say was that he had not seen any dogs at all and the property looked the same as usual to him.

  She looked around the immaculate kitchen. After she rinsed two cups and put those, the spoons and the cereal bowls in the dishwasher, she was finished until the evening meal was to be prepared.