Judith Wants To Be Your Friend (9 page)

‘Lots of us are like that, Chloe. Being on your own doesn’t make you strange.’

‘I know. But she says things that other people say aren’t true. Like her and her sister for instance, she told me that they were really close but from what I’ve heard since, they can’t stand each other.’

‘Lots of families don’t like their dirty linen washed in public. I don’t blame her for that. Actually I quite admire it.’

‘Yes, I suppose so. Maybe I’m making too much of it.’

‘Sounds like it to me. You’re usually such a trusting soul, and friendly to everyone.’

‘I know. I don’t like myself for feeling like this. Maybe you’re right and I’ve been too easily swayed. I’ll call Judith next week and invite her over for a sandwich at lunch time. I can keep it all on a professional basis if I’m friendly in a work way.’

‘She seems to have money. She might buy stuff from you. That’s a brand new flashy car she’s driving.’

‘Yes. She offered me a ride but I said no. Maybe she’s lonely and wants to show it off to someone.’

‘That sounds more like it, and more like you.’

‘Yeah. Thanks Pauline. I feel better about it all now.’

Sunday 9
th
November 2008

Fiona arrived at Judith’s flat to pick her up to go to visit their mother at Mill View. She looked around enviously as always. She was a bit fed up with living in their mother’s old house. Judith’s flat was part of an old building conversion in Shaw’s Lane. It was very posh, standing back from the road and overlooking its own lawns and across to hills in the distance. Her sister must be doing well for herself living here and driving her new red BMW.

‘I’ll take my car, Fi.’

‘Don’t be silly. We may as well all go together. Rosie’s in the car waiting for us.’

‘I don’t really want to go at all. She’ll be fine with you and Rosie.’

‘I know you don’t want to go. That’s why we’re going in my car, so that you can’t slope off.’

Judith sighed and put her coat on. ‘What is the point of all of us going? She doesn’t know who’s who at the best of times. She’ll just get confused.’

Fiona dragged herself away from everything she longed for in a dining kitchen; from the Belfast style sink, integrated oven, centre island with a Neff gas hob. She was still struggling on with their mother’s oven that must be over twenty-five years old.

‘Maybe she’ll be less confused if she sees us together. It might help her sort it out in her head. Anyway, I want to broach the subject of power of attorney to make sure she knows what we’re planning. Actually it’s more that we are all agreed on what we want to do. You haven’t involved me in it at all yet.’

‘You’ve been off your head on tranquilisers for the last month!’ Judith said this as she got into the car.

‘Judith, don’t talk to Mum like that. She’s been really worried about Granny. That’s all. And you haven’t been much help.’

With a huge amount of self-control, Judith turned to her niece, smiled and said, ‘Yes, Rosie, I know. Sorry. We are all dealing with this in our own ways.’ She smiled to herself knowing that that would shut them up.

At Mill View they eventually got through the security doors and signed in at reception then made their way across the coarse, hard-wearing carpet into the day room. Judith wondered, not for the first time, how they managed to make the carpet smell of bleach. Still, better that than other things. They looked round.

‘Ah, Judith, Fiona, and hello Rosie. Your mother’s in her room. She didn’t want to come downstairs after lunch.’ One of the carers, about their mother’s age, had known them all their lives and took a special interest in Mrs. Dillon.

‘OK,’ said Rosie and ran up the stairs to find her granny.

‘How has she been?’ asked Fiona.

‘A little unsettled, actually, since Henry Lloyd died.’

‘So Henry Lloyd
is
dead?’ asked Judith, ‘Mum said he was when I popped out here last week. I thought she’d got confused.’

‘He died peacefully in his sleep. It’s always sad when we lose a resident but it is the best way for them to go.’

‘Yes, indeed,’ agreed Judith as she recalled her last conversation with him. She remembered that Henry had a nephew somewhere who had once been sweet on her. She might need to use that to her advantage if people start snooping around looking at his finances. It was indeed the best way for him to go. Certainly if any foul play was suspected there would be investigations into his last payments.

‘Mum, Ju, come up quick,’ called Rosie, looking over her shoulder down the long corridor, which was the way to her granny’s room.

Fiona ran up the stairs to join her daughter.

‘It’s Granny,’ started Rosie, but before she finished the sentence, her granny appeared on the landing with her coat on and a case packed.

‘Ah good. You’ve come to take me home at last.’

Judith instantly forgot Henry Lloyd and marched up the stairs to steer her mother back to her room and unpack her bag.

Later that evening, Fiona and Rosie sat at the big kitchen table eating supper and drinking tea.

‘Mum, don’t cry again, please.’

‘It’s not only Granny,’ she sniffed, ‘it’s Judith as well. She’s such a, a, a
cow
sometimes.’

‘Oh Mum, she’s just like that sometimes. It’s just her way.’

‘It’s true though. All that rubbish about ‘we are all dealing with it in our own way’, that was to make you think she’s suffering as well. She isn’t. She and Granny always had this thing between them. It was never an easy relationship, well, not since…’

‘I know, Mum, don’t go through it again. It certainly isn’t your fault.’

‘No, and she knows that but she’s always been bitter. I think she’s glad Granny’s at Mill View and out of the way. She seems to want Granny’s money. That’s why she won’t let me go with her to the solicitor.’

‘You can go to the solicitor. Just do it if you want to.’

‘You can come if you want.’

‘Not really,’ said Rosie.

‘She wants us out of this house as well, you know.’

‘She does not. She wouldn’t do that. We’ve lived here for years looking after Granny. Maybe you’re over-reacting a bit because of the tablets you’re taking. Judith wouldn’t make us leave. She couldn’t make us leave, could she?’

‘Well, that’s what she wants. She wants the house sold and the money shared out so she doesn’t have to see us any more and we don’t have to see her.’

‘Mum, she doesn’t, she wouldn’t! I’m going to ring and ask her.’

‘Calm down, Rosie. Don’t ring when you’re upset by it. You’ll be off to university next year and the house will be too big for just me. It is sensible; it’s just that Judith will try to force it through more quickly than I want.’

‘I bet it takes ages to sort out all the legal stuff. OK, I will come with you to the solicitor but only to make sure that Judith doesn’t bully you.’

‘Thanks, love. I’ll make an appointment for after school next week.’

Judith sat in her flat with her feet up and a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Her favourite place to sit was in a deep, comfortable armchair in an alcove with a window from floor to ceiling. Even in the dark she looked out with the curtains open. Really, she despaired of her sister. If she hadn’t been there today, Fiona would probably have brought their mother home again and they would have been back at virtually square one. The sooner that house was sold, the better.

Wednesday 12
th
November 2008

Helen the Whirlwind was waiting at the door before Judith arrived at the office, and so was Audrey Henson. Judith cursed silently. She had been so delighted at Helen dealing with the backlog of filing that she had forgotten completely about Henson Electrical’s accounts. She also made a mental note to get a key cut for Helen. The pressure of having to be at the office at the very beginning and very end of every working day was going to get tiresome.

Mrs. Henson blanked Helen completely. ‘Ah, Miss Dillon. I thought you opened at nine in the morning.’

‘Miss Dillon was delayed this morning,’ said Helen, ‘perhaps I can get you a cup of coffee while you wait.’

‘Wait?’ Mrs. Henson sounded incredulous. ‘Wait for what? I wish to speak with Miss Dillon immediately. My time is valuable, even if hers is not.’

Helen stood between Judith and Mrs. Henson until Judith had gone into her office. She quickly retrieved Henson’s file and had it open on her desk when Mrs. Henson eventually got past the sturdy Helen and barged in.

‘All done,’ she smiled. ‘I would have posted it to you. You really didn’t need to come in to pick it up.’

‘You said you would contact me by the end of last week.’

Ah! Good point
, thought Judith. She had forgotten that. ‘I did ring a couple of times,’ she eventually lied, ‘but there was no reply.’ And by some miracle, Mrs. Henson did not contradict her. ‘So, the accounts are here and the invoice will follow in the post.’

‘Thank you,’ she said, picked up her books and walked out.

Helen came into Judith’s office.

‘Thanks Helen. Good try, but you’ll have to block the door completely to keep Mrs. Henson out.’

‘Call me your gatekeeper,’ she said cheerfully. ‘I’m usually better than that.’

‘I was thinking of getting a key cut for you,’ said Judith. ‘Kate didn’t need one because she kept school hours and I was always here before and after her.’

‘Good idea,’ and she held her hand out for the key. ‘If you give it to me now I’ll get one cut at lunch time when I’m out.’

‘Thanks,’ said Judith as she handed it over. She couldn’t believe her luck.

Friday 14
th
November 2008

It was a full week before Chloe rang Judith, and she felt bad about it. Louise was due in at two o’clock to take over from her so she felt on safe ground inviting Judith at about one.

‘Thanks Chloe. Shall I pick up sandwiches on my way over?’

‘No, it’s OK, I’ve got plenty. Oh, as long as you’re not veggie.’

‘No, I’ll eat anything. See you about one o’clock.’

‘So, I expect you’re working all weekend?’ said Judith as they ate ham sandwiches.

‘No actually. Louise is going to work this afternoon and all day tomorrow. I’ve got an auction to go to in Newcastle.’

‘Really?’ Judith took a guess, ‘At Millward’s Auction House?’

‘Yes, actually. Do you know it?’

‘Yes, I go there quite a lot. I was thinking of going myself tomorrow. It’s always good for art.’

‘So, you’re cutting out the middle man, eh? I’m glad all my customers don’t think the same way.’

‘Chloe, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean that at all. I just like to go and watch. I like the atmosphere, you know.’

‘Yes, I know. It’s OK. I was only kidding. I like the atmosphere too.’ Chloe suddenly realised that Judith was going to turn up there tomorrow. ‘It’s a good chance for me to meet up with old friends in the business. We spend all day talking business.’

‘It sounds fascinating.’

They heard the door open in the shop and Chloe jumped up to greet her customer. It was Louise. She tried to keep a straight face as Chloe mouthed something to her in silence. Louise shook her head.

‘You’d better get off or you’ll catch all the rush hour traffic in Newcastle. Call me later.’

‘I’ll finish lunch first. Judith is here. Come and say hello.’

‘Hello Judith,’ called Louise as she hung her coat in the store room and went back to the shop to greet a new customer.

Back at the office, Judith looked up the auction house on the internet to see what was happening there the next day. Sure enough there were lots of paintings for sale. There seemed to be a lot of American artists that she hadn’t heard of; Harold Altman looked interesting, and Wally Ames. She wouldn’t buy anything of course, but it would be a day out.

Chloe got home and called Louise straight away.

‘What did you tell her all that for? You know she has nothing to do with her time. What are you going to do tomorrow? Hang out with her all day?’

‘No, I don’t want to. I’m going there to work and to meet my old colleagues from the gallery. I don’t want her there at all.’

‘Too late, I think. Be more careful what you say next time.’

‘I was going to keep it all professional. I’ve already had two nights out with her and now a jolly day out!’

‘You’re too chatty. Think next time, before you tell her
anything
.’

Saturday 15
th
November 2008

Judith sang along to the
Sounds of the Sixties
as she drove across to Newcastle. She didn’t like any of the songs and certainly hadn’t been around when they were hits, but somehow you just know them all. ‘
Build Me Up Buttercup’
? My God, what a stupid song! You couldn’t imagine anyone agreeing to release that these days. And Herman’s Hermits; what a stupid name for a pop group. Never mind, it passed the time and soon she arrived on the outskirts of the city and switched on the satnav. It was one of the wonderful gadgets that came with the car. She found the auction house and a nearby car park and made her way there to have a good look before it all started at eleven. She looked around for Chloe but didn’t see her, so she picked up a catalogue and walked around making notes. The notes actually said things like ‘Don’t forget to invoice Henson’s’ and ‘Find out what’s happening with Henry’s estate’ but it looked as though she was serious.