The Party
By Bradene
- 711 reads
We arrive to find Yas’ ironing.
Must have been a couple of weeks before Christmas when he rang. At first I didn’t recognise the voice, well, it’s been years since we spoke. I said,
“Who? Who did you say?”
“It’s Gav’” he hissed down the phone.
Sounded dead impatient! (sigh) then it hit me! God I started to shake something terrible.
“Wh-what’s wrong?” I shouted.
“Christ Aunt Yas, keep yer ‘air on, nowts wrong” he said
“Why are you ringing then? You don’t ring me! Never!”
I thought he was going to tell me our Dot had gone…huh…winded me… my bloody heart wouldn’t stop dancing about…
He said, “no, listen it’s Kate’s 40th January 15th and I’m organisin’ a party, but you’ll ‘ave ter keep yer gob shut as she knows nowt about it, will you and Bill come?"
Talk about relief! Phew…Can’t remember much about how the rest of the conversation went, only that I said,
“course we will, look forward to it.”
Pause
Tut’ (sigh) Bill’s decided he won’t be fit for partying, what with his blood pressure and him just turning 70 and all, he said I could go though
“Nothing to stop you going, I’ll be fine, just cook me a couple of meals and stick them in the freezer, sorted.” he said (chuckles)
Pause
I worked it out, that if our Anne and Brian dropped off the A1 they could pick me up en-route, go to our Mary and Ewan’s change into our glad rags and go on to the party from their place.
A few quick phone calls and a bit of to-ing and fro-ing and it was arranged and since it was a way off I didn’t give it much of a thought till after Christmas.
It was the day after boxing day actually, I remember 'cos the first pictures were just coming through of the Tsunami and I remember thinking,
'Oh God help them '
and feeling guilty for getting excited at the prospect of a party! (sigh) still what can you do? Except pray and throw money at them.
Pause
I kept wishing, if only I were 20 years younger and a bit fitter I’d be out there digging with rest…humph! Pointless, my wishing I was twenty years younger I mean, not the digging…
Go to black
We come back to find Yas’ hanging her coat up after a shopping trip.
I found this gorgeous skirt in ‘Bon Marche’ its black lace, calf length and swishes around my legs as I walk, feel dead sexy in it… I’ve the perfect top to wear with it, and while I was doing the food shopping in Asda I strolled around George’s, found this amazing poncho type thingy in soft wool with a roll collar and a black and white corsage to one side, Looks Fabulous! Huh! Getting really excited, daren’t let on to Bill though. It’s years since I felt this good about myself, I look ten years younger in my outfit.
Yas continues on to the kitchen where she starts to put away groceries.
Go to black
We see Yas washing dishes
Anne rang today, sounds terribly down, poor love. I’m really worried about her, she’s let herself go lately, getting fat I thought the last time I saw her.
She said she’s not ‘bothered about going to the party, not looking forward to it a bit‘.
I told her, I said,
“ Look darling I know things haven’t been easy but life will get better, trust me” anyhow the upshot is that Benji, you know my grandson the one I’m always bragging about, has decided he does want to come to the party after all and did I mind? Well! You can imagine I was over the moon.
“The only trouble is Mary can’t put us up now” she explained
Wendy, Mary’s eldest has decided to baby sit Edward her young brother after all, so he won’t be going to stay with his other Nan and Granddad, which means of course that all the beds and the drawing room floor will be accounted for. So did I mind forking out for a B&B for the night? Ha! Ha! Mind! I was delighted, As much as I love my daughter the prospect of sleeping on a blow up bed in the middle of her drawing room floor had seemed a little daunting to say the least.
Go to black
Yas has just replaced the telephone receiver
That was Mary ringing with the name of the B&B, just down the road from her apparently, said it looked posh… said
“It has lovely views to the front.”
She at least is showing some enthusiasm… she wants us all to go to hers for lunch on the Sunday, that’ll mean another frozen meal for Bill! I doubt he’ll mind though ha! There’s rugby on TV all weekend that should keep well him happy.
Go to Black
We come up on Yas staring out of kitchen window pensively
They eventually picked me up about three on Saturday. Benji came charging in, God! He seemed to fill the place, well over six foot now. He swung me right off my feet and gave me a big old bear hug. Oh honest I do love that boy… he just fills me to the brim with pride. Anne followed, she looked tired, quite worn out, old and I’ll swear she’s fatter since I saw her last
Pause
Brian brought up the rear grinning like a lunatic and looking like he hadn’t a care in the world, seemed oblivious to Anne’s illness.
We didn’t hang around for long, just long enough for them to have a bit of a giggle with Bill, then we were off, needed to press on before it got too dark as none of us were too sure of the way once we were past Market Harborough.
Anne and I sat together in the back and she took my hand and squeezed it, she knew I was worried about her, she said
“ It’s Ok Mum I’ll be right, just got to get myself sorted not long now”
Pause
After that I don’t think I stopped for breath.. Well Bill, bless him.. a lovely man but not much of a conversationalist (sigh) sometimes I feel quite guilty 'cos I feel he is a bit of a thorn in my side, I often wonder why the heck I married him, total opposites.
Caught an irritated look in the driving mirror from Brian, so I thought I had better give it a rest for a bit, (sigh) sneaked another look at Anne.. She had her eyes closed… God! She looks old.
Go to Black
Yas is still at the window
Well we eventually reached Mary and Ewan‘s. They have a lovely old cottage that they’re in the middle of renovating so it’s not the most comfortable of places at the moment except for the kitchen; it’s one of those big comfy country ones that are all the rage now you know the sort of thing, seems to be the hub of the house. She gives me a hug and offers her cheek for a kiss, talk about chalk and cheese so different from Anne she’s never afraid to kiss her old mum on the lips! Still mustn’t grumble and I do love them both to bits.
Pause
We stopped with Mary and Ewan for an hour or so, Ewan was fixing one of those stair rails to the wall, I said to him
“ I hope your not doing that on my account you cheeky sod!”
he cracked up laughing and winked,
“Course I am you doddering old bugger can’t have you falling down the stairs and suing us”
Ha! He’s a love really, sometimes he comes across a bit arrogant but he has a heart of gold and he is a handsome devil!
“Look I hate to rush you lot, but I have to pick up Wendy yet, you really ought to go and register at the B&B I told her you would be there by now.” Mary said
Go to black
Yas has moved into sitting room and stands holding a framed photograph to her chest
Mary was right about the B&B… It was posh, more like an hotel! There was everything you could want in the bathroom right down to cotton buds! I had told Anne I was going to rest a while before getting ready for the party so I was quite peeved when she came knocking at my door.
“ Mum.. Mum you awake, can I come in? she whispered from the corridor.
“ Yes I am now! Come in love what’s the matter?
I’ll never forget the look on her face, her eyes full of unshed tears.
“Mum sit down, there’s something I have to tell you” she managed before her voice cracked.
. “What ? What is it darling, whatever has happened?” I was frightened all at once.
“The police are here Mum, It’s Bill, Mum… he’s dead “
Her voice was thick with emotion poor sweetheart she must have hated being the one to tell me.
I couldn’t seem to move, all I could think of was how happy I had been to get away for a day or two, the prospect of a party to go to, how bored I had been with my safe little life.
Anne put her arms around me and held me tight, I felt her trembling and heard a catch in her throat. I stood motionless like a bloody stone statue… unfeeling.
“ The police need to see you Mum,”
I didn’t hear anymore… I couldn’t feel or see properly it was like I was dead too, yet at the back of my mind a thought was taking root.
He had died alone.
Pause
Yas has moved toward the window looking out
"The speed of that bloody car! Bill’ll be writing to the road safety lot again if he sees that idiot…"
Stunned silence
No, he won't ... they’ll not be hearing from him again… Course not.
The police said that Mister next door had found him lying in the garden. They had called an ambulance and he was rushed to hospital but it had been far too late, been dead some time apparently
It was his heart.
I can’t understand what he was doing in the garden though…
Go to black
We find Yas crying in the garden some months later
I found out why he was in the garden,
he must have come out to plant this…
I hadn’t noticed it until now, it’s only just begun to bloom...
Knowing him he would have had it planned for ages, he always promised he would plant a red rose for our tenth year together…
it's beautiful.
Pause
Not a thorn on it... (sobs)
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VMM2006
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