Terminus, p.16
Terminus, page 16
“Hi. I’m –”
“Alyson Read?” he interrupted. “This way. Mrs Maguire is expecting you.”
Alyson let out a deep blow of breath. “Didn’t your mother teach you that it’s rude to interrupt?”
The man’s cheeks reddened as he turned and mumbled, “This way.”
She followed him, at speed, to the Board Room. Alyson frowned to herself, as she was expecting to be led to Paula Maguire’s personal office. He opened the door open for her.
A spiky looking woman looked up from some paper. “Thank you, Jasper. That’ll be all for now.”
Jasper nodded efficiently, motioned for Alyson to enter the room, and closed the door behind her. “Thank you for joining us, Mrs Read. I’m Paula Maguire, chief executive of the hospital.”
She glanced to her left. “You know Dr Slater, I believe.” Then she looked to her right. “This is Mr Jacob Sullivan. He’s our in-house legal eagle.”
Paula smiled primly at her own joke.
With a tight pair of lips, Alyson tried to smile at the pair of men.
“Let’s not beat around the bush. Mrs Read. Although he is in-house, Mr Sullivan’s time is expensive.” Jacob coughed awkwardly and reached for the cut glass water pitcher.
“Mrs Read?” Jacob motioned at a delicate glass set in front of Alyson.
“Sure, thank you.” Alyson gratefully sipped the cooled water. Her throat was dry.
Dr Slater looked at Alyson impassively.
‘Is that a sneer? Surely that can’t be. He’s a wonderful, kind man.’
“Thank you for coming up to see me. Now. I know that you were expecting that you were coming to accompany Mr Gary Honeyman on his final journey to eternal sleep.” Paula looked first at Dr Slater, then Jacob, before staring right into Alyson’s eyes.
Alyson squirmed, waiting for Paula to speak again. “As you know, you claimed that Mr Honeyman had no living relatives or friends. No-one except for a cat.”
Paula took her time to drink half a glass of water. “As you may imagine, at the hospital, we pride ourselves on our duty of care to the highest level. We found no relatives –”
“Can we go and get on with it? I have to get back to my disabled husband –”
“Don’t interrupt!” barked Paula. causing Alyson jumped at her tone. The two men exchanged glances; Dr Slater grimaced.
“As I was saying, we found no relatives. Until a woman who we were treating in this hospital contacted me by telephone today. She tells me that you told her that Mr Honeyman is her father. Of course, we will verify with DNA testing. For confidentiality reasons, I won’t tell you who that is.” Paula sucked in air between her teeth. “I have to say that hiding someone’s true father from them is one thing, but to be prepared to come in my hospital and declare that a patient has no living relatives and hold their hand whilst they die is quite something else. It is not your decision as to whether or not it’s right that Mr Honeyman lives to see another day or passes on. I am very disappointed, Mrs Read.”
Paula lowered her glasses to the table, gazing at Alyson while her words sank in. “You should be grateful that, at this stage, I’m not involving the police. Mr Sullivan, despite being a lawyer, does have a heart and asked me to consider letting you go home to your family. We shall investigate further. In the meantime, you’re not welcome to visit Mr Honeyman. Security will see you out.” She stood and curtly said, “Good bye, Mrs Read.”
Alyson’s face was red, sweat glistened despite the cold air conditioning. Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound came. She stood and left the room. Two burly men, who looked suited to being bouncers outside a nightclub dressed in black, stood either side of her and escorted her away.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Mark lay in bed, snoring gently.
Sue and Annie sat in silence, watching EastEnders with the light dimmed and each cradling a coffee. They were comfortable in each other’s company despite not knowing each other.
A key slid into the front door from the outside. Annie sat bolt upright.
“Hiya, love,” Sue cooed as Alyson came in.
Alyson didn’t speak. She flopped down onto the sofa beside Sue.
“Are you ok, love?” Sue asked as she rested a hand on Alyson’s upper arm.
Alyson looked away and stared at the television. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook a little until she managed to get a grip on her emotions. “I’m fine thanks, Sue. It’s just been a shock.”
Annie scoffed. Sue looked over at her and frowned before turning her attention back to Alyson. “Grief is hard love, even when we expect the loss. Mark’s been a sweetheart. He’s worn out, poor soul, so I put him to bed to sleep.”
“Thanks Sue,” said Annie, “We do appreciate you rushing over here, don’t we, Mum?”
Alyson nodded a little, hugging herself tighter.
“It’s alright love, it’s what we pride ourselves on at Puffin Care. I can see that you ladies need time together now, so I’ll be off.” Sue stood with care, as if walking into a prayer meeting, and ushered herself out. “Ta-ra now, see you later,” she called as she left the home.
Without speaking, Alyson went to the kitchen. She returned with her cigarettes. Annie reached to the windows and pushed one wide open. A blackbird, unseen in a tree, blasted out its song. She stared at Alyson as her mother lit up and took a deep drag.
Annie’s stomach churned as she waited for the woman opposite to speak. The colour had drained from Alyson’s face. Curiously a riot of blotchy red covered her upper chest visible above her blouse. She smoked half her cigarette before stubbing it out in her large glass ashtray, waving the acrid smoke away from her eyes.
Alyson stared at the floor, trying to avoid eye contact with her daughter. “Come on then, the suspense is killing me. How did you know, Annie? What told you that I was going to accompany Gary as he left this world. Hopefully en route to hell.”
“You’re always trying to get one up on me, Mum. Always suspicious of other people. You forgot that my hearing is excellent. There weren’t secrets when I was growing up,” Annie scoffed, lifting her eyes to the ceiling. “Well, I didn’t think there were and there you had the mother of all secrets. I can’t believe that you didn’t even tell Dad that he’s not my biological father. What gave you that right to keep that from me, and more importantly, from Dad? You know full well that he’d have forgiven you even though you wouldn’t be able to forgive yourself.”
Alyson’s red-rimmed eyes flicked to her daughter, “Can you forgive me?”
“Yes, in time, though it’s kind of hard to swallow right now. Especially with what I found, after you’d gone out to the taxi.”
Alyson put her face into her hands, resting her elbows on her knees, turning her body away from Annie. “That wasn’t my motivation, Annie. He must have wanted to die or else he wouldn’t have stepped off that ladder –”
“That’s what you think!” Annie stood, taking an envelope from her jeans pocket and pulling a sheet of paper out to look at it. “Who’s not to say that Gary was shocked to his core and couldn’t process what had happened and his brain went into some kind of autopilot? He was obviously shamed by what he’d done. But he loved you, Mum, as this proves. It’s not up to you to play God. I mean, look at Dad.” Annie waved the paper towards her father’s bed. “They said he’d never regain consciousness, but he did. Fucking hell, anyone would think that you’re some kind of, well, I don’t know. You must have found this poking around his stuff when you went to fetch Pushkin.”
She sighed and sat. Holding the paper up, she read out loud.
“Last Will and Testament of Gary Wilberforce Honeyman,” Annie frowned. “What kind of middle name is ‘Wilberforce’?”
Turning her gaze back to the paper with a frown, she continued, “I hereby declare that this will is my truthful last wish. Everything that I own, I bequeath to Alyson Read. She may dispose of all my belongings and property as she sees fit. Every asset, financial or otherwise, shall belong to her.”
Annie placed the paper back into the envelope. “There we have it. I don’t want to believe it, but the evidence tells me you wanted to be the sole beneficiary. You’re scared that he’d get better then change his will to include me as well or instead of you.”
“No, no, no, no, no!” Alyson stammered. “I want Gary to die after what he’s done to me and you. He’s chased me all these years, like some kind of stalker. I think he’s done that will so that even after he’d gone, he’s still be in my head. I thought I could sell all his shit, and we’d share it and be secure in looking after Mark…”
“Nothing to do with this?” Annie pulled a second piece of paper out of the envelope. “Current Balance £842,967.82”
“I thought I’d thrown that out. I don’t know why he was even still working with that kind of cash in the bank.” Alyson moved to sit next to her daughter, putting a hand on Annie’s knee, “I swear to you, Annie. This wasn’t to do with greed and hiding things from you. I’d had enough. Those coffins were the straw that broke the camel’s back. He’s been a menace. Do you know he even bought the Ring doorbell? On the face of it to help me whilst Mark was in hospital, but come on, love, it’s obvious it was to keep an eye on me while he had you tied up. Not only that, but he’s damaged you, Annie. I mean, he’s caused you medical problems and no doubt psychological ill health. It seems to me like some kind of Stockholm Syndrome that you’re hoping he might survive.”
“No,” Annie flushed, “Not at all. It’s easy to wish death and rotting in a grave. But I just can’t say yes to that if there’s even a slim hope that he can live. Surely, he has to pay for his crimes? Maybe I would like to get to know him and more about my relatives.”
“Did you know his wife killed herself because of his obsession with me?”
“Really? No way!” Annie shook her head. “That’s insane. Why didn’t you do something about it?”
“Like what, Annie? It was a happenstance that he became my boss at the council. It’s not like I could go above his head, and say ‘err can I have a transfer please, my boss is a nutcase’.”
“What a mess. I just can’t agree to the pulling the plug, mum. That’s not me at all. I can see that you weren’t lying when you said that you weren’t trying to con me or anything. I understand your motive, but now they know and I know that I’m his daughter. The genie is kind of out the bottle.”
“Help. Help. I need help,” a pitiful voice came from the dining room.
Annie sighed and hugged her mother. “On that note, fancy a coffee?”
With a grimace, Alyson stood slowly and rubbed the small of her back. “Nice try, Annie, to change the subject. Go and make that coffee, and I’ll see what your dad wants.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ding!
It was Annie’s first day back a work. She sat in her boss’ cubicle, talking about what had happened. Jade was to decide if Annie was ready to be back on the phones taking emergency calls, or if she should have a move elsewhere in the headquarters for a period of time. There was always a shortage of staff in all departments. Finding a placement would be easy.
Annie’s email chimed on her phone. “Sorry, this is important.” Jade Kershaw half smiled and patiently waited whilst Annie looked at her phone.
“Oh, my god! It’s true…” Annie exclaimed, covering her mouth with a hand.
“What is?”
“Gary, the man who kidnapped me is my actual biological father.”
Jade cocked her head, her ponytail draped over her shoulder. “Huh?”
Annie blushed and sat straight in her chair, pushing her shoulders back. “I don’t know if you heard, but he brought my mother to where I was captive. She dropped the bomb that he’s my dad. I had no idea, nor did Gary. That’s why he tried to hang himself.”
Jade blew out an incredulous breath, shaking her head and closing her eyes. She studied Annie’s face. “How do you feel about that, Annie?”
“It’s been… character building.” Annie scoffed. “It’s not exactly the normal way to find something like that out. Add finding out about my dad being seriously ill after a car crash to that…”
Jade mimicked an explosion from her head, with her hands slowly drifting away from her. “Boooooom! My god Annie, and yet here you are all shiny and ready to go.”
She lifted her plastic call centre compulsory cup with a small spout in the lid, took a sniff of the coffee fumes, and drained it. Putting it back on the desk, Jade looked at her computer screen, clicking a mouse and flicking through screens faster than Annie could keep up with.
Finally, an internal jobs advertisement appeared on screen.
“Annie, I don’t think the call centre makes the most of your talents and potential. You’re young, resilient and learn quickly. Look, if you want to, apply for this Fingerprint Technician role and I’ll back you all the way. You never know where it could lead. I think that you’re actually ok to start back on Monday morning, but it’ll be prudent for you to be shadowed for a couple of days first.”
“Thank you, Jade, for believing in me. You know what, I think I will apply for that job. Life’s definitely looking up.” Annie’s eyes lit up. “Give me a hug.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
October
“Sign here, Miss Read,” the pleasant faced Indian lady said. “We’ll be able to move your father from the hospital to Sunflower House tomorrow. The extension has been signed off by Building Control. I’m sure that he’ll love the rehabilitation we have. Times really are changing, and nursing homes have come on a long way. Especially for patients like Mr Honeyman with complex brain disability.”
“Thank you, Mrs Agarwal. Gary has come a long way too.” Annie felt a tingle in her limbs. She closed her eyes and looked up. She breathed in deeply and made soft eye contact with the other woman. “You know, I never knew until recently that he’s my father. My dad is at home, ironically, with a brain injury too. It’s funny how the world works, isn’t it?”
“It’s the way of the world.” Mrs Agarwal smile lit up her face. “I studied that book in school many years ago. Don’t really remember the book, but the title is so perfect, isn’t it? I can tell that you are such a caring young lady, and a credit to your parents. I’m sure that Mr Honeyman will be proud of how you are looking after his best interests.”
Gary sat in his hospital bed, propped up by fat white pillows. His multi coloured eyes watery, hair well-trimmed and clean shaven. He spoke, words spaced out and drawled, “Thank. Thank. Thaaaank you A-A Annie and Lady Aaahgaahl.”
Annie stood and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Her eyes shone. “I’m off to work now, Gary. It’s late turn in the office for me.”
He tried to smile; one side of his lips lifted a little.
“I’ll get Mum to make a cake for you. Maybe a nice carrot or coffee cake. I remember when she used to make one for work from time to time…”
“Make sure there’s some left over for me!” Mrs Agarwal grinned. “I do love a bit of homemade cake.”
Annie chuckled. “Who doesn’t? The staff on the ward here have enjoyed some. Anyway, see you next week.”
Chapter Thirty
Mark slept. The dining room that his bed occupied was dimmed with closed blinds for far more hours of the day than they were open. Alyson listened to the radio on a smart speaker in the kitchen as she made a batch of cakes.
“Alexa, play a Spoonful of Sugar,” she said, whilst adding ingredients for the icing into the bowl. She hummed and sang the chorus, lightness in the bowl matching the happiness lifting her soul. Baking always had a place in her heart. Making an extra special cake like this red velvet cake lifted her spirits to another level.
“You see, Mark, how is it possibly fair that you’re stuck at home with no real added value like therapies and all that jazz, whilst Gary gets to go and live in an all singing all dancing home just because he has money?” Alyson glanced over into the dim room, Mark a shape on the bed under a blanket. “What is a woman to do? Stay home, and make a lovely moist cake.”
A pair of letters sat unopened on top of the microwave. Alyson found herself glancing at them from time to time. The feeling of happiness waned as she mentally counted the number of times she had been turned down for work in the last few months.
“It’s no good, I best open them,” Alyson muttered after sliding the cake into the oven, and clicking the door shut.
With a groan, she realised that the first envelope’s return address printed on the reverse belonged to the DWP. Her mind flicked back, and she shivered. Filling in the forms for Universal Credit had been onerous, and needed a visit to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. Totally out of character, the memory of crying to a volunteer made her cringe. She tore the envelope open and took out the letter. Alyson grunted with frustration as she read; ‘You did not attend your interview, as required. As a result, we will sanction your benefit.”
Alyson screwed it up into a ball and threw it into the kitchen bin, picked up her packet of cigarettes from the counter and stomped outside. Thoughts battled in her mind as she shakily lit up. Looking across the garden, nothing really registered beyond her eyes. The noise of the situation, Mark’s care, less money coming now with the sanction, bills and Annie’s new found relationship with Gary all battled for attention. The cigarette crackled as Alyson took the final drag. She dropped the butt and ground it into the concrete with her heel, “Come on Alyson, we have more cake to make.”
A tear fell onto her top lip. “That’s it,” she said aloud. “I have to sort myself out. I will get a job this week.”
Alyson wiped the tear away, stood tall and plastered a determined, fake smile onto her face and re-entered the house.
Chapter Thirty-One
