by M, Jessie
“I'm Jasper Robertson. Richard’s father.” His tone changed immediately and he dripped charm as he held out his hand to my rather beautiful and somewhat undressed mother. She flushed prettily and took his hand in her compost covered one.
“Claudine Lewis. Pleased to meet you. You have a very strong likeness to your son, don't you?”
“So people say. How's it going here?... My son's such a slob. I must apologise for his dreadful standards.”
“I've seen worse, believe me... If you have time, I'll show you the much improved inside.”
“Mr Robertson... What about Debra....?” Alista reminded him.
“She can wait another five minutes, wherever she is. It's not the first time she's run off.”
He followed her mother up to the front door and Alista couldn't fail to see they were chit-chatty and chummy by the time they'd stepped inside and closed it. It appeared he didn't like Alista very much, but he seemed quite taken with her mother. Particularly taken with her tanned body openly displayed in her shorts and low cut vest top, she'd noticed.
Lecherous bastard.
They went inside and she waited impatiently, leaning against his car. Ten minutes later they reappeared. She couldn't believe it... they were actually giggling together like a pair of teenagers.
“I suppose I'd better go,” he said to her mother, opening the door of the Jaguar. “Duty calls... You're doing a first class job Claudine... I'll pick you up at 8 as arranged... Oh... It's cocktail dress by the way.” Then he turned to Alista, who was standing agape at the cocktail date shocker. “Right, let's go shall we Miss. Hop in then.”
She got inside the front of the car with him and sat awkwardly and stiff backed as he reversed down the driveway. She waved at her mum and her mum waved back.
“What a beautiful mother you have,” he gushed. “I can see where you get your looks from.”
Well, well, Jasper was full of flattery all of a sudden.
She was warming to him though. She put the earlier nastiness down to anxiety about Debra. Although there was no sign of any worry going on right now.
“Where d'you think Debra might be?”
“She doesn't usually leave the grounds, because she doesn't drive, or have the use of a car. I keep the keys on me, just in case she's ever tempted. But she has called a taxi before and once she walked off, for ten miles in fact...”
“Right... Well I'll search the house with you first, to make sure she's not there.”
They sat quietly as he left town and headed off into the countryside.
“How long have you and my son been seeing each other?” he asked as they passed through the village of Morden.
“Only a few days. We met in the bar at the club.”
“And how are things progressing, can I ask?”
“That's our business, I think,” she said, quite offended by his nosy intrusion.
“I'm sorry to pry Alista. But after the Cesca business, I'm concerned about him. Maybe I'm too protective. But he was in such a bad way for a while.”
“He told me all about it Mr Robertson. The engagement and the baby, I mean. Look, don't worry, I'm a nice girl, with an even nicer mother and I'm no gold digger. You can rest assured he's quite safe with me.”
He laughed loudly. “Well I'm glad we sorted that all out. I like straight talkers.”
“That's me all over,” she grinned.
A few minutes later he turned off the road and into a large gravelled parking area. She looked at the house before her in awe.
This was a real mansion. The size the Beckham's lived in.
He parked his car under the four car port and they got out and made their way to the house.
She gazed around as they walked inside the imposing entrance hall. It was a typical older house, with a white marble floor, chandeliers and deep red walls. Masses of oil paintings of serious looking men with distinguished grey beards hung upon them. Grandad and Great Grandad Robertson, no doubt.
The living room appeared to be similarly dark and gloomy, what she could see of it. Deep green wallpaper wasn't very uplifting. It could do with her mother's touch, she thought. Some lightening up and a vase of flowers here and there. Her mum had a way with colour schemes that made things come alive.
“Nice pad... A bit on the dark side though... I'd think about magnolia, if I were you,” she suggested jokily.
“Ha ha...” he chortled. “You're a funny little stick, aren't you?”
“Not intentionally,” she replied.
“I'll show you her room. Debra's I mean.”
He led the way up the stairs to the galleried landing. A dozen doors led off it and he opened one and gestured for her to go inside.
She slowly took stock... pale lilac, florals, large grey Tatty Teddies holding age 18 and 21 keys, make up and hair things... clothes, shoes, and handbags scattered around the floor. Piles of books and magazines. A typical young woman's room...
“How old is she?” she asked.
“Twenty four.”
“How long has she been unwell?”
“Umm, just over a year...”
“And what happened, exactly. Why is she like this?”
“She was out in London, with Mercedes, her best friend from childhood. Debra was driving them home and they were both misbehaving apparently, and she was taking little notice of the road. They had an accident as a result. She hit another car and then veered across the lanes and broke through the central reservation. Mercedes died, instantly, at least we think so. Debra was in a coma for a month, and she's never been the same since. And she blames herself for it all. She's depressed, introverted, listless, you name it. I've tried everything to help her, from new age therapy to electric shocks. She just keeps getting worse and worse.”
“It's a lot to come to terms with. Thinking you've killed your best friend. It's the guilt.”
“I understand all that. Really I do. But enough is enough. I'm still struggling with Elizabeth's cancer, let alone this on top.”
“Jasper... Can I call you that?” she asked softly and he nodded and 'mmmm'ed'. “We all have crosses to bear. But right now, Debra's is the most pressing. She is obviously in mental agony.”
“There's a little more to it than the accident as well. She drank heavily and took a lot of drugs for a while. I had to lock her up to stop her from killing herself. I don't expect that helped.”
“Jesus... It sounds a complete nightmare... For everyone. So let's start our search for her, shall we? Leave no stone unturned.”
“I'll go downstairs, feel free to look wherever you like. Only my bedroom's in use upstairs... other than this.” He walked to the landing and turned.
“Thanks so much for helping Alista, sometimes I'm overwhelmed by it all. Seeing your child deteriorate before your eyes, when you had such high hopes for them is too much to bear.”
“I'm happy to help, honestly... I like to be useful.”
He smiled at her and walked off down the stairs. She realised just how nice he was. Not at all stuck up really. Just a worried and concerned father.
She opened Debra's wardrobe and looked inside... Not to be nosy... but just to get a feel for her. She looked at her photos, stuck on the dressing table mirror. One was Debra and the other Mercedes, she guessed. She picked up her teddies and her make up and looked in her dressing table drawers.
She was about to leave the room when she heard a tiny sound... her ears strained and she heard it again. She dropped to her knees and looked under her bed. A pale arm lay in front of her.
She stood up and ran to the landing... and shouted loudly.
“Jasper... Come quick...” He was flying across the hallway and up the stairs in seconds.
“She's under her bed... I don't think I can pull her out.”
He lay down and grabbed her arm and started to drag her out.
“Oh God... Debra... What have you done...?” he whispered in a shaky voice.
She lay white faced and deathly still in his arms. He picked h
er up and they rushed downstairs to the car. He put her on Alista's lap and they sped off to the local hospital, which was a good ten miles away, jumping a set of lights on the way. Her eyelids fluttered several times, which Ali took to be a good sign. Movement of any sort meant life.
An hour passed and the two of them sat waiting in A & E.
Debra had had her stomach pumped.
Finally a doctor arrived at their side. Apparently she'd taken an overdose of sleeping pills and painkillers. But the doctor assured them she'd be fine. They were keeping her in for a couple of days, to keep an eye on her. She was still asleep, as a result of the sleeping pills she'd already ingested.
“I suppose I ought to cancel my evening out with your mother,” he said glumly and sighed, looking at his watch.
Ali had been thinking about that. She knew her mum would cry off if she knew there was a family drama of this magnitude going on.
“No, there's no reason to, there's nothing you can do here, is there? She's asleep and she's going to be fine. I'll stay here and let you know the second anything happens, which I don't expect it will. I don't have anything else to do anyway. And Jasper, my mum never goes out, I'm sure she's looking forward to it. Go and relax for a few hours together and unwind. You can do with the break I'm sure. You can pick me up after your party.”
“No, I can't expect this of you, sitting here for hours on your own with my daughter. You've been too kind already,” he objected.
“Jasper... I won't take no for an answer... My mum's involved here. You can look after Debra all day tomorrow and the next. Hopefully she'll be awake then as well. Go home whenever you like. But before you go I'd appreciate a loan for a few pounds so I can get some food from the cafe, as I came out with just my phone and house key. I'm starving already.”
“Of course... Here we are...” he opened his wallet and popped a ten pound note in her hand. “I'll let Richard know... it's panic over now... not that he knew there was a panic... but I suppose he should.”
“I'll do that for you. I was going to call him anyway and I need something to while away the time once I've finished with the ancient magazines here.”
“You're a little wonder Alista my dear. Now, take my phone number, will you?”
He called it out and she plugged it in her contacts, under Jasper R.
“I'll text you so you have mine.”
He stood up and leant down and gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek.
“I'll go then, it's six already and I need to get myself all ship shape.”
“You look just fine to me. Go slip a suit and tie on, that'll do.”
He laughed loudly. “No, my dear... I plan to look a lot better than this.”
“I'm sure my mum will appreciate it, whatever you do.”
“I hope she does too.” He stood in front of her. “So... I'll see you later then, and thanks once more. You've been such a great help.”
“Off you go and have a good time.” He started to walk away. “Oh Jasper... make sure you behave yourself with my mum...” she grinned.
“To quote a certain young lady I know.... That's our business, I think,” he grinned back.
“Well that told me, didn't it...?” she muttered and he roared with laughter as he set off through the door.
She sent him a text straight away. So she didn't forget and got a smiley face back a moment later. Then she called her friend Joss and they had a chat about work and things. She didn't mention Richer as Joss was still on shaky ground with her boyfriend at the moment. Finally she text Rick a quick summary to fill him in before they spoke...
“Debra went missing. Your dad and I found her under her bed. She OD'd with sleeps and paracetamol. BUT... she's OK... SO DON'T PANIC. I'm hanging at St Martins in A & E, for the next few hours, while your dad takes my mum on a cocktail date... DONT ASK... It’s all fun and games here... btw your garden looks lovely. PS... How was your day?”
She hit send and went off to the cafe for a carry out coffee.
She hated hospitals. They smelt of sickness and death.
She sipped the hot, and frankly disgusting brew, as a nurse came over and sat next to her.
“She's sleeping peacefully. I'm going off shift now but I'll let the next shift know you're here. We're waiting for a bed to become available and then we'll move her onto a ward.”
“Right. Will she be okay, long term?”
“Oh yes... young people bounce back so quickly. We got most of the pills out of her before they could do any harm. A few hours more and it could have been quite a different story, but there's no point dwelling on that. She's a troubled girl. That's what needs addressing. What happens now...?”
“Believe me, her family know all about it.”
“Perhaps she's telling them they don't...”
“I'll pass it on. Tactfully. Her dad's struggling with her, and her mum died two years ago.”
“How dreadful, some families have such a miserable time, don't they? I count my lucky stars the only things I have to worry about are the gas and electric bill.”
“Yeah, me too,” she agreed in complete honesty.
The nurse got up and left her. She sat and thought about it all. Despite their wealth, the Robertsons' had had to deal with a lot of problems and tragedy. Cheryl had been right. They were a sad family. They needed something nice to happen in their lives. Some brightness and happiness and fun.
She suddenly had an idea. Richer was thirty in a few weeks, he'd said. And she was going to throw him a party. A surprise party. For his friends and family and her's too. She'd rope Jasper and her mum in on it. Her mum could organise the whole thing. She'd like that. Her heart lifted high from its hospital mood as she smiled and sat back with a dog-eared old copy of Cosmopolitan.
Ten minutes later she received the call from Richer.
“Oh my God... What the hell?”
“Debra or the date?” she asked tongue in cheek.
“Well... both really. But Debra's okay, you say... Are you sure?”
“The nurse told me she'll be fine, she's just sleeping it off at the mo. But to be honest Rick... and this is only my opinion based on my brief observation... she's stuck in that dark old house with your dad all day... it's not a good environment for her depression and to recover from all this.”
“Where else is there? I'm away a lot.”
“I don't have all the answers, but I can help you think of something.”
“Thanks so much anyway Ali. For helping Dad out. How did you two get on by the way?” There was a note of tension in his voice.
“To start with he was rude and unpleasant. Then I gave him what for and we became best pals.”
He laughed so loudly, she took the phone from her ear.
“You are so funny. I can just imagine you giving dad a what for.”
“I told him to stick his upper class snobbery where the sun don't shine... kind of.”
“Ha ha... don't... my ribs are killing me.”
“But once we got past the class difference we actually got on very well. He's lovely. I mean it.”
“I'm not sure I'd go that far. And what about this date?”
“He's taking Mum to a cocktail party.”
“I hope she isn't too bored.”
“I don't think she will be. They've taken a big shine to each other.”
“I can see the attraction, from Dad's point of view.”
“Rick!”
“She's a doll. He'll be licking her feet before they get the canapés.”
She squealed with laughter.
Then it went quiet.
“Been thinking about me?” he asked.
“All the time.”
“What about getting Thursday off, did you swing it?”
“We're all set. Order the roses and champagne and I'll arrive in my fur coat and silk underwear.”
“What a nice idea.”
“I don't actually have a fur coat, or want one really... and my underwear isn't silk... bu
t I can make do...”
“Ali... I'm taking you for dinner. To the London Hilton. Get yourself a pretty evening dress. And don't worry, you'll have your champagne. It'll be a sleepover, so bring some other clothes...”
“Now I am excited! You're really taking me to the Hilton?”
“Yep.”
“I want to kiss your lovely toes.”
“There's other far lovelier parts of me to kiss.”
“I'll start at the feet and work up to those, nice and slowly...”
“Mmmm... sounds good.” His voice sounded croaky and then he coughed, in a spluttery fashion. She'd obviously stirred Richer up. “Sorry, I'm going to have to go. I'm on a coffee break. It's a long late meeting. And very boring by the way. Talking to you has been a welcome diversion, Debra aside.”
“Text me later.”
“I will, 'bye beauty.”
“Bye.”
She clicked off in a daze.
She was going to make sure this was the best night of her life. New dress, hair, nails... the whole shebang.
Chapter 7
Jasper collected her at 11 o'clock in his evening suit, looking far too elegant and sexy for an old guy. He smelled pretty good as well.
He'd already dropped her mother home on the way back from their party. She asked if they'd had a nice evening and he smiled broadly and said her mother was absolutely delightful and that he was seeing her again. Taking her to Lingfield, for a spot of horse racing at the weekend. All he needed was to find someone to sit indoors with Debra for a few hours. She said sadly, she couldn't personally help with that, because she was working, but she knew her friend Joss would probably daughter-sit for thirty quid, if he liked. Joss was always broke. They agreed to sort that out later.
After that she took the opportunity to raise the idea of the Richer party. He was all for it. The family needed a lift, he said. They agreed that the venue should be at Jasper's. It could be set up easily there, without Rick knowing. She knew she was taking a bit of a risk, being so early into things with Rick, but parties took a while to organise. If it all went wrong between them, she could drop out gracefully.
She also dared to raise Debra's predicament with him. She tried to explain, tactfully, that Debra needed more than Jasper's stimulation. And that Creag Dhu... the Robertson's dark and dismal family seat, might be too 'atmospheric' and full of 'painful memories'... to sit in day after day, brooding and lonely. She said she had an idea and would let him know the next day. They could discuss it and see what he thought.