Harmony House

by Ruth Hay

  Finally she had taken action. Today’s visit to Hilary’s home made the prospect of co-housing seem achievable. There was a long way to go before it was a reality. The women she met had property to sell while Honor was ready now. She would continue to keep in touch and do everything possible to regain her strength. She expected a settlement from the fall on wet pavement in the mall, and her savings would fill in the gap until she needed to cash in some of her investments. One of the advantages to working with astute business people was hearing about reliable investment companies with excellent records for paying out high dividend yields.

  Honor Pace glanced out the window at the snow beginning to fall. With any luck, by spring she would be in a far different environment, surrounded by women who would provide stimulating companionship and added security. For now, she would make a meal and review her stocks and shares before starting on her exercises.

  Her life was about to change for the better and she was determined to be ready.

  Mavis had approached the Reception area behind a Perspex screen and asked for information about her ‘cousin’ Eve Barton. The woman consulted a screen and typed for a minute before stating she had no patient in Emergency under that name.

  “She might have been registered under Eve Dobrinski, her married name? She came by ambulance.”

  A few more nerve-wracking seconds and the reply was more positive.

  “Yes, she has been admitted and is under medical care at the moment. It seems it has been difficult to find her information. Do you wish to register as next-of-kin? Fill out this form. She is still unconscious. I’ll inform the doctor you are here. Please take a seat.”

  The minutes ticked by and the waiting room filled up with an assortment of distressed people. Only a few were called for consultation. The remainder waited impatiently and Mavis heard the distant screech of ambulances approaching the hospital entrance. The man seated next to her said it was always like this when the first snow of the winter fell.

  “The idiots forget how to drive in snow and zoom all over the road without control. My brother was hit at the bus stop. He likely has a broken leg.”

  Mavis said a few words of sympathy then resumed her watch on the door to the Emergency section.

  No one could enter there without permission. The reception desk nurses had control of a switch which caused the double doors to open. Mavis had a quick glimpse of a long corridor inside and hospital personnel moving from place to place at a leisurely pace. There were no patients to be seen.

  After what seemed like an hour, a male doctor emerged and called her name. The man sitting beside her muttered ‘Good luck!’ as Mavis jumped up and walked toward the doors.

  A young doctor was waiting for her.

  “I understand you are related to our patient Eve Dobrinski?”

  She nodded and followed along as they passed entrances to areas where some beds were concealed behind curtains.

  “Mrs. Dobrinski has not regained consciousness and we have no contact information. She has only a bank book in her possession and the address is obscured. Perhaps you can help.”

  “Yes, of course. Doctor, what is wrong with Eve?”

  “We’ll know better when she can speak but it looks like she has had trauma to the head and a blood clot has shifted suddenly and is pressing on the nerves causing her collapse. We may need to remove the pressure but hopefully she will respond soon. Talk to her.”

  He swept aside a green curtain and Mavis saw Eve, propped up on pillows and with closed eyes in a pale face. There was a new scar on her head that appeared to be close to the former injury.

  “Oh, Eve, my dear. It’s Mavis. I’ve come to help you. Please wake up. I promise to take care of you.”

  She picked up the limp hands folded over her stomach and gently massaged them while murmuring consoling words. There was a tiny flicker of an eyelid just as another person pushed back the curtain and asked if she could enter. This older woman had a badge stating she was a social worker.

  Mavis immediately found herself in a dilemma. She knew the home situation of Eve. Could she reveal it now, knowing well what would result once the officials were involved; investigations, inspections, interviews with Eve’s husband and possibly dragging Hilary into the mix.

  And yet, she could not lie. The time when Mavis Montgomery could secretly protect Eve Barton had passed.

  On observing the doubt on Mavis’s face, the social worker quietly continued.

  “You see, Eve has some bruising as well as the head injuries. We are required to find out if she has been abused in any way. Can you advise us at all?”

  Mavis stood and motioned that they should go into the common area together. She quickly explained her knowledge of the home situation and indicated her expertise in such cases based on her courthouse experience. She said she had not known Eve long but she had no reason to doubt that her husband, Howard, had inflicted the injuries.

  “I won’t go into the circumstances under which I met Eve but you do need to know I have a safe place for her to go to when she recovers. She should be among friends as I’m sure you can understand. Here’s my information. Contact me at any time and know this. Eve is mortally afraid of her husband. She should not be left alone with him if he turns up at the hospital.”

  As she finished speaking, Mavis heard a small sound from the hospital bed. She rushed back inside and found Eve struggling to sit up. She spoke reassuringly to her while the social worker went to fetch the doctor.

  A few quick tests with a light pen assured the doctor there was no lasting damage in the brain.

  “We will keep you under observation for a day or two to make sure the swelling that caused you to collapse is under control. I’ll arrange a bed for you. Your friend can call or visit once you are settled in. Don’t worry. We’ll look after you now.”

  His final words affected Eve. Mavis saw the relief on her face.

  Poor woman. She’s been living in fear for so long that even a hospital is like a sanctuary to her.

  “I was going to collect my money from the bank and bring it to you for safekeeping, Mavis,’ she whispered.” I don’t know what happened or how you got here but I am so glad to see you.”

  “Just sit back and relax, Eve. I have spoken to the social worker. She knows your situation. They will interview your husband but you need not see him again if that is what you wish. Your first priority is to get well. After that we’ll settle everything else. Trust me.”

  Eve closed her eyes and sank back into the pillows. Exhaustion was sweeping over her.

  Mavis waited till her breathing was regular and some colour had returned to her face. She tiptoed out and walked slowly back to the double-door exit. She pushed a round metal button to the side and the doors opened outward. Escape!

  The entire experience had thrust her back to her working days at the London courthouse. The barely concealed air of panic in the waiting room, the questions and concerns of the medical personnel and the knowledge of life and death decisions being made all around you were familiar reminders of the highly-charged atmosphere in the courts of law.

  She shook it all off as she inhaled the crisp, cold air. Snow was falling and she had forgotten where she parked the car. Scrabbling in her pocket, she found the parking ticket stamped Emergency Priority Parking and headed uphill toward the entrance. She would pay by credit card as she had no idea how long she had spent in the hospital.

  Next would come the explanations for Hilary. She hoped that lady was in a good humour.

  * * *

  When Mavis drew into the parking space at Camden Corners the windshield wipers had been swishing back and forth for some time as the snowfall developed. She had driven slowly and carefully, mindful of the man in the waiting room’s comments about the first snow.

  As she climbed the front steps, she was overcome with exhaustion. She had kept her energy levels up all through the hospital experience but now she saw safety, she let go.

  Hilary opened the d
oor before she reached for her key, and pulled her inside.

  “Mavis, you look worn out. No. Don’t say one word. We will have a meal first. I heated up lasagna while I was waiting. There’s warm crusty bread and a glass of wine if you want it. I just shoved an apple pie into the oven for dessert.”

  It was not the thought of delicious hot food that undid Mavis. Rather, it was the warmth of Hilary’s comforting voice and the normal appearance of her home, so different from the clinical place from which she had come. The tears rolled down her face without her volition and Hilary knew at once what to do. She removed the coat, placed the purse in the closet and put her arms around her friend leading her into the kitchen and settling her on one of the padded stools at the counter where she had placed a mug of hot tea as soon as she heard Mavis’s car arriving. She added a box of tissues and removed herself to give the private Mavis time to recover her equilibrium. In spite of her curiosity she kept her promise and spoke casually about the day’s meeting while they ate.

  “Honor seems like a good candidate. I think we can accommodate her needs and since she is young she should recover well from her hip operation.

  I must say I am more and more impressed with Vilma. I judged her too soon as a glamour type, likely to be overly concerned with her appearance, but I am delighted to acknowledge I was quite wrong. She has taken Jannice O’Connor under her wing. Did you see how much better Jannice looked today? Vilma may keep all of us on our toes as far as appearance is concerned.”

  She waited, until colour returned to Mavis’s face and she had finished the plateful of lasagna and broccoli, before continuing.

  “Now, if you feel stronger, tell me what has happened with Eve.”

  Mavis took a last sip of the glass of red wine and told her friend everything that she saw and heard at the hospital. She left to the end of her account what she had told the social worker.

  “I acted on instinct with her, Hilary, and I believe I judged her correctly. We were on the same page as it were, and I think she will support my suggestion. How do you feel about it all?”

  “Mavis Montgomery, I do not ever question your instincts. From the first moment you were concerned about that poor woman, Eve, and providing her with a safe place to live is part of our mandate for co-housing. We said we wanted to share living with like-minded people. Would we two, both products of caring professions, be happy without a project to improve the lives of those around us? We want harmony in our house and that will have challenges, of course.”

  “Hilary, I should know better than to doubt your generosity of spirit. We will work together to help Eve and Honor, and I think you have just named our future home. Harmony House is a perfect name. All we have to do now is find the place!”

  Chapter 10

  Snow continued to fall until the entire city of London, Ontario, was wrapped in sound-muffling, pure white. Traffic in the subdivision slowed to a crawl, schools were closed for the day, the gardens were blanketed in snow and the evergreens began to take on the role of major land marks that were rightly theirs in winter. It seemed as if everyone took a deep breath, accepting that winter had arrived and girding themselves for the snow removal activities that would eventually give them access to the outer world again.

  Mavis and Hilary chose to use this time cocooned inside, with their first log fire burning in the living room. Mavis had moved into Hilary’s second bedroom for the time being. They decided to make use of the time to start the search for a future home and Hilary had a collection of local estate agents’ flyers and the computer to show them where and what was on offer.

  “We have our quota of six now, so we are ready to think of the next step. We need to know exactly what finances will be required from each of us for the purchase.”

  “I have the final papers to sign for the transfer of my house, Hilary. Yours is up for sale, Eve has the cash in her bank, Vilma is well supplied and Honor was not worried about her contribution. Jannice’s place may take longer to sell but Vilma is advising her about that. I believe we are well on our way so let’s take a look to see what is available.”

  The search was both fascinating and frustrating. Winter is not the best time to be looking for houses to buy although what was available was often discounted for a hopeful end-of-year late sale. One additional advantage of these offerings was that the advertising photographs had been taken much earlier in the year so the grounds and access roads were clearly visible. Google maps soon showed more than the agents’ photos which often featured the best view and eliminated how close the neighbouring homes were placed.

  They were looking for a large home, on a reasonable size of lot, not far from town and transportation links. They hoped to find a sound structure that would accommodate some renovations without difficulty. They wanted nothing too old or outdated. They required modern electric services, a good heating furnace, and plumbing in all the right locations.

  Six bedrooms and six washrooms soon eliminated all the most recent building estates in London which featured mostly small multi-units and small lots. They were obliged to look further afield to the outskirts of the city, some parts of which had been absorbed into London within the last two decades.

  “No one builds large homes these days,” observed Hilary. “We have limited choices; either a much older stately home downtown or a newer one in a very expensive enclave.”

  Mavis had been leafing through their collection of Real Estate magazines looking for something unusual.

  “There might be a possibility on the outskirts where the remaining farmland exists. The farms are gone now but I see one or two very nice traditional farm buildings with a bit of acreage around them still.”

  They discarded the oldest ones on offer despairing of yellow brick facades and large barns in the rear on rural routes. The two were on their second cups of tea when Mavis spotted a charming, large home with a traditional look, balconies and some Victorian features.

  “Well it looks interesting. What do the specifications say?”

  Mavis read silently for a minute absorbing the details.

  “I must say, this is highly unusual in several ways. It states the home has been vacant for almost a year and there’s a phrase here which is concerning.”

  Hilary was more and more intrigued. “Tell me!”

  Mavis read aloud. “This large property was formerly owned by a developer who adapted it to suit his needs. The style may not please all clients but it is very well worth a visit from any interested parties.”

  “That is strange Mavis. What do you think it means?”

  “I suspect it means we should continue looking!”

  They agreed to do this and several more hours over two days were occupied in surfing the internet in a search for the perfect property. By the time they had a list of three possibilities in different parts of the city, the snow had been cleared from the main streets and the two friends were becoming impatient to check out the prospects.

  “Let’s take a look around. Nothing formal. No agents yet. We can combine it with a grocery shopping trip and you will be able to check in with Eve. The social worker, Sheila was it? she said Eve might be discharged today.”

  “Right. If we start out early we can do everything in one trip. Your car has the best road-holding reputation, Hilary, and the GPS as well. I’ll pay for a fill-up. Just let me talk to the social worker before we leave.”

  In minutes they were on the road with a time-saving plan. Their first stop was in North London where two prospective homes were located. They found the first in a street of handsome older brick homes but Hilary dismissed both at once.

  “These won’t do at all. They are too close to Western University and will likely have been student residences purchased by wealthy parents for their kids’ use during their university years. Not only will the interiors have been abused but the whole area will be plagued with noise complaints and piles of reject furniture on the sidewalks at the end of spring term.”

  “Yes, I have
read something about these problems in the newspaper. It’s too bad. There are a lot of downtown amenities here as well as access to events in the various colleges. Let’s move on.”

  The second location was in a newer subdivision called Sunningdale. A mix of housing styles looked attractive. Among these were several large homes which might accommodate the number of bedrooms they needed, although there were only a few with decent space around them.

  As they were driving along looking for the sale sign, Mavis suddenly realized she knew the name of the street.

  “Stop, Hilary! This is where Vilma lives. We couldn’t choose a house in this area without making Vilma highly uncomfortable.”

  Hilary turned the car around at once and drove back to Richmond Street. Mavis consulted their ‘Top Choices’ list and suggested trying Wortley Village.

  “It’s an award winning area. Not large. Central to downtown and has plenty in the way of restaurants, coffee shops and even a library branch and a grocery store.”

  “That sounds more promising!”

  The first thing Hilary saw as she drove into Wortley Village was the open ground around a very stately building.

  “Look! A spot to walk a dog! This is the original Normal School for training teachers but that was well before my time. It has changed hands recently. I am pleased they retained the green space here.”

  “Not only that, one of London’s oldest parks is just around the corner near a branch of the River Thames.”

  “You’re right. I’ll park here at the grocery store and we can walk about.”

  Once they traversed the length of Wortley Village admiring the variety of amenities, they found the street where the house for sale stood. It was very large, Victorian in design with projecting wings and superstructure and had a sign indicating it belonged to the nearby parish church.

  They looked at it in silence for a few minutes without commenting.

  “It’s dark looking with these huge old trees.”