Memory House

by Ruth Hay

  Please try Vilma! I think you need that holiday.”

  It was tempting. Jannice was right. She did need to get away with time to think, but it was doubtful if she could switch weeks just two months before Christmas. Also, what would Mavis and Hilary think if two Harmony House residents were absent during the holiday season, in addition to the doctors, who were likely to be on call?

  Most problematic of all, was the lack of a reliable person to look after Oscar and Astrid. The latter issue was a real stumbling block to the holiday idea. And yet, in a way it would be good to be gone when Jamison Ingleby finally got his act together and came to invite her for a festive meal. She seriously disliked being taken for granted.

  “I don’t know, Jannice. I suppose I could try to fix it up but do not count on it. It’s a long shot at best.

  Say nothing about me to Hilary and Mavis.”

  “I won’t say a word. I am so glad you will try. It would be wonderful.”

  After the conversation with Jannice, Vilma began to dream about Jamaica.

  She had sternly dismissed it from her mind after the last time when she was there with Andy, Braden and Amanda. That holiday had not worked out so well and the subsequent break-up with Andy had left a bad taste in her mouth. There seemed to be no good reason to go off on holiday by herself after that, but time had passed.

  Plenty of time had passed and the situation now was different.

  She dreamed of the gleaming beach. How to get there, consumed a large part of her waking hours, for which she was very glad. At least it pushed aside the confusing matter of Jamison Ingleby.

  Without any hope of a good conclusion, she decided to call her renting agent and see what he thought.

  Jack was very glad to hear from her. He promised to look into it at once. He asked if she was interested in using both her villas, or just the one. She replied she was not sure but to go ahead with the two if that was an option.

  After the call to Jack, she wondered what on earth she was thinking. How would she fill two villas? There was no question of going on her own, to sit there and watch Jannice and Mitchell and other happy lovers stroll hand-in hand along the beach.

  It was a complete waste of time. She would make some excuse to Jannice and forget all about it.

  * * *

  Two weeks later the first early winter snowstorm arrived in Southwestern Ontario. It happened most years and was a fast and furious reminder that winter would come sooner rather than later. For two days, snow flew constantly. After that it soon melted away again.

  This year it remained cold and blowy and Vilma Smith could not stand it. The dogs were happy. The house was warm. Her winter outdoor wear was handy in the storage bins downstairs but she hated the thought of winter coming.

  Jack called during the storm. He had found a client who was glad to switch the Christmas week with February. He and his wife were expecting a baby around Christmas and they needed to stay home.

  The idea of Jamaica suddenly came to the fore, vigorously. It could happen. She just had to work at it.

  * * *

  Vilma Smith on a mission was not someone who gave up easily.

  She took a swift, strong drink and called Andy Patterson. The sound of his voice sent her stomach into a dive for a moment.

  “Vilma! How sweet to hear from you! Are we friends? I hope so. What can I do for you? Anything! Anything at all!”

  “I need a favour, Andy. I need to board the dogs with you for a week or so.”

  “Fantastic! I am longing to see them. Oh! There will be one condition, Vilma.”

  “What?”

  “You must first come by with the dogs and see what we have done with the old barn. You will be amazed. When can you come?”

  “If you’re sure about this, I will come when this awful snow has gone. I’ll call you.

  Andy, you did not even ask when I need boarding space.”

  “I’ll find room for them, don’t worry. It does not matter when. They can sleep on my bed if necessary.”

  He did not end the sentence with, ‘like they used to do’ but both of them knew that was what he meant.

  She said her thanks, breathed deeply in relief, and began to plan stage two.

  Chapter 29

  Vilma’s first thought was to include Mavis and Hilary in the Jamaica trip.

  She approached Mavis. When she mentioned that the week in question was during Christmas, Mavis shook her head.

  “It’s a lovely idea, Vilma. I do appreciate your kindness, but I don’t believe it would be good for Hilary. She is sometimes easily upset by changes and I don’t want to risk a meltdown far from home ground.”

  “Mavis, are you saying Hilary is much worse? I had no sense of that. You must tell me what I can do to help.”

  “I gave you the wrong impression, Vilma. Hilary is doing very well, overall. The music has helped her enormously. Some days she is as good as new. I just don’t want to rock the boat, as it were.”

  “You have taken this responsibility on your shoulders, Mavis, but it doesn’t need to be yours exclusively. We can all play a part, and we all should do that.”

  “Just going about your regular routines is helpful for Hilary. We can make some small changes for her next year but I need to give this some thought over Christmas before I talk to anyone here about it.”

  Their talk moved on to other matters, and Vilma mentally scored the Mavis/Hilary option off her plan.

  It looked like the Jamaican vacation was a non-starter. And yet, she had solved the worst problem already, by securing Andy’s co-operation. He was keen to help.

  Was there no other solution?

  * * *

  Her next idea was to ask Honor if she and Jared would care to occupy one of the two villas over Christmas.

  “Do you mean it? I have dreamed of going ever since you first talked about Jamaica years ago. I will need to ask if Jared can get away. I will put real pressure on him for this. We have hardly seen each other since he went to Toronto, and I know how hard he is working by what he tells me on the phone.

  This would solve our Christmas problems totally. Time together and no presents to buy! Perfect!

  We can definitely afford it, Vilma. Faith is spending the holidays with Mason’s family in Kingston. I was going to join them, but this is a far better idea altogether.”

  Honor was practically jumping out of her shoes with excitement. She gave Vilma a hug and began to talk about packing for a beach holiday.

  “I will buy swim suits, for sure. I am so glad my yoga practise means I am not ashamed to show off my body. I mean to give Jared Pace something to remember when he returns to Toronto!”

  She danced away from her computers and ran to the storage bins to find a suitcase.

  Vilma smiled to see her enthusiasm but three unsolved problems still remained.

  Would Jared get time off? How would Mavis and Hilary feel about an empty house over Christmas?

  How would Vilma feel, in the villa all by herself, with two couples in the resort from Harmony House constantly reminding her she was single?

  Vilma had promised to take the dogs to Andy’s.

  She called him as soon as the snow melted away and the roads were clear, then she bundled Astrid and Oscar into her car and set off for the big red barn.

  She had not been on Colonel Talbot Road for some time and she almost missed the turnoff to Andy’s road because of the distraction of huge signs advertising new subdivisions ‘Coming Soon to this Area’.

  There was going to be housing on the open fields that were farmlands before. She wondered if this would mean more clients for Andy’s business.

  There was still a long straight road to drive before she saw the red barn on the hillside ahead of her. Her heart skipped a beat. It was immediately obvious that things had changed. The original extension building attached to the barn, now had another two-storey section at a right angle to it.

  She drove into a new paved parking area and had to calm the
dogs down before she dared open the car door to let them out. They knew exactly where they were, even after years.

  The dogs’ excitement was nothing compared to their antics when Andy appeared to greet them.

  Vilma held tightly to their leads but it was impossible to keep them under control for long. She let go and they rushed to Andy and he allowed them a minute of sheer exhilaration until, with a hand sign, he got them to sit.

  “Vilma, it is so good to see you! You look well, as ever. Let’s put these two rascals into a boarding pen while we take a tour.

  Astrid! Oscar! Come with me and check out your luxury accommodation.”

  Vilma trailed behind, watching with pleasure the way her dogs responded to the man they trusted and loved without question, and always would.

  Andy had not exaggerated about the pens. There were singles and doubles, most filled with a dog or dogs, and all the pens were fully equipped with comfortable beds, toys, raised water and feeding dishes, and she noticed cameras to ensure constant supervision from the main building. She also observed the resident dogs did not start barking at Oscar and Astrid as they passed the pens. They seemed to trust Andy and any person or animal with him.

  It was only when Andy had introduced the dogs into one of the double pens, and left them to sniff around, that Vilma realized the back of the pens could open by remote control. The dogs could be sent into an enclosed exercise area bounded on two sides by the buildings and with a tall gate system on the side facing the hills and trees of a large fenced field. She recognized the field as the place where the little farmhouse had once stood. It was gone now, it’s stones incorporated into the walls of the extensions and all her memories went with them.

  There was a new entrance at the far end with stairs leading up to the second level. A large wooden door in this area looked out of place until Andy told her it was the lift door to a hoist.

  “We installed it for furniture and other heavy equipment. Oscar can use it instead of the stairs.”

  On the upper level, Andy proudly showed her his living quarters.

  Large windows on both sides allowed him to see what was going on below. There was a masculine-styled living room and kitchen with dishwasher, washing machine and clothes dryer, and a hallway lined with storage closets leading to a spacious bedroom and washroom.

  It was all so different from the bare rooms Andy had occupied when he first moved into the top floor.

  Vilma hesitated to enter the private rooms, but Andy could not wait to show her his surprise.

  Sitting on the bed and watching with ears alert, was a beautiful German Shepherd dog.

  “Prince, come and meet Vilma!”

  Knowing how Andy once felt about replacing his police dog, King, she was both astonished and delighted to see the connection between this man and his dog. It was for her a sure sign that Andrew Patterson had healed, and changed, and moved on.

  She stroked the noble head of Prince and turned to his owner with tears in her eyes.

  “Andy, I could not be happier for you. All of this is wonderful. You are obviously doing great business here and Prince is the final proof of it. He is a magnificent animal and you deserve him.”

  “That means so much coming from you, Vilma.”

  He almost reached to hug her to him, but both knew that would be a step too far. Instead, he signalled to Prince to follow, and they retraced their steps to the boarding pen where Oscar and Astrid were now looking quite at home. Prince sniffed noses with them through the mesh.

  Andy told the dogs he would be back soon, and he left Prince on guard while he and Vilma went to his offices for tea and toasted English muffins prepared by a young trainee lad who backed out quickly to return to his duties as soon as he poured tea into clean china cups.

  Vilma had to laugh. “Well this is quite different from the old days, Andy, and these cups are a sure sign you have moved along.”

  He joined in her laughter. There was no denying the changes.

  After a bite or two of muffins washed down with strong tea, Andy explained.

  “I want to ask you about the dogs, Vilma. You mentioned some arthritis issues? We have a resident vet here now, and also a masseuse, Anita, who is a miracle worker with injured dogs. With your permission, I can get her to take a look at Oscar, while he is with us for the Christmas week and see what therapies she will suggest.”

  It was hard for Vilma to respond. She was close to tears again. Something in her heart was healing over for the first time. Here before her, was Andy Patterson, restored to his full potential. He would always be a friend and a good memory. All the remnants of old bitterness were gone like the mist rising from the river on those far-off mornings when they walked through the willows with her dogs.

  She could not speak. She nodded and smiled.

  “Right then!

  Let’s go get the dogs and see what we can do in the training arena in the barn. It will be like the old days. Don’t worry, Vilma! I won’t let Oscar do too much. Wait until you see Prince in action. He’s a champion of champions.”

  And so are you, Andy Patterson! So are you!

  Chapter 30

  By the end of November, everything in Vilma’s plan began to fit together.

  Jared talked his boss into giving him a much-needed holiday in the week of Christmas. Honor, Jannice and Vilma bought tickets on the ground transport bus to Toronto airport, and arranged to meet Mitchell and Jared in the airport lounge before taking the flight to Jamaica together.

  Louise and Dennis Ridley invited the Harmony household over to their house for a celebration meal and announced the joyful news that the paternity case for permanent possession of Tyrone had been thrown out of court. Mavis saw a look pass between Dennis and Shania when Louise made the announcement. Mavis was almost positive those two had connived in some way to make this happen. She promised herself to get Shania on her own one day soon and wheedle it out of her.

  Dennis asked how plans for the annual Christmas celebration were coming along at Harmony House.

  When he heard that Mavis and Hilary were going to be on their own for a very quiet Christmas, he insisted on them joining the Ridley gang.

  “You can stay as long or as short a time as you wish, ladies. The children will love to have you here to see their new toys and Shania will walk you back if things get too noisy for you.

  What about those two young doctors, we can’t leave them on their own at Christmas? They are also welcome to come to us.”

  Mavis replied that Grant was heading home to Scotland for the holidays with Stuart, who wanted to see his mother and his younger siblings again.

  “Since Stuart’s father came back into his life, he is in the process of re-thinking his plans for the future. I believe he wants to talk it all over with his family in Edinburgh.”

  This was news to Vilma. She had heard nothing from Jamison and she had not managed to collar Stuart long enough to enquire where his father was, and how his plans for an Ontario base for his architecture business were progressing. As each day passed, she grew more and more annoyed at Jamison and she was very glad she had not given the man reason to believe she was waiting patiently for him to swoop down on her again without a single explanation of his lengthy absence.

  In her own mind, she characterized their short acquaintance as merely ‘a flash in the pan’, a sizzle and then gone. She had finally reached some peace of mind with the holiday in Jamaica and decided she did not need a man to give her validity. Alone was good in many ways. She would get the rest and relaxation she needed while Oscar and Astrid were safe and happy with Andy Patterson.

  In many ways, she decided, it would be the perfect holiday, friends within reach, but no one depending on her to entertain them. There would be no big Christmas fuss, with huge post-feast clean-ups to deal with. Just simple sun and sand; sea and sangria.

  She began to wonder why she had denied herself this type of week’s holiday for so long. Surely, the lingering memories of Andy in the vil
la on those warm star-filled nights had not soured her completely on the idea? That was juvenile in the extreme and Vilma Smith credited herself with much more in the way of brains and guts than that.

  She packed a case and watched the days tick off one by one. To help the time pass, she drove Hilary around town to see the decorations in Victoria Park and to ask her about her childhood memories.

  This gave Mavis a break, for which she was grateful.

  “Jannice has filled the freezer with meals for us but I want a chance to bake a Christmas Log for the Ridleys. It will be lovely to hear the children’s voices at Christmas and will bring back happy times for Hilary when Desmond was a boy.”

  “Does Desmond know about his mother’s condition?”

  “Hilary has forbidden me to speak of it to him. I think he is coming to take us out for a meal at New Year’s. He does not spend enough time with his mother to notice anything unusual in her behaviour.

  With any luck, it will be one of her good days.”

  “I am sure you are right, Mavis. I take it you will dispense with the usual tree and decorations since you will be on your own?”

  “Well, I arranged with Grant some time ago to get a tree for the entrance hall. He promised to cut one down and bring it inside before he goes to Scotland with Stuart.”

  “That is good of him. I guess it will be a very different Christmas this year for all of us, Mavis.”

  “Indeed it will, Vilma. You know, my dear, I am so pleased you will be going to Jamaica again. I must say, just between us, that perhaps you have devoted yourself almost exclusively to your dogs for some time now. Reconnecting with Andy Patterson is a perfect answer to the dog problem and I hope it is the beginning of a new, more relaxed time for you.”