It is cold, very cold. Though I have been sat here for a while, at least an hour if not more. The banging on the door had become too much for me, I just had to come outside. I didn’t know who to call or even what to say? Well technically that’s not true. I just didn’t want to call them. So I called Alex. She would be able to help. Explain. If I told them they probably wouldn’t understand. They would just look at me as everyone did nowadays, like I’m crazy. But I am NOT crazy. In fact I would go as far as saying that I am the sanest person around. It’s everyone else who is crazy, telling me things that aren’t true. Saying they are people who they aren’t. But after tonight they will think I‘m crazy, once they’ve seen what I’ve done.
Nowadays they’re always on the side of the intruder, so called squatter’s rights. What about our rights? Are we not entitled to any? You work all your life to get yourself on the “property ladder” only for some lowlife to try and take it as their own. Only the other day I saw on the news this poor woman who’d returned from one of those mission trips to Africa, only to find her home filled with squatters and she was the one who had to sleep on the floors of friends and relatives!! Well that’s not happening to me. This is my home and it has been for the last 20 years and no one is going to take it away from me.
God, it is sooooo cold. I can’t help but shiver, but I smile as I think of my Edward and the first evening that we went for a stroll. That night was as cold as this if not colder. He was such a gentleman. He took of his jacket and was shivering just as much as I was then and now, but he would rather that I was warm. Such a gentleman!
“But Mr Banks I couldn’t possibly, you are just as cold as I.”
“Now, Miss Jeffries, I will be offended if you do not wear my jacket.”
“Well I don’t want to offend you now do I.”
Oh such good memories. I miss him so much when he’s not here, which seems to be more often than not lately. I wish he were here now. I wish he hadn’t left me at the mercy of criminals and intruders, people without morals. (Sigh) Honestly, what has happened to the world? There was a time when you could leave your door wide open and come home to find everything in tact. A time when neighbours would look out for each other, not like now. I hardly know mine. Oh why isn’t he here!!! He would know what to do. I begged him not to take the job. He is always away months at a time and with Alex at university, I am often left at home alone.
“Mum.”
Sitting next to me on the step is a woman. A grown woman of about 40 years wearing the biggest quilted jacket and a red woolly hat. I didn’t notice her drive up in the grey Ford Focus that is parked in front of the house, nor did I see her walk up the path and sit next to me. I was too busy thinking of my Edward. Looking into her eyes I can see her fear, her eyeballs shiny with tears. Her face is so worn, it looks like she has had some years of worry, she looks far older than her age. Poor thing. That’s one thing people always compliment me on. How good I look for my age. “Never a day older” they say. This poor girl has probably never heard those words, at least not with sincerity.
“Mum, what are you doing out here? You’re absolutely freezing, you’ll catch your death!!”
She takes off her jacket, just as Edward had that night many years ago. Before I know it she is wrapping it around me and starts to rub my arms. Oh that feels good. I can feel the warmth but my body still continues to shiver.
I can’t help but stare at her face. It is kind and somewhat familiar. Her presence makes me feel calm; some people have that affect on you. Sometimes you can tell whether or not someone means you any harm and she could not hurt a fly. I can tell that she has respect for her elders. Some cultures treat their elders with so much respect that Miss or Mr aren’t good enough titles for them. Saw a programme on telly once, where they were in some foreign country and they referred to the elders as Aunty or Uncle. I think it is rather lovely and a lot of young people could learn a thing or two from this. Us older folk are to be respected you know.
“Mum you called me, you said something had happened, that something was wrong. What happened, why are you sat here on this step? Why is the door wide open?”
“I didn’t call you? I called my daughter Alex. Are you a friend of hers? Where is she? I need to speak to Alex, she will know what to do.”
She stops rubbing me and now she is putting her head in her hands. How strange. I didn’t mean to offend her. It was kind of her to stop and see if I was alright. Not many people do that these days. It’s not like it used to be. Her face is wet, she has been crying. Oh I’ve upset her. Oh dear let me put my arm around her.
“There there, dear, there, there.”
“Mum.” Tears flow down her face like a constant stream. “It’s me, Alex.”
“Who are you?” I rise to my feet. “Who are you? You’re not Alex. My Alex is young; she’s at university studying Law. You’re old enough to be her mother.”
“Mum, please.”
“Stay away from me!!!”
She must think I’m stupid. My Alex is a beautiful girl who is young and slim and has not one worry line on her head and this woman who looks like she has been through the wars thinks that I will fall her lies! Oh no I won’t, she like everyone else seems to be out to get me. What has happened to the world? I wish Edward were here.
“Look please. I’m sorry. You’re right, I’m a friend….. of Alex’s. Please, you left a message on my.. I mean Alex’s phone.”
She ‘s holding the phone away from her so I can hear and yes indeed it is me, the message I left for Alex. Looking at her face I know deep down she’s kind, probably not out to get me but then why would she lie? Why does she have Alex’s phone? Nothing makes sense. Nothing makes sense at all.
“Why have you got Alex’s phone?”
“Er…. she gave it to me…..said I could help.”
She walks towards me. She doesn’t seem menacing in any way and Alex has always been a good judge of character. She places her hands on my shoulders.
“Where is Da… I mean your husband?”
“Not here.” I start to sob. “I wish he was.” She holds me in her arms and releases, starting to usher me inside the house but I can’t go back in there, not while he’s still there.
“What’s wrong?”
“We can’t go in there.”
“Mum come on!”
“Will you stop calling me Mum!! Look we CANNOT go in there!”
“Why?”
“He’s still in there.”
“Who?”
“The intruder.”
“Someone was in the house?”
“Yes.” I return to the step and she follows, sitting beside me.
“Did you call the police?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“They will put me in prison!!!” Her head returns to her hands. Is she crying again?
“Mu….Mrs Banks tell me what happened, I can help.”
Now I start to cry. What a pair we are! I don’t want to get in trouble. I’m too old to go to prison. What would my Edward think? What would Alex say?
“Please tell me.”
“I can’t.”
“Please.” I look at her face. The poor girl looks so distraught. I bet she wishes she had never stopped. I bet she wishes that she had just kept on driving.
“I had an afternoon nap. I always do, you can ask Alex, she always used to make fun of how much I sleep during the day. Anyway I came down the steps to make a cup of tea and I heard a noise in the living room. There was a man in there. A stranger in my home!!! So I locked him in there!”
“There’s a man locked in there?!”
“Yes.” I hold my head in shame. “I hit him with the rolling pin and locked the door. I was scared. I didn’t mean to. Please help me!”
Holding me in her arms, she tells me everything is going to be alright. I sure do hope so. She takes out her phone, says she’s calling the police. Oh I wish Alex and Edward were here, I really do.
“Look let’s sit in the car, it’s warmer in there.” She gets up, closes the door of the house and helps me up off the step. Oh how stiff I am.
“I am sorry you know. So sorry. I really didn’t mean to hurt him.”
“It’s ok, it’s ok.” She holds me in her arms, explaining that it isn’t my fault and that the police would understand as we walk towards the car.
“You didn’t say where Dad was, I mean your husband.”
“Edward. Oh he’s away at work dear. He always has to work far away. I begged him not to take the job but he said it was best for the family, especially with Alex at university. You know it’s ever so expensive.”
Suddenly she stops. She looks at me and stoops down until we’re at eye level.
“Mum, Dad stopped working a long time ago. He’s retired, you both are.”
“I am not your mother!!! Why do you keep saying these things? He’s not retired. He is only 45! He’s away.”
“I’m sorry, please calm down.”
She places her palms on both of my shoulders.
“I can’t believe he’s not here. He should never have left you on your own.”
As the words leave her mouth her face starts to change. She has a look of horror and her eyes have opened wide. Now she’s running towards the house her phone pressing against her ear and some keys in the other hand. She uses the keys to open the front door. Why does she have the keys to the house? Did Alex give them to her? I run after her scared that she might let him out. I can hear sirens in the distance. Oh the body isn’t what it used to be.
I run through the hallway and into the kitchen and there she is holding a vibrating phone in her hand. It’s Edward’s, which is strange. He never left the house without it, especially when on a business trip.
